So many of my friends are having babies that it can be hard to give them all nice gifts for their baby showers. Enter the dollar store! You can find a few great things for baby that, with a little embellishment, will make them the hit of the shower.
You can also adapt these projects to work with supplies you can get at a discount store like Wal-mart or Target! You will find a more selection at these stores.
Onesies
You can find plain, patterned, or screenprinted onesies at the dollar store, and embellish them to make a sweet gift.
- Sweet Doily: The addition of a small doily to a onesie is an adorable gift for a sweet little girl. You can find readymade crocheted doilies at the dollar store, so this is a simple and quick project! (photo above!)
- Stamp that Onesie: Use fabric paint and your favorite rubber stamp to make a cute repeating pattern on a wee onesie. You can make your own stamp pad to use with fabric paint.
- Applique Application: Sewing chick picked up some onesies at her local dollar store and added some cute appliques using home decorating fabric samples and vintage yo-yos.
- Fabric Paint Applique: I LOVE the addition of fabric paint around a stencil to give the stencil an applique look without the effort. Missie Krissie made this adorable cupcake graphic using a freezer paper stencil, which is another simple way to embellish. You can use the stenciling technique to add funny sayings to your onesie. My favorite: “What happens at Grandma’s, stays at Grandma’s!”
Useful Baby Gifts
A useful gift is the best gift in my book. Onesies are useful for awhile, but here are some gifts that keep on giving:
- Stroller Cover: I’m in awe of this stroller cover made with flannel-backed vinyl tablecloths. Grand total = $4.
- Crocheted Edge Receiving Blankets: The dollar store carries a good selection of cute receiving blankets. The problem is, one receiving blanket is just a little too thin to be a nice gift. Try this: lay two blankets back-to-back and then crochet a pretty edge around them to make a stunning, yet frugal, gift.
What are your great ideas for frugal baby shower gifts?
March 4th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
i’ve made skirts covered in doilies, but i never thought of onesies, how silly of me! i find my doilies at thrift stores, they’re usually cheaper than the dollar store ones, and then i dye them. they dye beautifully, being all cotton!
everyone i know seems to be procreating lately, and i’ve finally given up on the idea of onesies and just settled into bibs. babies grow so fast, and i’m too lazy to embroider on something they’ll only be able to wear for a few weeks! all of these ideas would be great on bibs as well!
March 4th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Ooh, I like those ideas! I would love to see a skirt covered in doilies!
March 5th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
I LOVE making baby gifts. I am in the middle of creating a baby sling, lots of baby shoes, blankets, and hand dyed and appliqued onesies. All matching. Oh, and bibs and burp cloths.
May 2nd, 2009 at 5:54 am
Very nice.