Babies

After you make today's featured Bitty Booties pattern, you can also sew up this Itty Bitty Baby Dress pattern from Made by Rae. This version above was made recently by Stitch-Craft using the sweetest cherry print that would be fun for a 4th of July picnic.

I went to my friend's baby shower this past weekend. She is due in mid-June and having a girl. Exciting! She's a really smart person, with a very dry sense of humor, so I wanted to get her a baby shower gift that would (hopefully) impress her.

I first saw these laser engraved wood baby blocks by Xylocopa Design in our Makers Market a couple weeks ago, and I decided they would be perfect for my friend's shower. And they are gorgeous in person! Instead of the usual E - elephant, C - cat, they have a science theme, with the blocks declaring that T is for tentacles, R, robot, and D, dirigible. My friend really liked them, and I think the father-to-be was grateful that it wasn't another frilly pink onesie with "Princess" emblazoned across the front.

As the new spokesperson for Caron yarns, Vickie Howell has created an adorable crochet pattern perfect for the wee ones. Make this easy flopsy baby sunhat that's actually made up from granny squares!

As the new spokesperson for Caron yarns, Vickie Howell has created an adorable crochet pattern perfect for the wee ones. Make this easy flopsy baby sunhat that's actually made up from granny squares!

As the new spokesperson for Caron yarns, Vickie Howell has created an adorable crochet pattern perfect for the wee ones. Make this easy flopsy baby sunhat that's actually made up from granny squares!

These plastic canvas baby blocks, made by the mother of Rebecca of Roots & Wings Co. are such a fun, playful craft. She Rebecca shares her mom's variations on block designs, including dice and color blocks. Rebecca offers a summary of how the blocks are assembled, and for more information on stitching on plastic canvas, you can see Diane Gilleland's tutorial for a custom plastic canvas storage container.

Instructables is getting ready for Halloween early this year with Sarah James' Care Bear baby costume tutorial, modeled here by the inimitable Corvidae. I'm speechless.

• 3-Armed Baby Costume
• How-To: Infant Pumpkin Costume

I've seen a lot of variations on the soft baby book, and I'm really liking the latest addition to the pack from Kristena of Thimbly Things. She uses reclaimed denim and scraps of fabric paired with our good friend, Heat 'n Bond, to create colorful appliques in a sturdy fabric book that will stand the test of time and drooly fingers.

My kiddos are a bit too big to ride hip-side in a sling these days, but I wish I'd had a simple tutorial like this one from Katie for Dabbled when they were wee babies so I could have toted them around a little easier!