The registry is picked over and the shower is Saturday, so let’s talk DIY baby shower gifts that new parents will actually use. Most of these come together in an evening with a sewing machine, a package of diapers or a few washcloths, and a couple need no sewing at all. There are diaper cakes and diaper bouquets that double as the centerpiece, burp cloths and taggie blankets for the very real daily mess, pacifier clips (because that binky will hit the floor a hundred times) and a towel teddy bear you fold in a few minutes with nothing but a ribbon. Handmade baby shower gifts get passed around the room and then used for months, which is a better deal than one more onesie in the wrong size. Perfect for baby showers, sip and sees, sprinkles, coworkers expecting and new grandparents.
1. How To Make A Diaper Bouquet
Flowers die. Diapers get used. That is the whole pitch for this diaper bouquet, and it is a good one. You roll each diaper with the top tucked in, slip on a clear rubber band near the bottom and push it onto a wooden skewer. Stick the stems into a foam ball in a vase and fill the gaps with tulle or tissue paper. Any size diaper works, and tucking baby soap or shampoo into the vase makes it a full gift.
Get the full tutorial at frugalfanatic.
2. DIY Burp Rags
New parents go through burp rags the way the rest of us go through paper towels, so a stack of these is never wasted. Each one is two 10 by 18 inch rectangles, minky on one side and a pretty cotton print on the other, sewn together, turned and topstitched. That is the entire project, about 10 minutes each. Prewash both fabrics first, and make five, because one burp rag is basically a decoration.
Get the full tutorial at lifewithmylittles.
3. Make Your Own DIY Mary Janes
Tiny shoes are the thing that makes everybody at a shower say “awww” at the same time. These start as plain canvas baby Mary Janes that get soaked in tie dye, sealed in a zip bag for at least 8 hours, then washed on gentle and air dried. A felt bow cut with a die cutter goes on top with a brad and hot glue. Wear gloves for the dye part (purple fingers are not a great look at a shower).
Get the full tutorial at craftaholicsanonymous.
4. Faux Ribbon Baby Hat
If you can crochet a circle, you can make this baby hat. It works up in medium weight yarn in two colors with a size G hook, and the contrast color weaves around the band like a ribbon before finishing in a little bow. The designer’s tip is gold: if your circle measures 3 inches across by step 4, your sizing is on track. It is free and beginner friendly, and it would look adorable paired with crocheted booties.
Get the full tutorial at whistleandivy.
5. How to Make a Diaper Cake
The diaper cake is the classic for a reason: it sits on the gift table looking fancy, then becomes a month of diapers. Roll each diaper from the top opening down to the legs, band it and build the rolls out from the center on a 10 inch cake circle. Wrap each tier in a receiving blanket folded long and skinny, then tuck washcloths, hats or onesies between the rolls. Use rubber bands, never pins, since nothing should poke a baby.
Get the full tutorial at alittlejunkinmytrunk.
6. How to Sew a Taggie Blanket
Babies ignore the expensive toy and chew the tag on it, so give them a whole blanket of tags. This one is two 12 1/2 inch squares of contrasting fabric with 5 inch ribbon loops pinned around the edge, basted, then sewn with a 1/2 inch seam, turned and topstitched. Mix satin, grosgrain and ric rac so every tag feels different. The maker says hers was still going strong six years and two babies later.
Get the full tutorial at gracefullittlehoneybee.
7. Sew Your Own Changing Pad
This changing pad is the kind of gift that gets a parent through a gas station bathroom with dignity. It has built in spots for diapers and a thin wipes case, terry cloth inside so baby is comfy, and it rolls up and closes with a velcro tab. The free pattern prints and tapes together, and you need 1 1/2 yards each of cotton and terry plus a little elastic. The blogger’s own was going strong after two years.
Get the full tutorial at lifewithmylittles.
8. DIY Pacifier Clips
That pacifier is going to hit the floor roughly four thousand times, and this is the fix. Cut fabric strips 2 1/4 by 8 inches, fuse on matching interfacing, sew into a tube and turn it. One end wraps a clip and gets sewn with a criss cross box, the other gets a ribbon loop for the binky. The blogger made nine for about $7 using fabric scraps, so make a whole set for one gift.
Get the full tutorial at vivaveltoro.
9. How To Make Diaper Babies
Diaper babies might be the silliest thing on this list, which is exactly why they disappear first at the shower. Roll a size 1 diaper and band it, wrap it in a baby washcloth, then pull a baby sock over the top as a little hat. Draw sleepy eyes right on the diaper with a marker and line them all up in a basket. Match the washcloths to the shower theme and add baby wash or lotion between them.
Get the full tutorial at frugalfanatic.
10. New Baby Gift Basket
A gift basket feels thrown together until you learn the one trick that makes it look styled: stick with one main color. This one goes yellow, which works for a boy or a girl. Size 2 diapers stack in the bottom to lift everything up, then come rolled receiving blankets, a snack cup, a teether, baby wash, a book, a sippy cup and a rubber ducky (everyone needs one). A free printable “welcome baby” tag finishes it.
Get the full tutorial at fantabulosity.
11. Puppy Binkie Pattern
Every baby eventually picks one thing to drag everywhere, so why not make it a puppy. This binkie is a square of fluffy micro fleece hemmed into a small blanket, with a stuffed puppy head, neck and tail sewn on. The four corners act as the paws. The modified head and tail pieces print on one sheet of letter or A4 paper, and they come from a free stuffed dachshund pattern linked in the post.
Get the full tutorial at thethingswellmake.
12. Personalized Wipes Case
A plain plastic wipes case is about as exciting as it sounds, until you put the baby’s monogram on it. This one is a blank wipes case covered in chevron adhesive vinyl with a circle monogram cut right into the shape on a Silhouette. One tip from the blogger: white chevron hides a cut out monogram, so layer it on a contrasting vinyl. Practical, cheap and personal, and it gets used at every single diaper change.
Get the full tutorial at simplydarrling.
13. Baby Washcloth Lollipops
Washcloth lollipops are the cutest way to dress up a card when the parents asked for cash. Each lollipop takes two baby washcloths folded into strips about 3/4 inch wide, rolled together cinnamon roll style and set on a baby spoon as the stick. Wrap it in a cellophane treat bag or tulle and tie it with ribbon. A few in a little bucket look like a candy shop display, and they cost almost nothing to make.
Get the full tutorial at 320daysofsunshine.
14. Diaper Clutch
Sometimes the whole diaper bag is too much and you just need to run in with the essentials. This clutch holds a wipes case plus three larger diapers, and it really does sew up in about 15 minutes. Two fabrics are layered 12 1/2 by 18 inches, the top corners get rounded (a DVD makes a perfect template) and bias tape finishes the edges. A zigzag stitch makes the bias tape easy for beginners.
Get the full tutorial at iammommahearmeroar.
15. Bunny Ear Baby Teether
These bunny ear teethers take about 5 minutes each, which is why the blogger kept making them for every friend who was expecting. A strip of fabric about 14 by 3 inches (or use the free template) is sewn with shaped ends, turned and tied around a wooden teething ring so the ends stand up like ears. Organic cotton is a great pick here, and the fabric part tosses right in the wash.
Get the full tutorial at thecluelessgirl.
16. Baby Burp Cloths Made from Vintage Handkerchiefs
Got a box of vintage hankies doing absolutely nothing in a closet? Here is their second act. Each handkerchief is backed with a small square of chenille so it actually soaks something up, and the pretty printed border becomes the edge of the burp cloth. It is a beginner friendly sew, and a stack of these looks like a family heirloom even though they cost a few dollars at a thrift shop. Soak out stains first.
Get the full tutorial at polkadotchair.
17. Baby Soft Block with Ribbon Tutorial
A soft block is the toy babies actually play with, because it is easy to grab and nothing hurts when it gets thrown. This one uses six 4 inch squares, four in cotton prints and two in chenille, with little ribbon loops sewn into the seams. Sew the squares in a strip, add the chenille sides, turn it, stuff it with fiberfill and blind stitch the last side shut. It is a great way to use up nursery scraps.
Get the full tutorial at zaaberry.
18. Tie Onesie
Every baby boy needs at least one outfit that makes him look like a tiny accountant. This onesie gets a fabric tie cut from a free template, backed with Heat N’ Bond so it stays put through the wash. The knot gets a pinch of batting so it puffs out, then a zigzag stitch around it holds everything down. A plain 3 to 6 month bodysuit and a fat quarter scrap is all it needs.
Get the full tutorial at tiffkeetch.
19. Sew an Easy Baby Sleep Sack
Once a baby outgrows the swaddle, the sleep sack takes over, and you can never have too many. This one is a free pattern for a sleeveless wearable blanket that closes with velcro, so arms stay free and diaper changes at 2am are easier. Pick a fleece for winter or a lighter knit for summer. Elephant print fleece like this is so cheerful it might even make the night feedings feel shorter.
Get the full tutorial at cozydiyhome.
20. DIY Towel Teddy Bear
Here is the gift you can make in the car on the way to the shower. A towel teddy bear starts with one square towel rolled from both sides to the middle, twisted, folded and tied to shape the head. Pinch two corners for ears, tie them with jute twine or a rubber band, then finish with a ribbon bow at the neck. It sits on top of any gift like a bow that can be used later.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
21. Baby Sleeping Door Sign
Every new parent has lived this: the baby finally falls asleep and the doorbell rings. This sign handles it with a free vinyl cut file that reads “Shhh… baby sleeping. If you wake him, you rock him.” Cut it in white vinyl on a Silhouette and apply it to a small chalkboard, plaque or canvas. There are versions for boys, girls and multiples. It is funny, it is useful, and the delivery driver will get the message.
Get the full tutorial at That's What {Che} Said.
22. Easy Crochet Baby Mittens
Newborns scratch their own faces with those tiny fingernails, and these little mitts stop it. They are crocheted in rows with simple stitches and a ribbed cuff, in a soft DK or light worsted yarn. The pattern is free and beginner friendly, and a pair works up fast enough to make two before the shower. Add a little appliqué if you want, or just pick a sweet pastel and call it done.
Get the full tutorial at LisaAuch Crochet.
23. Sew Baby Bibs from Kitchen Towels
A kitchen towel bib covers a messy eater like a tiny smock, and it soaks up applesauce like a champ. Wash the towel first (about 28 1/2 by 17 1/2 inches), trim off the top edge for the collar, then trace a 4 inch cup for the neck hole. A 9 inch piece of 1/4 inch elastic and a snap tape or velcro fastener finish it. Once you have the method down, you can sew a stack quickly.
Get the full tutorial at Bellewood Cottage.
24. DIY Boppy Nursing Pillow Cover
Official nursing pillow covers come in about three colors, and the cute handmade ones can cost as much as the pillow. So make one. Trace an old cover onto folded fabric with an extra inch all around, cut two, and set an 18 inch zipper with a basted seam. You need 1 1/2 yards of cotton quilting fabric. Take the extra inch seriously; the blogger tried a half inch first and the zipper fought back.
Get the full tutorial at Little Red Window.
25. Homemade Flannel Baby Wipes
If the parents plan to cloth diaper, homemade flannel wipes are a gift they will use dozens of times a day. Wash and dry the flannel first, cut it into 6 inch squares (eyeballing is fine, it is for a baby’s bum) and zigzag stitch around every edge. That is the whole thing. Old flannel receiving blankets or sheets work too. The blogger uses chamomile tea as a gentle wipe solution.
Get the full tutorial at Frugal Mom Eh!.
26. DIY Diaper Train Gift
A diaper cake is lovely, but a diaper train is just more fun. Roll two size 1 diapers together tightly for each wheel, tape them and band four wheels together with washi tape. Wrap a stack of diapers in a blanket or outfit for the base, fold more for the top and tie it all on. A rolled baby cap makes the smokestack. This one is dressed for Christmas, but any blanket print works.
Get the full tutorial at A Night Owl Blog.
27. No-Sew Fabric Lined Nursery Baskets
Nursery shelves fill up with diaper cream and tiny socks fast, and these baskets hide the chaos in style. Wire baskets get a liner cut from fat quarters, held on with peel and stick fabric tape and sticky back velcro dots, so there is no sewing at all. Measure your basket and do a little math first. A set filled with burp cloths and washcloths is a gift and storage in one.
Get the full tutorial at Ideas for the Home by Kenarry.
28. DIY Taggie Blanket
Here is a taggie blanket with a little extra personality: it is shaped like a dinosaur. Two mirror image pieces of minky go around foam stabilizer and crinkle fabric, so it crinkles when squeezed, and 2 to 3 inch ribbon loops in mixed textures run down the spine. A Cricut Maker cuts the shape from a free design file, or you can freehand it with scissors. Babies and toddlers both love it.
Get the full tutorial at The Country Chic Cottage.
29. Criss Cross Knit Baby Booties
If you know how to cast on, knit and bind off, you can make these booties. That is honestly all this pattern uses, plus one color change for the accent and a seam to finish. It comes in five sizes from newborn to 24 months, uses worsted weight yarn on 5.5mm needles and takes very little yarn. Make several pairs at once and you will have a baby gift ready for every shower this year.
Get the full tutorial at Jessie At Home.
30. Sew a Minky Baby Blanket
Minky is the fabric every baby blanket wants to be, and this tutorial takes the fear out of sewing it. No batting needed. Cut the front and back at 31 by 41 inches, spray baste them together, stitch around the edge with a 1/4 inch seam and a long 3.0mm stitch, then add a minky binding. A walking foot and a stretch needle keep things from sliding. It goes together in an hour or two.
Get the full tutorial at Hooked on Sewing.
31. Wood Ring Baby Teether Toy
A plain wood ring with a soft fabric star snapped on is the kind of toy that looks great in photos and in the diaper bag. The ring gets sanded if needed and rubbed with food grade mineral oil, then cures for about 24 hours. The star is sewn from a free pattern, stuffed and attached with twill tape and a snap so it comes off for the wash. Black and white fabric is great for young eyes.
Get the full tutorial at Skip To My Lou.
32. DIY Baby Milestone Blocks
Parents take about a thousand photos in the first year, and milestone blocks make every one of them easier to date. These are chalkboard blocks dressed with removable vinyl numbers and words cut on a Cricut Joy, which means the decals peel off and the blocks can be reused. No cutting machine? Chalk markers or stickers work. Plain wood blocks painted with chalkboard paint fill in if the chalkboard ones are hard to find.
Get the full tutorial at Moms and Crafters.
33. DIY Pom Pom Swaddle Blanket
Gauze swaddles are the blanket parents end up using for everything, from swaddling to nursing cover to car seat shade. This version is about as easy as sewing gets: 1 1/4 yards of cotton gauze, serged or zigzagged around the edge, then 5 yards of mini pom pom trim stitched just inside that line. Pom pom trim comes in so many colors that you may end up making a whole stack.
Get the full tutorial at Simple Simon and Company.
