We are always looking for smart ways to confront the proliferation of newly outgrown baby clothes, so this fresh idea struck a chord. Alisa Burke turns favorites from her daughter's wardrobe into beautiful soft toys.
Alisa took her scissors to sentimental favorites and garments with interesting patterns to form the creatures' bodies, backed them with stablizer and created the faces with free motion sewing. The front and back were attached with a zigzag stitch before legs, arms and ears were made out of sleeves and scraps. The resulting coterie have a new life as toys, design objects and keepsakes. See more of the creatures and other great projects on Alisa's blog.
(Image: Alisa Burke; used with permission)
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These are cute, but if you're really looking for a "smart way to confront the profileration of newly outgrown baby clothes" you could donate them to a women's shelter.
Way to yuck a yum, MJS7640. Yes, donating is obviously good. But this is a great idea to keep an article or two that has sentimental value and put it to good reuse -- a homemade doll for your child -- that in turn will most likely have sentimental value for them.
I don't think most people have the creativity or talent to create something like this so the tiny percentage of clothes not donated is really not a big issue. These are awesome!
Wow, those are so cool looking!
Yes to the sentiment... reminds me of how people used bits of old clothes for patchwork quilts.
I don't find those very cute, wayyyy more cute at Button&Plush (even though not from recycled clothes)
Awesome way to repurpose the clothes that might have a stain or 2 and are not worthy of the next baby. She is so talented with a sewing machine, I love the 'illustrations', amazing!