• Handmade gifts for a baby are especially memorable.baby image by Dron from Fotolia.com
  
  Gifts are fun to give and receive in celebration of a newborn or expected baby. Homemade gifts can be easy to make, even for those who don't view themselves as "crafty." The special thought and effort that goes into a hand-crafted baby gift will be appreciated and treasured by the baby's parents.
  
  

No-Sew Fleece Blankets

• Make a blanket large enough for a crib or small enough to fit over a baby in a bassinet. Cut a desired size from fleece fabric. Often, one yard of fabric will be big enough for a crib blanket, with enough leftover for one or more smaller blankets. Pinking shears or other decorative-cut scissors will trim the blankets and leave no need for further preparation. Cut fringe around the edge of the blanket. You can tying two pieces of fringe together or leave the fringe untied. Another fringe idea is to use a large plastic needle to sew lengths of ribbon or yarn every few inches along the edge of the blanket. Tie the ribbons or yarns into knots and leave two or three inches hanging loosely.
  
  

Easy Receiving Blankets

• Trim a one-yard piece of flannel to make the sides even. Fold the sides toward the back one-half inch, then again one-half inch. Pin the seams to hold while sewing by hand or machine. A serger machine or zigzag stitch on a regular sewing machine will create a border without folding the fabric. For a more decorative receiving blanket, pin, then sew a satin ribbon border around the edge of the blanket.
  
  

Hooded Bath Towel

• Buy a soft bath towel and matching wash cloth. Fold the washcloth in half to form a triangle. Place the folded cloth along one corner of the towel. Machine- or hand-stitch the folded washcloth along the two seams that match the towel's seams, going through both layers of the cloth and the towel layer. The folded edge of the washcloth will form the edge of the hood for the baby's towel.
  
  

Booties and Caps

• Baby bonnets and caps, as well as booties, are popular items for crocheting, knitting and sewing. Free patterns are available at websites such as crochetnmore.com and sewing.org. Fleece, flannel and other soft fabrics work well for these baby items. Matching sets of caps or bonnets and booties are a favorite gift project of those who crochet or knit.
  
  

Bibs

• An easy baby bib can be made from a wash cloth by cutting a small curved shape away from one edge of the cloth. Stitch on double-fold edging to cover the cut side of the washcloth, leaving several inches to form the bib's tie. Ready-made bibs can be personalized with hand or machine embroidery. Colorful permanent markers or iron-on decals and letters also can transform a purchased bib into a personalized gift.
  
  

Mobiles

• Tie, glue or sew wide ribbon lengths onto several soft toys, plastic bath ducks or colorful baby rattles. Tie the mobile items around the edge of a plastic embroidery hoop. Tie additional lengths of ribbon to the hoop and bring these to the top of the mobile and tie together to form a hanger.