Peek-a-Boo Baby Ornaments

 

Baby's First Christmas Ornaments

I've wanted to make baby ornaments for my kids ever since they actually were babies!  I was inspired by a very specific baby ornament on our tree when I was growing up.  (I think it was my brother's.)  It was a simple printed felt bear in a cradle, but the charm and appeal to me as a child was that I could actually take the little bear out and play with it.  I LOVED that thing!  So I wanted to make my kids something similar, but as I brainstormed about this (around this time every year!), I couldn't come up with a satisfactory idea.

I am such a big sewing nerd that, in addition to Pinterest, I am constantly Googling sewing projects for inspiration.  One such search for cloth dolls led me to a pattern and instructions for this adorable Mini Baby Mannequin.  There was my Eureka moment!

I have zero experience with "needle sculpting" or doll making!  But this was really easy.  Her instructions were very clear and easy to follow.  Since I have no idea what Dolskin knit fabric is, and I wanted to use stuff I already had laying around, I ripped up one of my husband's old white t-shirts and dyed it an acceptable flesh color with tea and a couple drops of red food coloring.

I'll let you follow her instructions, but since she really doesn't show you any real pictures beyond the finished product, I'll show you what this looked like as I went.  (FTR, I actually hand-sewed the first baby I made, but I wasn't happy with the seams, so I coaxed the final four babies out of my sewing maching by using the hand crank on the side.  No pedal.)

After clipping and turning...

I would really suggest making a test dummy baby mannequin before the actual baby you intend to use.  The placement and amount of stuffing is not something I can explain, and my second baby looked much healthier than my first because I understood HOW it worked.

Anyway, when you get your baby stuffed and it looks like a turtle, don't worry!  It will actually look like a baby eventually!

 

Follow the needle sculpting directions and you'll end up with a cute, chubby little baby... or four, in my case!

She recommended a bunch of fancy stuff for painting the face, and I'm sure her finished product was much nicer than mine, but I stuck with straight up cheap-o acrylic paint from Walmart.  That stuff is eternal.  Especially when you accidentally get it on anything.  So make sure your work area and clothing are protected!  I kept my babies' faces simple- hair, closed eyes and mouth.  (I also painted an initial their right butt-cheek to avoid later baby confusion.)  When the paint was dry I used embroidery thread to add a bow to the tops of the girls heads.

Ok, stockings.  I will tell you straight up that felt would be a heck of a whole lot easier than flannel!  I was trying to avoid felt, since we already have several felt ornaments on our tree, so I went with flannel.  I sketched a rough stocking shape, making sure the it was large enough to allow 1/8" seam allowances and also fit a baby!  The top of the pattern measured about 2" across.

Whether you opt for felt or feel the need for some self-inflicted punishment and use flannel, you'll need to cut out two of the stockings.  For felt, you'll need one little rectangle for the contrast at the top. Apply to top of front stocking piece, then sew all three pieces together around the body of the stocking, leaving top open and VIOLA!!!  You are DONE!!!  (You see now that I am a glutton for punishment.)  For flannel, you'll need a square that you'll fold in half and sew to the top of the WRONG side of the front stocking body.

 

 

Fold the little cuff you've created over to the RIGHT side of the stocking front. 

Now line up the front and back pieces of the stocking and fold over the top of the stocking back to the inside to match the stocking front.  I used permanent fabric glue to just tack the thing down.  (Be sure to allow it to dry if you choose this option.  Your sewing machine won't like the glue!) 

Now put your two stocking pieces right sides together, sew 1/8" around body edges leaving top open.  You may want to clip tiny triangles out of your seam allowance in the toe of the stocking to let it lay nicely when you turn it, but it isn't completely necessary.  Then turn your stocking right side out. 

I used a heavy thread to make a loop at the corner for hanging.

Pull out that acrylic paint again and personalize!

 

 

And you're done!  My husband noted that this process would be MUCH easier if you never intended for the baby to come out.  All you'd have to make is the stocking and a little painted head, but that kind of defeats the purpose and charm!

The kids were so excited when they woke up this morning! 

They played with them for a good bit.  They also wondered why the babies don't have diapers, and I just gave them the look!  LOL  But I was very happy to cross a major project off my Christmas crafting list that's been there for literally YEARS, and add four cute new ornaments to our tree!