Sewing For Kids - A List of FREE Tutorials

Last week I shared some tutorials and patterns for things to sew for babies. I've still got sewing on the brain, so I thought I'd do up a list for kids, from toddlers to tweens. Some are practical things, some are things you can help your child make for themselves or a friend. Some are just plain fun!

• I think Super Girl and I need some of the headbands at Brown Paper Packages. I know I have all the stuff for them, and they would make an easy afternoon project for us! She also has a cute Memory game you can make, as well as LOTS of tutorials for little girls dresses.
  
• At Infinite Freedom, you can find a free pattern for an American Girl doll dress, as well as a doll quilt designed for a girl to make herself.
• Ellie Inspired has shared an apron, a couple of dresses, a beret and sailor collar, and a necktie for little boys. I think her Sweet Apple Frock is adorable!
• Find instructions for a capelet, pettiskirts for girls and dolls, another headband, an American Girl doll skirt, and a child's chef's hat at You Can Make This.
• If you look down the left-hand side of Fishsticks Designs, you will see tutorials for a tank top, several bags of different shapes and sizes, a fabric garland, and a pillow case, as well as hints on sewing with knits (something I need to look into!).
• Made By Rae has a fleece hat tutorial, and she also just posted a cute wristlet pattern.
• Make a dress for your little gal out of a men's dress shirt with the instructions at Made. She also has tutorials for several skirts, pants, shorts, and shirts. I think her 90 minute shirt just kept me from buying a pattern!
• Does someone in your house believe in the Tooth Fairy? How about this adorable Tooth Fairy pillow? Mmmcrafts also has a cute monkey doll pattern that is free.
• You can find all kinds of little bags and pouches at Noodlehead, including a boys wallet and a gun sleeve (Wonder Boy would LOVE the gun sleeve!). There is also a bike bucket and cloth sandwich bags to be made!
• Do your kids love to make forts out of the dining table? Then you need the tutorial at Obsessively Stitching! After that, browse through her whole list of other tutorials, including fleece stuffed animals, dresses, a toddler robe out of dish towels!, storage cubes, several other tents of varying shapes and sizes, and a shopping cart seat belt - I need one of these!
• Maybe you know a little girl that just "needs" a petty skirt? There is a tutorial at Make It and Love It! Then check out the rest of her tutorials - under "Making & Altering Clothing", there are several projects for kids such as skirts, t-shirt dresses, flag shirts for the 4th of July, making jeans into shorts, and embellishing t-shirts for both boys and girls. Be sure to also check out her "Re-Purposing" category, to see ideas of how to re-use clothing that might be stained or torn, but still has a lot of life in the fabric. And, even though the category is called "Baby/Toddler", there are quite a few things for kids older than that, like I Spy bags, belts, art smocks, and doll diapers.
• One thing I've been wanting to make for Little Miss is some felt play food. There are instructions for a few different items at One Inch World - farfalle noodles, lettuce, tomato slices, lollipops, and ravioli - just look down the right side of the page. There are also a few other things of interest - little felt doll chairs, candy corn hair clips, and fillable soft eggs (I would love to have had some at Easter!).
• Pink Penguin has several tutorials down the right side of her blog: a wristlet, a lunch bag, placemats, a pencil case, and fabric bins. She likes to quilt and use patchwork - if that's not your thing, I don't see why you couldn't just use solid pieces of cloth of equivalent sizes.
• I like the t-shirt ruffle scarf and ruffle necklace waffle shirt at Ruffles And Stuff. There's even something to make for boys on such a girly site - a hat and scarf from a sweater.

I hope you've enjoyed this list, and found something you just have to make! I know my sewing wish list just got longer! If you have a favorite tutorial that you don't see on this list, feel free to leave it in a comment!

Sewing For Baby - A List of FREE Tutorials

Seeing as I have baby-on-the-brain, with this seemingly all-elbows kid rolling around inside me, I thought I'd make a list of some of the free sewing tutorials and patterns I've bookmarked. Maybe I will manage to actually make a few things in the near future!

• First up, there are tutorials for receiving blankets and burpers at You Can Make This!
• At Just Because I am Me, you can find instructions for a carseat canopy and chenille burp cloths.
• This cute Grow Up Together dress can be found at Bumblebee Grace.
• Need a quick and easy bib? Check out this one at While They Sleep.
• Cicada Daydream has a bib tutorial that is more appropriate for toddlers.
• How about a cute growth chart for a baby shower gift? Kristen @ Unraveled has one!
• Check out the instructions for an easy peasy swaddle sheet (and another burp cloth) at My Longest Year.
• Don't forget the changing pad! There is also a bath mitt pattern at Sew Take a Hike.
• I found a really cute hat at Whip Up. I think it would be even cuter if you tied the corners in knots!
• I can't forget this pattern for baby shoes! You can see my own attempt at them here. I will definitely be making some for this little guy!
• Heather Bailey also has a pattern for cute baby shoes.
• Made By Rae has several free baby tutorials down the left side: newborn pants, tights, a dress, a sun suit, and a bib.
• If there is a preemie in your life, or you like to donate items to the hospital, you might be interested in the preemie swaddler pattern from Ellie Inspired.
• Make It and Love It has WAAAAAY too many tutorials to list! From clothing to toys to recovering your high chair or car seat, you can find so much there to keep you busy!
• Here's a good post about sewing cloth diapers, along with some links to free patterns from Sew, Mama, Sew!
• Want to make cute diapers with patterned fabric - that don't leak? Try the quick and easy instructions at Uber Domestic.
  
• If you have some laminated cotton or iron-on vinyl in your stash, you might be interested in this toddler bib at Oilcloth Addict.
• One of my internet friends recently linked to this baby gown from Running With Scissors. I love gowns on newborns!
• Jan Andrea has all kinds of links to baby carrier patterns and tutorials, as well as other things that are useful when you have a baby (nursing bras, shirts, and pillows, diaper bags, and even a baby-wearing poncho!).
• Lastly, Fishsticks Designs has a tutorial for newborn bloomers. I think these could be made up for a boy or a girl, as they are not frilly, but are basically shorts.

Have I inspired you to make something for a little one? Let me know! Do you have a favorite baby sewing tutorial that you don't see here? Share it in a comment!


I know this was a lot of links - I like to link to the original blog as well as the post I'm directing you to. That way, if there is an error or a post gets moved, you will hopefully still be able to find it through the home page. Also, I like to give credit where bloggy credit is due!

Where You Lead, I Will Follow

Yes, I love Carole King's Tapestry album. I grew up listening to it, and now own a copy of the cd, somewhere, and have it downloaded on my MP3 player and computer. I loved that her song was the theme song to Gilmore Girls.

However, that's not what I'm talking about. I am talking about following where God leads. I posted back in March that we were waiting on news of a ministry position for Mr. Man. We don't exactly understand why, but that position fell through - they're just not hiring anyone for it right now, even though Mr. Man was who they wanted. For a few days after we got the news, we experienced much confusion and hurt. We also plunged ourselves deeper into prayer. What resulted was that we both still felt led to this specific community, and this specific ministry, even if it meant that we both had to be lay ministers, and employment had to be found elsewhere. God had definitely not shut the door on this calling, and we believe we have been lead to step out in faith and show our trust in Him.


SO... ***deep breath***... That means we have moved in with my parents, in western Illinois. Boxes have been packed, the truck has been loaded and unloaded, the storage unit stuffed, and the bank has reclaimed our house. This is a temporary move, since we will not have the funds for our own place for another month or so. However, it gets us closer to Iowa, which is where God's will lays. It means moving while 28 weeks pregnant, which I've never had to do before. It means we are BELIEVING GOD has a place and a plan for us, we just have to wait on His timing. We trust that He will reveal the details as they become relevant, and in the meantime, we will follow where He leads.



***Note: This post contains an affiliate link.