You can’t have a baby without receiving baby blankets as a gift. Friends and family will love to give you a small blanket or two to help keep your baby snuggled up and warm. But when your baby grows up, you may find yourself with a pile of old baby blankets.
Luckily, you don’t have to throw all of those cute blankets away; you can find new uses for them. Here are some great upcycling ideas to transform your old baby blankets into something better for the planet.
Creative Upcycling Ideas
When it comes to upcycling, creativity is the key. Don’t just think of your old blankets as blankets; think of them as a canvas for possibility. Below are some of our favorite upcycling ideas, but don’t be afraid to come up with your own.
1. Make a Baby Blanket Quilt
What’s cuter than turning outgrown baby blankets into a quilt your child can keep for years? It makes an adorable keepsake, plus you’ll save money by not having to buy new blankets. Quilts don’t just have to go on the bed, either; they can be hung as cool wall decorations for your child’s room.
If you have lots of old baby blankets, you may create patterns and color schemes with them. On the other hand, if the colors don’t quite fit together, that’s okay. Quilts are meant to be a hodgepodge of many different pieces, after all.
2. Sew Some Stuffed Animals
Old muslin blankets are the perfect material to make soft stuffed animal toys. There are so many different animals you can make, too. All you need are blankets, thread, and cotton stuffing.
With a little sewing and patience, you can give your old blankets new life as teddy bears, bunnies, or puppies. There are many easy and free patterns online to help you get started.
These upcycled stuffed animals can make great handmade gifts for your children or friends. You could even donate them to hospitals or shelters for children in need.
3. Make Children’s Pajamas
While this is probably better suited to smaller children, you could probably make pajamas big enough for any size with enough baby blankets.
Muslin or flannel blankets are probably the most appropriate as the fabrics are soft and breathable. Muslin would make good summer pajamas, while flannel could make a nice warm winter set. Other fabrics could be used too, but crochet blankets really wouldn’t work because of the small holes.
This upcycling idea will require a bit more sewing skills than some of our tips, but there are plenty of patterns and videos online you can follow.
4. Sew a Pillow
Some baby blankets have such cute patterns and colors. Take advantage of that by converting them into throw pillows. You’ll get to reuse your old blankets, and you might just end up with some cute and stylish living room decor!
For extra flair, add ribbon or tassels to the ends of the pillows. No one will ever know that they used to be in your baby’s crib; unless you tell them, of course.
5. Make Some Scarves
If it’s wintertime, or if you live somewhere cold, having extra scarves around could be handy and fashionable. You’ll want to use warm fabrics that you won’t mind wearing all day. Solid colors or simple patterns are good choices for matching your wardrobe.
If you don’t use scarves, you could always make these and donate them to homeless and battered women’s shelters. It would be a useful and welcome gift for people in need.
6. Sew a Pair of Mittens
What goes better with scarves than mittens? Even better if you can use the same old baby blankets to make a matching winter set. Mittens really are simple to make.
All you need to do is trace your hand on a small blanket folded in half. Cut around the lines to get two identical shapes. Place the two halves on top of each other, then sew along the edges. When you’re done, turn them inside out, and you’ve got mittens. You can add elastic to the bottoms where the mittens go over your wrists to get extra fancy.
7. Make a Car Seat Blanket
If your baby is still in a car seat, this could be a big help. Car seats get dirty and are a pain to clean. Eliminate potential problems by making a car seat blanket that can be easily removed and washed. Car seat blankets will also keep your baby warm and snuggled up while still being buckled in.
Simply take an old blanket and cut holes where the car seat buckles will come through (you’ll probably need to cut at least three holes). You can stitch around the holes so that the edges don’t become frayed as an extra step.
Just place the blanket into the car seat and thread the buckles through so that you’ll be ready to go next time you drive.
8. Donate to Charity
Consider donating to charity if you’re not into sewing or simply have more blankets than you could repurpose. There are many different organizations in need of blanket donations.
Refugee camps, hospitals, and even centers for the homeless can be great places to donate your old baby blankets. Or, if you know of a new mom in need, you could always gift the blankets to her. Whoever you decide to give them to, donating your used blankets can really bless someone else’s life.
Minky Blankets for Every Age
There are many creative ways to reuse your baby’s blankets. Your creativity really is the only limit. However you upcycle, you’ll be clearing your house of clutter and keeping old blankets from ending up in landfills.
Sew Sweet Minky Design makes wonderfully soft blankets for every life stage. Our baby blankets make a perfect gift, but once a baby grows up, we have blankets for toddlers, children, and adults, too. Feel free to contact us with any questions.
Has your child grown out of their old baby blankets? Shop for larger blankets at Sew Sweet Minky Design Today!