DIY or wish you didn't?

babyptobe · March 2018

First time mom here! What DIYs did you do for your baby that you loved or maybe wished you didn't even attempt? Was it worth the effort/time/money? Was your DH willing to help with your creation? I want to hear the fails and the victories! I'm willing to do anything to save some money with baby on the way!

Example: I'm thinking of making my own baby wipes. It seems easy enough, but is it worth the effort?

muchwanted · March 2018

We DIYed babywipes and they are still awesome. I did two kinds: chopped up bath towels and double layer flannel. I used the serge function for the edges on my machine for both types, and they've held up well. I like both kinds for different reasons.

My UO on this topic is that handmade clothing, and even blankets to an extent, are not worth it unless you just want the photo. Store-bought stuff generally lasts better and is more receptive to washing.

theglitteredpterodactyl · March 2018

I made my own baby wipes which are great, especially if you're planning on cloth diappering. I still use disposables for poops but i love them still.

I crocheted a baby blanket for muy first and i loved it. She loved it and the open weave made it feel like a very safe thing to snuggle with. I also sew clothes, especially maxaloon pants which are great for big cloth diaper butts. This time around I'm also working on a special crib quilt to have something for the background of the zillion of pictures I'll take lol. My last diy piece wasnt mine but my dad built the crib and it's the most beautiful thing on the planet.

All the diys you finish are worth it, and all the ones that get scrapped weren't worth it lol. I loved having projects to work on when i felt like i couldn't do anything but think about the baby. It was a great outlet.

eireyes · March 2018

I made my own burp cloths, and I also made a cut chenille blanket for DD (still haven't gotten to do DS's - whoops). I've made button letter artwork for both kids as well. The burp cloths have held up great (cloth diaper insert sandwiched between two pieces of flannel) and are more absorbent than anything else I've had

I've made some baby food, but we tend not to use it too much so it ended up being a waste more often than not.

lest12 · March 2018

I thought making baby food was worth it, but I wouldn't try to do the pouches again. Those were a royal PITA.

tinattt23 · March 2018

We did baby food. Wasn’t that hard. I ended up with tons left over because pruees was such a short lived stage. I did use the left over fruit cubes to mix with plain yogurt or cottage cheese later on.

sammierose464 · March 2018

I will probably try and DIY some of the decor in LOs room. I've been trying cross-stitch and think it would be cool to make some for the nursery.

My mom sews, so I'll have her make me a diaper bag. And probably have her embroider some items for me too.

missmaehurt · March 2018

I did a crochet blanket for my first and a few projects for her nursery. I’ll do the same for this one, but I’ve just learned to sew and would love to make a quilt or something. We’ll see if I end up finding the time to do that before they come.

DunkinDecaf · March 2018

I make the girls pajamas, dresses, Halloween costumes etc. but generally it’s just a fun thing for me to do in the evening. I just like sewing for them. Probably doesn’t save us much money.

cdepperschmidt · March 2018

I think it depends on you. The only thing I ever DIY is my sons birthday shirts (iron on from Etsy). For me nothing was ever worth the extra time. It really depends what on what the rest of your schedule is. I work FT so what little time I have left is precious to me.

knottieamusements · March 2018

I’ll probably make a baby quilt, and eventually my own baby food. I’m with @cdepperschmidt, while there are some things I can do in advance, time is precious given the rest of my life.

lovesclimbing · March 2018

muchwanted said:

We DIYed babywipes and they are still awesome. I did two kinds: chopped up bath towels and double layer flannel. I used the serge function for the edges on my machine for both types, and they've held up well. I like both kinds for different reasons.

My UO on this topic is that handmade clothing, and even blankets to an extent, are not worth it unless you just want the photo. Store-bought stuff generally lasts better and is more receptive to washing.

*Lurker*

I am going to completely disagree with this. I find that items I make myself hold up so much better than storebought because I can reinforce seams, do different stitching, buy specific or higher quality material, add extra lining, etc. I buy things like onesies and pants, those tend to hold up pretty well, but stuff like dresses and nice clothes, I make myself.

All of my daughter's blankets, except thin receiving blankets, were made by people for her. They are amazing and have held up to many washes and wears. She's also wearing clothing items that my mom made for me when I was a baby (that were also worn by my younger siblings), and they are in great condition!

Her winter hat that her grandma knit for her had been worn daily every time we got out. It's been washed several times and I love it. It has held up so well and gets compliments everywhere we go.

I also sew clothing for myself, and it is so much more high quality. I refuse to buy knit clothing at the store anymore. It is so paper thin and cheap. I make my own knit tops out of fabric I purchase that isn't see through and pills after two washes.

I realize you said UO, so I'm just putting this out there as someone who sews quite a bit of clothing and other things. I think it's definitely worth it to make your own! And besides all that with wearability, I think it's so special to have some of those handmade items to keep and pass down. I love unique things that everyone else is wearing or using too. I am currently using a bag someone handmade for me as a diaper bag. (So many compliments!) My husband's winter hat is one that was hand made. It's so fun to take pictures of my daughter wearing the dress I made and think about subsequent children wearing it, and taking pictures of her in clothes my mom made for me and comparing them to my baby pictures.

I could go on, but I'll leave it at that.

SawyerRichardson · March 2018

I'm sure it really depends more on your skill level than anything. I've taught myself enough to get by on a sewing machine, but definitely not enough to know what would be a better stitch or tension, etc. So something store bought it probably going to be much more durable than my rookie-ass could whip up.

mytrueloves · March 2018

I did DIY cloth diapers with DD out of old receiving blankets. They worked but I found the material was too rough for when she was inflamed or sensitive. This time I'm just going to use some baby wash cloths as wipes. I guess my advice would be to just make sure whatever material you use is soft but sturdy.
I just recently learned to knit and I'd like to make a hat and booties and blanket. I don't think I have the skill or energy for much else though lol

muchwanted · March 2018

Well, I did say it would be an UO. But, actually, I used to sew professionally, so my skills are pretty damn good. These days I generally only sew things that I can't buy the way I want them (like curtains) or outfits for holidays or special events, because that's one area where homemade is likely to be cost effective. But my poor mother (who only has one grandkid at the moment) made all this stuff for DD and I hardly touched it, because a) predicting fit was so much harder, b) the store bought versions were generally preferable (e.g., no homemade knit blanket could ever be as warm and soft as the fleece blankets from Target), and c) I can wash store bought things with hot water after they've been puked or pooped on.

Anyway. If you've got the time to DIY and it's fun, by all means!! No one need agree with me on this.

muchwanted · March 2018

Also plus whatever to making your own baby purees. We got a little Ninja blender and made almost everything for DD from scratch.

purplegoldfish2 · March 2018

My mom and a friend both made knit/crocheted blankets for my twins. They’re 5 and still use them (even though they are small - 1 was 30”x30”, so definitely baby blanket size, but perfect for car seat blankets). They no longer use the store bought blankets.

An aunt made/bought handmade 2-layer flannel blankets. I ended up making more of those after an incident of a leaking diaper and a kid that wouldn’t sleep without that blanket. They have since stopped using them, but I feel like it was worth it to make the extras.

Another friend made xl receiving blankets from flannel. They were single layer and she made a lot of them. I thought she was crazy, but we still use those occasionally too. I barely used the store bought receiving blankets because they were so small compared to the ones my friend made (I think the smaller ones got used as burp cloths and when they were newborns).

We made our own baby food and it saved us a lot of money. I didn’t make huge batches and often just puréed the foods we were eating. When I made it ahead, I would freeze it in silicone cupcake cups - perfect size for my twins to share.

I crocheted winter hats for a couple years for them. They still fit, so I haven’t had to make any in a while, but we get so many compliments on them & use them all winter.

I also crocheted play food for them when they got a little older. They loved it at the time, but that one I am not sure was worth the time/effort to do. I spent so much time making it and they stopped playing with it after a year. Of course, if this one plays with it too, maybe it will have been worth it.

All that being said, I think the only things that actually saved us money was the baby food and the play food (because at the time, felt food was $$. The price has come down considerably). I didn’t do any DIY before my baby shower. I was going to make blankets, but we got so many as gifts that I didn’t feel like we needed more.

mesamyt · March 2018

I’ve made a blanket for each of my kids. Once they have gotten older I’ve made them a larger, full size one and turned their baby blanket into a pillow they can still snuggle at night.

I also make headbands and bows. I’ve got 5 girls and more bows than any one family should own but I still make them. I also make clothing but those are more for special trips or holidays. I just started making swimsuits.

I DIY all art/decor for their rooms. They usually have a hand in creating with me so it makes each item a little more special.

If you feel like something is worth your time to make then you should. Don’t feel pressured into doing it because of the Pinterest mom ideal.

Laumb11 · March 2018

The only thing I made was the animals for his mobile. I loved it but it was felted wool and took a while. No way I have the time/patience to do that now! I am a total pinterest fail usually so I buy everything

concreteayngel · March 2018

I painted the artwork in DS's nursery. It was a Very Hungry Caterpillar themed, and I did all the art in the style of Eric Carle. I did three different pieces, all borrowed artwork from the book, and not to toot my own horn, but they came out AWESOME, and so special! I even wrote little messages to DS on the back of each canvas. I just hope I can find the time to do something similar for this baby!

lovesclimbing · March 2018

muchwanted said:

Well, I did say it would be an UO. But, actually, I used to sew professionally, so my skills are pretty damn good. These days I generally only sew things that I can't buy the way I want them (like curtains) or outfits for holidays or special events, because that's one area where homemade is likely to be cost effective. But my poor mother (who only has one grandkid at the moment) made all this stuff for DD and I hardly touched it, because a) predicting fit was so much harder, b) the store bought versions were generally preferable (e.g., no homemade knit blanket could ever be as warm and soft as the fleece blankets from Target), and c) I can wash store bought things with hot water after they've been puked or pooped on.

Anyway. If you've got the time to DIY and it's fun, by all means!! No one need agree with me on this.

I agree.

And I realize it was an UO. I just wanted to put my thoughts out there because I personally think sewing and diy is amazing and fun and so worth it. I wanted someone who's clicking on this link and has been thinking about learning to sew to see another opinion. I'm not a professional. I learned the basics from my grandma and then taught myself to sew clothes. But even the very first clothing item I ever made (Soooo many ripped stitches and took soooo long because I was learning) was better than commercial. I sewed a button-front shirt for my husband because it's almost impossible for him to find clothes that actually fit him. He's a slender guy, and nothing has long enough arms without being huge in the body, and even shopping in slim fit (which usually isn't much of a selection) is better but still not great. And it's held up so well, just as well as commercial.

mesamyt · March 2018

@lovesclimbing Do you have a pattern? My husband has to wear suits every day and he is a tall, thin man with legs I envy. He’s a 36/37 tall/slim and loves when they are fitted further. I really don’t like the $100 price tags that come with them.

sparklingwhit · March 2018

I made all of my own baby food with DS and will do that again this time. It’s so easy and I like knowing the ingredients are fresh!

I also DIY’d a learning tower when he was old enough to stand and “help” make dinner. He LOVED that! By far the best DIY and I’ll make another this go round.

sammierose464 · March 2018

Now I'm curious about making baby food!

SawyerRichardson · March 2018

I made baby food during the puree stage with DD. It is so much easier than it sounds. Dedicate an hour to peeling/steaming/blending and you have a solid month or two of food!

jynjer4 · March 2018

I definitely plan to make my own baby food. I want to know exactly what I’m giving my LO. I say that now anyway...I guess we’ll see how it goes!

aels12 · March 2018

We love to diy! For DS we refinished all of his nursery furniture, made his crib mobile and all his decor. We love making signs and other wall decor.

Lisa3379 · March 2018

Making baby food was pretty easy, although it sucked when I made a huge batch of something and then he hated it. I could've less, but what if he liked it? Then I'd have to make it all again sooner. When he got the hang of the pouches, it was awesome

That said, I'll probably make baby food again while we're just doing purees.

I crocheted a blanked when I was pregnant with DS, and maybe I'll do another one, but by the time DS is in bed and things are cleaned up, I only have maybe an hour before I go to bed. I'm not sure I'm up to devoting all that free time to a blanket that will sit on a chair for the first year or so.

KFrob · March 2018

We skipped making baby food since we did BLW.

I wish I could have made more things for DD but other than a blanket I sewed by hand I didn't make anything. I don't have room to set up a sewing machine and leave my project out. I also don't have my own and need to borrow it from my mom. I did work at a fabric store for 10 years through high school, college, and into adult life and have a serious fabric collection though.

norahkate · March 2018

We did a lot of homemade baby food, but after our first we pretty much stopped devoting time to making large batches just for baby and instead just fixed our meals and threw some of it in the blender (or even leftover veggies, etc at the end of the meal). It meant almost no extra effort and as they got a little older they got used to different flavors, etc. Not sure if that is what did it or if it is pure dumb luck (also quite possible) but none of our kids are picky eaters and they are all comfortable with a little spice.

lovesclimbing · March 2018

mesamyt said:

@lovesclimbing Do you have a pattern? My husband has to wear suits every day and he is a tall, thin man with legs I envy. He’s a 36/37 tall/slim and loves when they are fitted further. I really don’t like the $100 price tags that come with them.

I used McCall's M6613. One of the nice things about it is it's in their "fashion that fits" line, so it's supposed to be easy to fit. It includes fit lines and instructions on how to adjust it for different body shapes. https://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m6613

Do you sew already? I made it as a first clothes project, so if you're wanting to do that, a couple important caveats. First, when I say I made my husband a work shirt, he works a physical job. So I made it from a heavy duty woven bottom weight, not a nice thin woven like a dress shirt. I knew he would be getting it dirty and staining it and probably ripping it and it didn't matter if, with it being a first project, I couldn't get every single seam and line exactly even. It looked really nice, but it definitely will improve with future shirts. Personally, I don't think I'd tackle a dress shirt until I've made three or four, at least, more casual button-ups.

And second, if you are just learning, there's a reason most people recommend starting with a knit fabric and/or a skirt. Simple, straight lines, few seams, easy. That shirt was hard and took me a long time. I'm glad I did it,and I would advocate learning on woven fabric (no stretch like a knit or worrying about weird puckering seams. I still like working with wovens much better than knit). However, it took a while and most of the seams were ripped at least once. I sewed the chest pockets on twice before they were even, I sewed a sleeve on upside down (the part underneath your arm was on top. I didn't sew the cuff to the shoulder, haha) and had to rip it out, I had to rip the top most (and most visible *eye roll*) button hole out twice because my machine kept stopping and getting stuck toward the end of the hole. Ultimately, my machine could not handle the multiple layers of fabric in that area, and I had to finish the hole by hand.

Anyway, I would be glad to answer any questions you might have or share any other tips!

jynjer4 · March 2018

I love sewing and have my own machine so I almost am hoping for a girl just so I can make her all the cute dresses! I’ve actually considered selling dresses for little girls on Etsy but of course I haven’t ever got around to that.

mytrueloves · March 2018

I'm currently trying to find some free knit patterns for baby blankets. Any suggestions for good places to find some?

purplegoldfish2 · March 2018

@mytrueloves. I usually just google “free crochet (or in your case knit) [whatever I want to make] pattern” and can usually find something I like in the results

doula-mama · March 2018

@mytrueloves try ravelry - you can filter by availability to see only free, as well as a lot of other filters

cdepperschmidt · March 2018

I’m continually impressed by how crafty you ladies are!

babyptobe · March 2018

Anyone try to baby wipes that I see on pinterest? Cut a papertowel roll in half, add baby wash and baby oil and store in a plastic container? I feel like they would have less chemicals and additives than a regular wipe if you use all natural wash and oil.

theglitteredpterodactyl · March 2018

@babyptobe you run a solid risk of mold growing with that set up. What I've seen on my cloth disapers group recommend against it

babyptobe · March 2018

@theglitteredpterodactyl THANK YOU!!

aels12 · March 2018

@babyptobe we cloth diaper and use cloth wipes, I just spray them with plain water right before using them. We’ve also had a mixture of baby soap and water that we sprayed them with and that worked too.

sammierose464 · March 2018

I really want to cloth diaper, but I think DH is still a little meh about it.

How do you clean the poopy ones? I've seen that there are liners you can put in, but that seems to defeat some of the purpose (reducing landfill waste). Although, easier...

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