What was the best handmade thing you had for your baby?

[GreyDuck]

I'm expecting my first baby at the end of the summer and am getting quite excited. I'd love to make some things for the baby and am looking for inspiration. I enjoy planning and shopping almost as much as making, so am trying not to get too carried away.
What did you make / receive for your babies that you actually liked and used? Was there anything that was a total flop?
Thank you for any suggestions

I sew leggings and matching hats, I get so many friends requesting them when they have babies and they are honestly so simple to do. I started making little baby bandana head wrap things too and I design babygrows now that seem to be super popular lately.

I'm trying my hand next at making baby moccasins, they look adorable and seem very simple to do and Pinterest has a step by step guide if you fancied a look.

My favourite I was gifted was a large round baby shawl, it was so beautifully knitted with the softest of wool, I used it for all 3 of my DC.

Traditional knitted booties from my mum were great when he was little and in the wrap with just his feet poking out. Pram sized knitted blanket was used for every buggy and pram walk until at about 17 months he pushed it out of the buggy and and I was very very lucky it was picked up and handed in - it now stays in the house! Hats are great too, jumpers and cardigans tend to get less use but some. My mum knitted him an amazing teddy bear!

mrsnec

Which pattern did she use for flutterby yarn ? xx

I crocheted smaller blankets that fitted the buggy or car seat. They're used for teddies now!

Andyandapril I've just looked at that blanket on Ravelry. It is beautiful

It is, isn’t it? Ive made several. They are not that difficult to knit, but time consuming to sew up. Here’s my latest

A friend knitted a blanket which was wonderful. She was born in July but it was a light blanket so it wasn't too hot for her !

That's beautiful @andyandapril

Someone crocheted me a really, really thick blanket that I ended up using as a kind of playmat for baby to lie on. It was really beautiful and soft.

We were given a handmade doll for each of the dds. They are treasured and not allowed out of the house. A friend made tiny hot pink booties when dd1 was born at 6lbs and a shrimp!
My mum knitted booties with high legs and leg warmers in crazy colours for the babies in the sling

For DS1 we got several blankets which were lovely and useful. They are now getting used again for DS2. My mum has made DS2 an appliqued playmat which is gorgeous and I'm sure is going to get lots of use.

The most useful things I made and received were:

• a small blanket, ie a good size for using in a pushchair or car seat.

• a really big white blanket with a beautiful lace pattern which was big enough for us both to snuggle under. We still use it now.

• cardigans, especially frontless ones when tiny.

• beanie hats.

Based on my experience, I wouldn't bother again with:

• booties. They all fall off. Ditto scratch mitts.

• socks. Too much faff.

• sweaters. Awkward to get over the head.

• knitted mobile.

Thanks so much. Ive also knitted it in pink

That's beautiful!

Thank you. Its not as difficult to knit as it looks x

a knitted blanket about the size of a hand towel. big enough to cover legs but small enough not to constantly drag on the floor.

A personalised blanket. It’s gorgeous

Cardies are lovely but be aware babies grow out of them in practically less time than they took to make...

My best hand made gift was a playmat (basically a well padded metre squared patchwork quilt) which has been used constantly on our wooden floors - for tummy time/general lying about, then to help cushion falls when first sitting up, and even now as a indoor picnic blanket/fort floor.

Can I ask what size blanket did people find most useful? I'm currently crocheting one for a friend and am not sure how big to make it.

I've seen some beautiful needle felt mobiles on Pinterest I'd love to make but not got round to it yet

Oh yeh I got a felt mobile it's alice in wonderland I'm very lucky though my bestie teaches fashion and textiles she's very handy with a sewing machine!

That's a very pretty blanket andyandapril I can do simple knitting so if you say it's not too hard I could try to expand my skills.

Definitely. Its the same little square knitted multiple times and sewn together. If you get stuck there’s wonderful tutorials on YouTube x

So a small crochet blanket for car seat or buggy also seems popular. Are these smaller than the ones you buy - these tend to be 70x 90cm in shops.

hand towel size is good, so 50x80 cm or so.