1. Make a Quick Newborn Hat

This is a great, fast project, well suited to novice sewers. Select a soft solid or striped t-shirt. Fold shirt in half length-wise. Outline then cut out half of a bunny head shape along the fold, using the bottom hem of the shirt as the hem of your hat. Pin the right sides of the two pieces together and sew along the outline (except for the hat opening). Turn inside out and tie the “ears” together in a top knot. See step by step with photos here.

2. Stretch the Life of a Favorite Toddler T-Shirt Motif

A well-loved kid’s t-shirt doesn’t last forever, but if your child can’t bear to part with the shirt’s motif – whether it’s a Star Wars logo or a quirky kitty cat -- perform a transplant surgery and preserve the design on a larger shirt. Simply cut out the desired image from the outgrown t-shirt, cut a matching sized piece of fusible webbing, iron your image to the fusible webbing and let it cool, then peel off the paper backing of the fusible webbing and iron the image to your t-shirt. See step by step with photos here.

3. Embellish Shirt with Shapes and Colors

Felt, contrasting thread, and buttons can transform a plain (or stained) shirt into a charming, personalized shirt. You don’t have to do anything intricate; simply cut desired shapes and sew on with contrasting embroidery thread to create a purposely handmade aesthetic with visible stitching. Try three circles of different colors, each with a button in the center (use a sippy cup held upside down to trace the circle shapes). For a preschooler, the child’s first initial or age is always a hit. When laundering, turn the garment inside out to reduce pilling of the felt.

For more fun ideas from the Rookie Moms, check out their book, The Rookie Mom's Handbook. And you can read about why I loved this book here.