10 Baby Animal Themed Handmade Gifts

Oh, baby! Baby elephants, tigers, bears, whales, and more animal designs make for the perfect baby shower gift or baby’s 1st birthday. From a cozy quilt to a baby bib or nursery decor, you can make meaningful handmade gifts for the little ones in your life.

Here are our top 10 baby animal projects to gift or make for your own bundle of joy.

1. Cozy Penguin Quilt

Choose a soft, minky fabric, and this baby quilt is cozy and adorned with sweet penguins for your little one. This paper-pieced project is from Sew Cute Baby Animals by Mary Hertel. With Mary’s tips and techniques, paper piecing is a breeze for beginners and experienced quilters alike; just follow the illustrated steps, sew by number, and watch the image emerge.

2. Baby Elephant Burp Cloth

We have another fabulous project from Sew Cute Baby Animals we know you’ll love: a baby elephant burp cloth. It’s almost too cute to use! The cloth is both adorable and practical in design. This project will quickly become mom or dad’s favorite accessory for on the go or spending time at home with the baby. 

3. Pillowcase with Baby’s Name

Your loved ones will enjoy going to sleep with their favorite animals. This pillowcase is from Mary Hertel’s Sew Cute and Clever Farm and Forest Friends. The delightful part of Mary’s books is that each project is easy to follow, and you can mix and match the blocks with each other or any of Mary’s previous books to create various projects. If you loved the penguin from the above Cozy Penguin Quilt project, you could make it into a matching pillowcase! 

4. Table Topper

Wouldn’t this table topper be charming in a rustic cabin? Another pick from Sew Cute and Clever Farm and Forest Friends, the table topper can be made with a background fabric of your choice. Choose your favorite patterns and colors to make the whimsical critter design. 

5. Unicorn Storage Basket

Sprinkle some fairy dust and journey to a land where fun and creativity rule! Annabel Wrigley has 18 adorable sewing projects to help spark magic in your life in her book Sew Unicorns, Dragons & Mermaids, What Fun! This unicorn storage basket is a wonderful gift for both baby and parent. Make one basket or make a whole family! They are the perfect size to store anything from craft supplies to socks. 

6. Zoo Babies Crib Quilt

If you can’t seem to choose one baby animal to be the star of your project, how about a zoo? The Zoo Babies Crib Quilt makes a beautiful addition to any nursery. Fans flock to Kim Schaefer’s best-selling designs, and 39 new nursery-themed baby animals from her book, Sew Penguins, Puppies, Porcupines Oh My!, are sure to roar, tweet, and moo their way into your hearts. 

7. Farm Babies Diaper Stacker

Can’t get enough of Kim Schaefer’s animal designs? Make this farm babies diaper stacker from Sew Penguins, Puppies, Porcupines Oh My! using a ready-made diaper stacker of your choice. Kim gives you all the patterns and appliqué instructions needed to personalize your diaper stacker to match your nursery’s decor. 

8. Baby Shoes

Welcome a new baby with these adorable shoes from Baby Boutique by Sue Kim. The great part about this project is that you use the fabric of your choice, whether it’s baby animal prints, soft pastel colors, or fun and colorful patterns. A comprehensive section on sewing basics and expert advice make the book exceptionally easy to use. And there’s even an innovative eco-friendly gift-wrap chapter to help you showcase your lovely gift. 

9. Soft Play Gym

In the first year, a baby undergoes more development than he will ever experience for the rest of his life. You can spark a baby’s natural curiosity during this very sensorial and impressionable time by providing stimulating toys and objects. Angela Yosten offers this soft play gym toy project and many more in her book, Sew Modern Baby. With simple step-by-step instructions and inspiring photographs, Sew Modern Baby makes it easy to give your little one a great start! 

10. Monkey Picture Quilt

Framed single-block appliqués are a great way to decorate a child’s room. Make just one or a series of different blocks to add to your child’s playroom or bedroom decor. 

Please enjoy this free project from Playtime, Naptime, Anytime Quilts!