Creative Things You Can Make With Old Baby & Children's Clothes

Recently when blogging about  Valentine's Day-themed and love-inspired craft and upcycle projects I featured this Heart Quilt made from old baby clothes. I also admitted that I did stash away a special piece of my daughter's clothing here and there when packing up carloads of outgrown old kids clothes to send to Goodwill. What would I make with them? I wasn't sure, but once I started to look around for some ideas to use as springboards, I knew I had to share all of these cute ideas that I came across. 

In the past I've written about What To Do With Those Old Baby Shoes, and Creative Upcycled Baby Cribs. Now check out these cute and creative ideas for what to do with old baby clothes! 

Now of course, the best thing to do with old baby and children's clothes is to send them off to someone who can use them, or donate them to Goodwill. These projects are about saving one or two special pieces as mementos and having them transformed into something that is both old and new. 

The obvious choices are sewing projects, and if you don't sew yourself, there are plenty of people who can create these projects for you on Etsy or elsewhere on the internet. But aside from sewing, check out the wall art made with fabric scraps below and be inspired - no sewing experience is needed for this project, just some glue!

Have a stuffed toy made from baby's old sleeper. By nestlingkids

 Memory pillows (above and memory tree below) by cluckclucksew

Have a fabric cuff bracelet made by Etsy seller Bluskybubbleatelier

Turn those old baby clothes into a pillow. These you can order from Uncommon Goods

Create some wall art with old cloth scraps. Tutorial by Chasing Cottons

Rag quilt made from old baby clothes

What do you think?

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Have a great week!

 Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs

Article, images, and designs copyright ©Laura Beth Love for Dishfunctional Designs™ 2018

all rights reserved

Look! Mom's Dishes! ...Connections To Our Past

I've shared this blog post before because it's one of my favorites, and I thought today would be the perfect day to share it again, this time a little bit revised. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Sometimes I think I have the best job in the world, getting to work with beautiful china pieces day in and day out...sometimes it actually feels more like a privilege than an actual profession. 

There are sometimes moments when I stop and think, wow, this is what I do for a living, this is what I've been doing for so many years - and for that I am so fortunate. 

After all, each of these plates and cups and saucers and other dinnerware pieces all have history behind them. They come from many different countries, from all around the world, and their beautiful patterns and colors give them a unique appeal that brings them to life unlike other ordinary household objects. 

They're used in the kitchen, which I've always felt was the heart of the home. They're filled with cooking - which is in itself an effort of love. Once filled, they are handed to you, passed along, as we sit around a family table and pass the dishes from hand to hand, sharing what they hold. 

We see them and touch them multiple times a day, every day. We use them and we take care of them, washing them carefully so that they don't break, and then putting them away in a safe place. We sometimes even have special ones that we bring out only for special occasions. 

But often we treasure the most humble ones. 

Who doesn't have a favorite coffee mug? Or one plate or bowl or other piece of dinnerwear that once belonged to someone else in their family?

We remember dishes. 

They're a part of our family in some ways, a part of each of our own personal histories. Have you not once in your life been somewhere, maybe an antique market or thrift shop, and come across an orphaned plate or cup that you instantly recognized from somewhere in your own past? 

At that moment of recognition, it isn't just "a plate" or "a cup," but "mom's plate," or "grandmother's cup." There is a connection. Often when that connection is made we find ourselves flooded with memories of family from long ago, or of our childhood, or of holidays and times past. If you're the sentimental type like I am, it can be a comforting experience. 

I've been working with dishes for so long now that I know all the patterns by name. No, I don't talk to them, but in a way, they speak to me. I see them as valuable, not monetarily valuable, but valuable in a way that fills your soul with warmth and peace just as memories of loved ones do. 

This was, after all, someone's grandmother's plate. 

Someone just like you. 

I hope you have a great week! 

Love, Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

article and all images copyright ©LauraBethLove 2017

Look! Mom's Dishes! ...Connections To Our Past

Sometimes I think I have the best job in the world, getting to work with beautiful 

china pieces day in and day out...sometimes it actually feels more like a privilege 

than an actual profession. After all, each of these plates and cups and saucers 

and other dinnerware pieces all have history behind them. They come from 

many different countries, from all around the world, and their beautiful 

patterns and colors give them a unique appeal that brings them to life 

unlike other ordinary household objects. 

We remember dishes. 

They're a part of our family in some ways, a part of each of our own personal histories. 

Have you not once in your life been somewhere, maybe an antique market or 

thrift shop, and come across an orphaned plate or cup that you instantly 

recognized from somewhere in your own past? 

At that moment of recognition, it isn't just "a plate" or "a cup," but mom's plate, 

or grandmother's cup. There is a connection. Often when that connection is 

made we find ourselves flooded with memories of family from long ago, 

or of our childhood, or of holidays and times past. If you're the 

sentimental type like I am, it can be a comforting experience. 

I've been working with dishes for so long now that I know the patterns by name.

No, I don't talk to them, but in a way, they speak to me. I see them as

valuable, not monetarily valuable, but valuable in a way that fills your

soul with warmth and peace just as memories of loved ones do.

This was, after all, someone's grandmother's plate. 
Someone just like you. 

Have a great week!

Laura

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Article copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2020 and may not be republished in print or other media without express written permission from the author. For any link corrections please leave correct info in comment area.

Check out my new DIY jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

   

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

Look! Mom's Dishes! ...Connections To Our Past

Sometimes I think I have the best job in the world, getting to work with beautiful 

china pieces day in and day out...sometimes it actually feels more like a privilege 

than an actual profession. After all, each of these plates and cups and saucers 

and other dinnerware pieces all have history behind them. They come from 

many different countries, from all around the world, and their beautiful 

patterns and colors give them a unique appeal that brings them to life 

unlike other ordinary household objects. 

We remember dishes. 

They're a part of our family in some ways, a part of each of our own personal histories. 

Have you not once in your life been somewhere, maybe an antique market or 

thrift shop, and come across an orphaned plate or cup that you instantly 

recognized from somewhere in your own past? 

At that moment of recognition, it isn't just "a plate" or "a cup," but mom's plate, 

or grandmother's cup. There is a connection. Often when that connection is 

made we find ourselves flooded with memories of family from long ago, 

or of our childhood, or of holidays and times past. If you're the 

sentimental type like I am, it can be a comforting experience. 

I've been working with dishes for so long now that I know the patterns by name.

No, I don't talk to them, but in a way, they speak to me. I see them as

valuable, not monetarily valuable, but valuable in a way that fills your

soul with warmth and peace just as memories of loved ones do.

This was, after all, someone's grandmother's plate. 

Someone just like you. 

I hope you have a great week 

Love, Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!