Baby moccs.

Size 0-3 months on the left, size 6-12 months on the right

Like lots of you (I assume), I love baby moccasins. They're stylish, warm, and tend to stay on baby's feet. But I just can't bring myself to pay $60 for baby shoes that will be quickly outgrown. 

So I found this Baby & Toddler Moccasin downloadable sewing pattern on Etsy - $8
+ 12" x 12" leather from this shop (one piece was plenty for one pair of moccasins) - $6 each
+ a small piece of sherpa fabric for the cozy lining, purchased at Joann - $2

(I already had leather sewing needles, clips to hold the leather pieces together, and elastic. But those are minimal costs if you need to buy them, too.)

I've now made three pairs of moccs and have spent a total of $28, making each pair $9.33 (with leather left over for other small projects). I'll take that over spending $60 any day!

The pattern by NoriChild on Etsy is pretty perfect. It includes sizes from 0-3 months all the way up to   2T/3T. It's possible Lanie has small feet for her age, but she is 8 months old and wears the 3-6 month size comfortably (the 6-12 month size was huge on her). The pattern also goes into detail about sewing leather, if you haven't experimented with it before (I hadn't). The shoes feel well crafted, sturdy, and will seem to last a long time. We've already gotten lots of use out of ours. Just thought I'd pass it along!

Lanie, checking out her new shoes