Sewing baby clothes can be a fun and rewarding hobby, but it's important to remember that saving money is also a priority as babies come with plenty of unpredictable expenses. Since babies quickly outgrow their clothes, sewing costs may add up quickly and it is essential to cut down on expenses as they add up quickly. In this post, I'll share some practical the methods I use to save money on all of my sewing projects for baby clothes.

Plan Ahead

I know, planning ahead and having a baby may sound like mutually exclusive concepts, but it is actually easier to save money by sewing clothes than by buying them on sales, discounts, coupons, and from thrift stores. The reason is that while it is impossible to know what size of pants your baby will be wearing next winter, you can plan upfront what materials they will be made out of and buy them when a good deal is available. For example, on Black Friday, I stocked up on fabrics with prints I like and on my beloved wash-away tape. You can also score deals on a sewing machine or a serger any time of the year. Another way I like to save money is to order sewing supplies from Aliexpress. By planning ahead, I can enjoy their lower prices and absorb the slow delivery time.

Upcycle Old Clothes

Upcycling your pregnancy and pre-pregnancy clothes can be a great way to save money and create unique, one-of-a-kind baby clothes. If you've recently given birth, in addition to having lots of baby clothes in different sizes, you also have your own clothes in different sizes. You might have pregnancy clothes, pre-pregnancy clothes, clothes that fit you at 5 months of gestation but didn't stretch any further, nursing clothes, etc. Let's face it, some of these clothes don't fit you and your new body, and for some of them, all the wardrobe changes made you realize that you don't like them. This presents an opportunity to upcycle them into unique and special baby clothes. With the excess fabrics and clothes, you can save money and make baby clothes that fit your new baby perfectly. As a special bonus, it brings me joy to see my baby wearing my old clothes that I can no longer wear. It is an emotional connection and a reminder of the special time when I was pregnant and the memories that come with it. When using old clothes, don't pay attention to how durable the fabric is. Don't be afraid to use worn out fabrics. The baby will likely outgrow it before it gets damaged. In this post I explain how I transform an old shirt into a stylist shirt for my baby.

Use Scraps

Using scraps is a great way to save money and be creative when making baby clothes. First of all, baby clothes are small and do not require much fabric. Additionally, you can sometimes use even smaller scraps. I added here a photo of a layered shirt I made (similar to the one in this post) and another photo of my baby sleeping in the stroller in a T-shirt that has an extra visible seam in the middle of the shirt. It looks like a design choice. Nobody ever suspects that these are scraps that were not big enough for the pattern. So, use scraps creatively to make unique and special baby clothes, and save money at the same time.

Fix Clothes You Do Not Like

You might have clothes that you don't like or don't use. Keepin them this way is a waste of money. For example, we didn't like onesies, so I used my serger to turn them into shirts. Suddenly, they became more useful. I also encourage you to read my post about dying clothes to revive them.

Extend the Lifetime of Exitsing clothing Items

Sewing skills are helpful in inserting small modifications into clothing items. For example, I added velcro these shoes fit my baby sooner. The white velcro in the picture was there, and I added the black one.

Don't Skimp on the Sewing Machine

You may have come to this post looking for ways to save money, but I urge you not to skimp on your sewing machine. My own experience taught me this lesson the hard way. I tried to save money by purchasing a Brother LX3817 sewing machine for $76, but it gradually started having more and more issues until it finally broke. It wasn't until I invested in a Singer Heavy Duty 4423 that I realized the true value of a good sewing machine. I wasted my own time and money by settling for a cheaper option. I also learned that while a serger is not essential, it can greatly improve your sewing experience by cutting fabric as it sews, making the process faster and more efficient. My JUKI MO600N serger is now a valuable and indispensable tool in my sewing journey. Don't make the same mistake I did, invest in a quality sewing machine, and buy a serger when you see you are serious about this to save time and money in the long run.

Now that you know to save money sewing baby clothes, you may want to learn about other reasons to sew baby clothes.