Covered Baby Book

• Take a regular three-ring binder and open it up on top of a colorful piece of sturdy fabric. Draw the outline of the binder on the material and add 2 inches to each side. Glue cotton batting onto the outside of the binder and then cover with the fabric. Glue the edges of the fabric to the interior of the binder. Decorate the cover in whatever manner you prefer. You may want to add the name and date of the baby's birth to the cover.
  
  

Simple Baby Blanket

• You can create a simple baby blanket by purchasing a length of flannel or velour cloth the size you wish your blanket to be. A 3- to 4-foot square makes a nice sized baby blanket. Turn under the raw edges and stitch them down. Cover the seamed edges with blanket binding, lace or a fabric trim, and stitch into place.
  
  

Portable Fabric Changing Pad

• You will need a 5-by-3-foot piece of material to complete this gift project. Fold the material in half with right sides together to make a 2 1/2-by-3-foot pad. Add a thin layer of cotton batting and stick all three layers together, except for a 4-inch section near the center fold on one side of the pad. Turn the pad right-side out and tack the slit closed. Sew an attractive binding or trim around all four edges, making sure to catch the batting on the center edge. Sew a button about 3 inches down on the outside of one of the 3-foot sides. Fold the pad in half and add a small loop of elastic to the opposite end of the pad to hold it closed when it is inside the diaper bag. You may want to treat the interior of the pad with Scotchgard to make cleaning it easier. Don't machine dry the pad, as it sometimes causes the batting to bunch inside the pad.
  
  

Knitted and Crocheted Items

• Individuals who can knit or crochet may choose to make a layette for the new baby. Other common baby crafted items include booties, hats and blankets. Craft stores that carry yarn often have free patterns available for these items hanging near the yarn. The pattern will tell you exactly how much yarn you will need for your project and any other notions you will need. You can also find free knit and crocheted patterns on the Internet. Some have video tutorials to get you off to a great start.