What to do with crib sheets?

[Lundy]

Ok, I'm not the slightest bit crafty or artistic. Can't even sew on a button. But I have these super cool flannel crib sheets (flat, fitted, and pillow case) that I don't think we're going to have a need for (no crib = no crib sheets, ha!) and I'd like to find something to do with them. Any suggestions? They are patterned, green and cream with little stars and stripes (awful description) and I really love 'em.

Thanks!

[Pallas]

Give 'em to me! Not for a crib, I use old flannel sheets and whatnot to make diapers for the cub.

But if you aren't feeling generous ... *martyred sigh*

You could use them to make lovey dolls, or a lavender pillow (Cub loves his). I know you said you can't sew, but those two items are pretty idiot-proof (I know because I'm the idiot).

Also, I don't know how old your babe is, but you might end up using a crib after all. When ours got bigger, (He's 14mo) we shifted him into a sidecar. He's really warm, so's his dad, and he'd thrash all night kicking covers off and wasn't sleeping well. In the sidecar, he's got his own space, his own covers (lighter than mine!), and he can (and does) crawl into the middle whenever he wants.

I didnt' think I'd use a crib either, but a friend handed one down to me, and I used it as a laundry basket! If I hadn't had one, we'd have just figured out some other way for us all to sleep comfortably, but it did end up being useful after all.

Mamaste,

Pallas
the mama in me honors the mama in you

[Lundy]

Sorry Pallas, I just dig 'em too much to part with!

So you think maybe I should hold off until I know for sure what our sleeping arrangements will be? Just to be safe? She's 11 months right now and still likes a boob in her mouth for a good part of the night. Seems to me that she'll just go right into/onto a bed of her own at some point, but i certainly don't know!

What's a lovey doll & how does one make one? You think even a left-brained girl like me could figure it out???

Thanks!

[Pallas]

Hmmm ... it seems like 1 yr was around the time that we shifted Cub over, it certainly wasn't long ago, but every kid's different and yours may never need that space. However, if you've actually GOT a crib, I'd hold off on ditching the fixin's. I wouldn't go out and get a crib for this purpose. Like I said, if we hadn't had it here we'd have done something else, it was just convenient to shove it up against our bed. And, it makes a great cat bed!! *sigh* But then, everything does ...

I was thinking of that most basic of dolls, the one that looks like a gingerbread man. If I were making it, I'd make a pattern by folding some newspaper or paper bag material in half, cutting out the shape, then trimming here and there til it looks just right (possibly throwing it away and starting over a few times, but this is ME making it and I'm sure you'd get it on the first try!). Then pin it to your flannel which is folded with the pretty sides together, cut it out leaving a quarter inch extra "halo", sew it up except for a hole at the side or maybe the top of the head, turn it inside out (actually, right side out, so the pretty face is now showing) and stuff it with cotton, wool, maybe some fragrant herbs, whatever. Then stitch up the hole, and ba-da-boom!

Cool thing is, you'll probably have enough to make more than one doll, which means that if your kid gets attached to it you've got another to switch out when it's laundry time, or gods forbid it gets lost.

There's also a Waldorf-y looking doll, but it's slightly more complicated, though still doable by any higher primate species.

Have fun!

Mamaste,

Pallas
Chum to Hub, Mum to Cub

[saganaga]

You could cut the baby crib sheet up into squares and use them as wet wipes. You could make: a doll outfit, a small blanket (playmat), a small soft play toy (a ball)...
For more ideas check out this book: Gifts From Your Scrap Basket
Good luck and tell us what you end up making out of it.

[RasJane]

I love some of these ideas that have been suggested so far. We have a thick flannel sheet that is white and we use it for a car-seat cover in the summer. It stays on the seat because of the elastic so the whole thing is covered. I keep a spray bottle too and just spray it down, the evaporation keeps everything much cooler. But then, we are from Idaho and when it is 100 degrees out, ya gotta keep cool.:cool:
You can also do what my ds and his friend will do with any large piece of fabric--use it as a "magic cape." It is nice and long for a 3 year old. Again, the elastic helps because it makes a big bellowing cape when they run. I just use a diaper pin to attach at the front. Or you can attach velcro tabs and they can put it on themselves.

[peggy]

Also many youth sized beds take crib mattresses so you'd still need the sheets.

peggy

[JR'smama777]

Crib sheets to quilts (easy!)

You can turn the crib sheets into a little quilt (baby size OR babydoll size). Really! It's easier than it sounds.

1)Cut the elastic off fitted sheet.
2)Make a sandwich on the floor like so:
a)Flat sheet on the bottom, face down
b) Old piece of fabric (anything!) on top of flat sheet
c) Fitted sheet on top , face up

3) cut everthing together to make a rectangle the size you want
(it doesn't have to geometrically perfect)

4) "Tack" fabric together by taking a big needle with yarn and going into the layers and coming back up and tying yard on top.
Do a few of these on the quilt, just so fabric will stay together.

5) roll fabric over and sew a straight line to make a border along the edges.

Feel free to write me back for more info or encouragement! I love to quilt and it's not as intimidating as folks make it out to be.

Have fun!

[Lundy]

You guys rock. Thanks for all the great ideas! I'll let you know what I finally come up with!