Precious Personalized Baby Pillow Cases

We know that pillows in the crib with a newborn aren't allowed. So why are baby pillow cases such wonderful gift ideas for new moms? They are beautiful keepsakes that can be personalized with baby’s monogram or other information that a mom might feel is precious and important.


For baby’s first year (or two), pillow cases are merely decorative. Modern moms know better than to allow a newborn baby sleep on one, but they are so sweet and pretty that they make great gifts even if baby’s head never touches the pillow.


A personalized baby pillow case is easy to make yourself or there are lots of baby boutiques online that will embroider the face of the pillow with anything you might desire. You can request that your custom baby pillow case be monogrammed or that baby’s name, date of birth and how much the baby weighed be embroidered in elegant or whimsical fonts with a few baby motifs, hearts or flowers scattered about for good measure.

HANDMADE BABY PILLOW CASES
Would you like to try your hand at making your own personalized baby pillow cases to give as gifts? Most people are entirely too rushed to take time to buy the necessary materials and then sew them into an heirloom keepsake. There’s a lot to be said for the love and care that goes into a homemade, personalized baby gift but you’re not going to save much money by making a pillow case yourself and it is a time consuming project.

SEWING PATTERNS, MATERIALS and SUPPLIES
The end result depends on quality materials, so get the best Irish linen that you can find. Baby pillow cases are little, so even if a yard of fabric is expensive, you won’t need much. The standard size for a crib pillow case is approximately 11" by 16" which will fit most manufactured pillows for babies. You won't need a sewing pattern to make a pillow case, just add the right seam allowance to your measurements.

Fine silk embroidery thread has sheen like no other, but silk thread won’t hold up as well for repeated washings, so I recommend 100% cotton heirloom embroidery thread.

HEAT TRANSFERS
Unless you are very artistic and can draw your own embroidery patterns, heat transfers are the best way to make sure that your pictures come out looking right and that the letters you use to make your words are straight and are uniform in size.

HOW TO PERSONALIZE BABY PILLOW CASES
Of course you will want something on the pillow that says who the gift was for, but what else? Here are some ideas for how to personalize your pillow case whether you buy it or make it yourself:

• Tiny embroidered figures that match baby’s nursery theme. Examples could be a bunny for a Beatrix Potter or Peter Rabbit baby theme, cowboy boots for a cowboy or cowgirl theme or ladybugs for a ladybug themed nursery
• A gold cross or an angel for baby pillow cases presented as a christening or baptismal gift
• A decorative wreath of flowers for a baby girl’s pillow case
• Trucks or puppy dogs for a baby boy’s pillow case
• A short poem with wording that has personal meaning

Return to Unique Baby Gear Ideas, Nursery Themes and Decorating Ideas for more information on handmade, personalized baby pillow cases and and other unique gift ideas for babies.