The folks at Bolt Fabrics in Portland have posted a tutorial to create a large, super soft baby blanket with Anna Maria Horner's new yummy line of flannel fabrics. They've also included instructions for creating custom bias tape to bind the blanket. When my kids were newborn, I loved having a stash of light, but warm large blankets for swaddling. These would be a perfect baby gift!

While it has certainly been a lot of work (the central portion is all hand-quilted), it's the most satisfying project I've ever worked on. The thread color isn't consistent, the applique is crooked, and I have a lot to learn about mitered corners, but I'm ready to start another, this time for my own baby. Hopefully it will be done by the time he goes to college.



Here's a closer look at the stitching on the back side.



And here it is in all its glory.



If you want to make your own (and I highly recommend it--quilting is very meditative and also a great way to pass the time when you're on the phone or chatting it up with someone), check out our Hawaiian Quilt Project from the pages of CRAFT, Volume 02.

Most of the baby clothes my son wears are hand-me-downs or flea market finds, but my very favorites are usually the vintage ones. They don't look like all the other baby outfits you see running (crawling?) around and they're usually better made, too.

The drawback is that they don't always have snaps in the legs. I loved this pair of 80s overalls, but there's no way I am putting on or taking off overalls more than once a day. It was an easy fix, though! I ripped out the old seam, made a new one along the edges of the legs, and sewed on six snaps. Now diaper changing will be a (dare I say it?) snap.



I turned the seam under for the length of the legs, but left the cuffs folded over so they weren't too bulky. If the pants you're modding are thinner, go ahead and turn the seam under all the way.



When sewing the snaps on, make sure to use strong thread and stitch a little more than you think you need to. You don't want those things popping off and ending up in your little one's mouth!



Here are all six snaps sewn on. Learn from my mistake and make sure you have the two sides of the snap in the right order (I accidentally sewed on two backs)!

NOTE: a kind reader suggested snap tape, which would definitely make this an even easier project!

CRAFT friends and Instructables folks Eric and Christy dressed their baby girl, Corvidae, as a 3-armed baby for Halloween. They posted up a tutorial for the costume, made from two identical baby outfits and a doll arm.

While we wanted to be subtle, this was almost too subtle - she wore the costume all day, and hardly anyone noticed! But when they finally detected a problem, the responses were excellent.

The surreal nature of these Halloween baby costumes on Martha Stewart is shorting things out in my brain; they're so creepy and hilarious! [via Extreme Craft]

Eric and Christy at Instructables show you how to dress up your infant like a in an actual pumpkin.

I have recently discovered a beautiful blog called Homegrown Happy. It's written by a new mother living not too far from me on the coast of Northern California. Jazmin is a new friend, and I love her attitude and her gorgeous family. She also has a very interesting lifestyle. Her home is remote, her needs are simple, and her aesthetics are driven by natural beauty. Her posts are inspiring and achievable at the same time, and the projects come alive with Jazmin's personal stories.

She and her husband Arnoud worked together to create buttons from an oak branch for their baby Finn. The tutorial is easy to follow, and has great photography.

Her granola recipe is not just about oats! The story of how Jazmin came to like granola for breakfast is too sweet.

Halloween Doodle Embroidery
by Vickie Howell

If you're like me, you pretty much start celebrating Halloween by about September 15th. Skulls, witches, bats, and ghosts make me smile like a kid at Christmas (no disrespect). Instead of keeping the visions of pumpkins dancing in my head, though, I prefer to sew them onto cloth. Join me won'tcha, by downloading my doodles and partaking in a little stitch witchery of your own. Happy Halloween!

This awesome cthulhu baby blanket was lovingly crocheted by Craftster user Fickle Pegasus. The velcro tentacles can hold onto toys so they don't roll away. [via Neatorama]

I had a number of formal weddings to go to this summer (and a few more to go!), and at first I wasn't quite sure what to put my then-four-month-old in. A quick search on Etsy brought up some adorable tuxedo onesies. I couldn't resist this one, although it would be fairly simple to whip one up yourself: just applique the bow tie and stitch some quick ruffles down the front with T-shirt material. (On the other hand, if you're a new mom whose crafting time is much more limited these days, check out Corduroy's Closet!)

When my son Huck was born this spring, the Craftzine team bought him this adorable hat from the Ikeasaurus benefit auction, which was raising money for a sick baby named Ike in Austin. It made me happy to think of one baby helping another. And now Huck's finally big enough to wear it! The hat was knit by the very talented Beth Reyburn and is perfect for cool San Francisco autumn days.

I also got a photo and an update on Ike's health from his mom, Kari:

Three cheers for charming, brave Ike and his wonderful family and friends! And three cheers for my amazing, thoughtful, big-hearted, crafty coworkers!

Well, I just discovered my next sewing project! I have one of these plastic Ikea high chairs gathering dust in my garage from my niece's last visit; I've been trying to decide whether or not to keep it for my little one when he gets ready to join us at the table to eat. It seemed kind of uninviting and a bit boring, but what a great idea to spice it up with a great piece of fabric and some padding! Better yet, you can get the high chair cushion pattern for free over at Burda Style.

Head on over to the Etsy shop Tiny Tangerines and you'll be in cute heaven. Crafter Kelly Burghardt designs and crochets the most adorable baby hats shaped like owls, cupcakes, cows, and more. I got a chance to catch up with this busy designer and mom to find out more about her new crafy biz.

Please tell us what you make.
Custom crochet hats sold at tinytangerines.etsy.com.

How long have you been crocheting and how did you get started?
I've been crocheting for about a year now. A friend of mine taught me the basic stitch needed to make straight lines, but you can only make so many scarfs before it's time to learn something new. About two months ago I taught myself how to crochet hats by watching youtube videos and I fell in love!

Your crochet hats for babies are adorable. What was your inspiration for creating them?
My daughter (born via emergency c-section) was blessed with a rather large head. All of the cute little baby headbands and hats we would buy for her looked too tight and seemed rather uncomfortable, so I decided to start making my own. When I posted pictures of them on my livejournal all of my mommy friends wanted some for their little ones too, some even suggested I open and etsy shop. I had no idea my hats would be so popular. I am so lucky to have found a way to help with the bills, while staying home with my daughter and doing something I really love.

How do you come up with your patterns?
It started with the owls and cupcakes, two of my favorite things! Now whenever I see something that makes me "awwww" my next thought is "how can I translate this into a hat?"

Do you have a crochet tip you can share?
Play with your stitches! Some of my favorite tricks have come from what I thought was a mistake.

Are there any other crafts you like to do?
I try to put a crafty spin on everything I do. I'm known for bringing theme cupcakes to every event I'm invited to. I reconstruct all of my clothes, paint silly patterns on my nails, and I've had my hair every color of the rainbow! I also love sketching, painting, sculpting, and any art project I can get my hands on. It feels so good to create something you can be proud of.

This week's CRAFT Pattern Podcast is Nia's Babyset by Sylvie Damey from Chez Plum. This unique crochet set comprises of a cardigan (sized for a 3-6 month baby), a kitty rattle toy, and a baby book cover. This is a perfect gift to make for an expecting friend or baby shower gift. The crochet skills required for this pattern are: chain, slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet, double crochet in front loop. For more info on the pattern, visit the Nia's Babyset page on Chez Plum.

Download the Pattern PDF | Subscribe in iTunes

Robyn writes:

All babies need a bit of extra snuggle when first born, and sources tell me they should also be wrapped up tight. But what if your babe likes to kick her legs?

I fell in love with the Kicking Sleep Sack some time ago, but with such small needles, my hands revolted before I could finish up a bag. Here then is my worsted-weight counterpart. By using slightly thicker yarn, this pattern will practically knit itself, while still keeping everything soft enough for even the most sensitive of babes! And as an added bonus, you use the entire skein of yarn, so there’s no need to figure out what to do with leftovers!

Minimalist T-Shirt Baby/Kid Pants
By Bernadette Noll and Kathie Sever
Future Craft Collective

Last week we made some super simple and comfy yoga pants from a castoff T-shirt. This week we're utilizing the same materials because, well, we all know the abundance of T-shirts in this world is somewhat overwhelming, and while we may not be able to wear all the ones we have, we don't necessarily just want to get rid of them.

This week's project is the minimalist baby/kid pants using an old favorite stripey tee of mine. I came up with this pattern idea when my oldest was just a wee toddler, and I have made dozens of them since. They are, without a doubt, my favorite baby pants to put on my kids for a variety of reasons. There is no front or back. They are easy to put on. They can grow with a kid: starting out as long baby pants, seguing into high-water toddler pants, and making the transition into first grader clam diggers as well. They are comfortable and styling, and can serve as play pants or jammies in any season.

To prove how simple these pants are, I have employed my now 11 year-old in the process, the very same child for whom these pants were first made so many years ago. She has whipped out more than a few of these and finds satisfaction in the style and also in the simplicity of it all. Just recently, she took an old college tee from a cousin and transformed it into baby pants for that same cousin's new baby! The possibilities are endless.

Whit writes:

I love thick and squishy baby blankets. They keep babies cozy in cold weather, of course, and they're fast to knit, which is always a welcome bonus; but, best of all, they are perfect floor mats for young babies who haven't yet discovered their locomotive skills. I'm always reaching for the plushest blankets I have so I can set Bear down wherever I need to be. I get to keep an eye on him, and he gets to experience new vantage points from his luxurious travelling rugs.

Petchy writes:

Perfect for a "let me whip something up last-minute" baby gift! The little "doll" is made from the scraps from the neck hole.

Nkitnat writes:

When out, I used to breastfeed with a white cloth on my shoulder to hide naked skin but it often fell from there ... so to hold it tight I sewed a "two-sided" clip band that falls around my neck holding the cloth at the level of my chest.

Two of my sweetest friends were just married, and I know how excited they are about someday soon having a baby. So I decided to recycle some leftover flowers from their wedding into a keepsake baby toy. I saved the fragrant lavender blossoms from some of the arrangements, and dried them to use as part of the stuffing for this charming and easy gift. It takes a lovely part of their recent past, and gives it a new extra-sentimental life in the future.