12 Cute Onesie Upcycling Crafts to Remember the Baby Days

Whether you were gifted them at your baby shower or you stocked up on them during a Target run, you likely have a pile of your child's outgrown onesies. Maybe you're considering stashing them in a storage box or you've had them stowed away for months—or even years. If the thought of giving them all away pulls at your heartstrings and you're looking for a way to give even a few of them a new life, you'll do well to check out these 12 upcycled onesie crafts.

1. Memory Bear

To turn your little one's onesie into an adorable "memory bear," you just need the onesie, a lightweight, iron-on interfacing, scissors (paper and fabric), thread, fiberfill, a sewing machine, hand sewing needle, a bear pattern from Mama Smiles.

2. Rosette Headbands

On her blog Redefine Creativity, Alisa Burke shares how to turn a charming baby onesie into an equally eye-catching, rosette design baby headband.

3. Knot Bow Headbands

A similar option: a cute knot bow design from CoralandCo.com. The pattern is available for a variety of sizes.

4. Stuffed Toy Elephant

If an elephant is more your style than a teddy bear, check out this cute option from Hila Willing's blog Saturday Night Stitch. All you need are two snuggly onesies, polyester hollowfibre filling (recycled, if possible for a more eco-friendly craft), and a form to make this sweet toy elephant.

5. Toddler Onesie Dress

Want to turn a onesie into a new outfit for your growing child? Check out this adorable onesie dress, made out of a onesie and an adult shirt from Candice Caldwell, who writes the blog The ReFab Diaries.

6. Baby Blocks

No need to buy whimsical soft blocks for your baby when you can make them yourself with onesie fabric. A tutorial on Zaaberry Handmade shows how you can use your fabric, four pieces of ribbon about 2-3 inches each, stuffing (like polyester fiberfill), a sewing machine, a hand sewing needle, and some thread to craft these colorful, motor and spatial skill-boosting toys.

7. Patchwork Christmas Stocking

Looking for a festive way to put those old onesies to use? Look no further than this patchwork Christmas stocking tutorial from Jacinda Boneau of Pretty Prudent. She used fabric paints and stencils to add cheery reindeers, evergreens, and more.

8. Ballerina Leotard

Whether your child wants to be a ballerina for Halloween or is taking a class for tiny dancers, Rachel of Sprinkle Some Fun shows how easy it is to turn a onesie into a ballerina leotard.

9. Baseball Cap

You'll be extra psyched to take the family out to the ball game—or the beach, or anywhere you need a little extra sun protection—once you've turned your L.O.'s onesies into an on-trend baseball cap. Jessica Abbott shares a sweet tutorial on her blog Sewing Rabbit and provides links to patterns for 0–6 months and 6–12 months.

10. Fabric Memory Game

A onesie certainly doesn't have to be turned into another type of clothing or accessory. You can use them to make a memory game, shares Damjana of Apple Green Cottage. There are various ways to play—from a simple match-up game to the more advanced classic memory game.

11. Pillow

Looking for a way to cherish those onesies through the years? Allison of Cluck Cluck Sew recommends making a pretty decorative pillow—which features a rosette made from various onesies—in her guest blog on Someday Crafts.

12. Memory Unicorn

Not so much for sewing? Thank goodness for Etsy. Send your child's outgrown onesies to Sarah of 4MonstersMerchandise, and she'll turn them into a magical unicorn. She also offers dragons, bunnies, foxes, deer, and more.