Camera Case

      For my Birthday (I've been 23 for a few years now-I REFUSE to turn 30...ever) my husband bought me a new camera because my last one got ruined by a certain little girl and was having issues anyway. I got a Canon PowerShot ELPH 100 HS and so far I love it! It needed a case, so I saw this tutorial today and decided to make it. http://sew-mad.blogspot.com/2008/02/triple-c.html  hers is way cute because it's pink!!! I decided to go with something more boring and use fabric I already had.... AGAIN!

      These pictures are from my phone, so they aren't very good. I used black minky on the inside, two layers of cotton pure and natural batting for the middle and I used iron on interfacing for the outside layer. I followed her instructions including measuring instructions. It was intimidating to HAVE to measure, especially because lately i'm feeling ultra lazy. Once I got the pattern piece figured out, it was a piece of cake.

Apple of My Eye Minky Blanket

           This fabric was recieved in the mail today and I couldn't help but want to use it NOW! :) I washed it and dried it and have been doing nothing since. My house is a mess and SHOULD be cleaning, but who wants to clean when you can create something?! I purchased the fabric from http://www.etsy.com/shop/BaileyGirlsFabric?ref=seller_info She is wonderful to work with and the fabric exceded my expectations! The quality of the minky is definitly better than any i've ever purchased from joanns. yes, you pay a little bit more, but it's worth it!!!!!


          I used a few tutorials SORTOF. Which means, I read them over and just go off on my own. http://www.mamastellato.com/2010/05/simple-baby-blanket-tutorial.html  This tutorial and blog are excelent!

             I am new to working with minky, and boy do I know it. It's stretchy and lets just say this blanket didn't turn out perfect. none of my stuff ever is, that's the fun in it! :) I used pure and natural batting in the middle of cotton and minky so it added some thickness and warmth. because it wasn't exactly lined up perfect, there was some twisting and bagging in the two layers. I made it a bigger blanket too (45" square) so the blanket probably needed to be tied or something anyway. I ended up machine stitching around the striped apples. It took me all day I think.  In the end, it turned out just great!

  This is a HORRIBLE fold job, but my camera was acting up so I can't get another picture. I LOVE all the pretty bright colors!! :) I can't wait to snuggle my baby in it!!!

THE BEST Burp Rags and Bibs

        As I mentioned in an earlier post, my daughter Keira was born with acid reflux. If you've never seen a child with it, it's gross.  She threw up all day every day until she was 1 1/2. It was projectile vomit and often times covered the person holding her, the floor and any nearby furniture. She would go through multiple outfits a day because she would stink so bad and had 2 baths a day. She was on medication but it didn't help with the throwing up part, just the buring part. She is such a sweet girl though, I couldn't help but love her even though she was gross. :)

       

     With that in mind, preparing for my next daughter I wanted to have a lot of good burp rags on hand. My other burp rags are rough now and faded and honestly didn't do a whole lot for cleaning up puke.   She would go through a whole stack in a day. I read online different types of tutorials and honestly wasn't impressed.  Most would say things like you need to buy a package of Gerber cloth diapers but don't buy them from walmart because they come from China. You need to buy them from Target.  We don't have a target and the cloth diapers alone cost $13.00 for 8 of them.  I looked at the Walmart kind and they are more cheesecloth than diapers. so I had another idea!!!!

      

       At Joanns WITHOUT a coupon you can buy chenille for $14.00 a yard.  With a yard of fabric you can make a good dozen burp rags. I used scrap fabric or bought end of bolt deals or I found cute fabric and bought 11 inches of it.  (that usually came out to be about $1.45 per fabric. with 11 inches you can make 2 burp rags)  NOTE: pre wash your chenille and fabric and dry it before using it!!! I prewash everything I use besides minkee and it blows my mind when people don't because you end up with a messed up product in the end if you don't. 

   

The dimensions of rectangles you need of chenille and cotton or flannel are:

9 1/2" wide and 17" long

• I use a rotary cutter and mat to make sure my pieces are square.  Also, I often times find the measurements and tear the fabric (don't tear chenille- it won't be straight)  because it stays with the right dimensions.
• once my rectangles are cut, place them right sides together and pin. 
• Sew around them at a 1/4" leaving about a 2 1/2" opening and clip corners
• Turn right sides out through the opening
• use the tip of a pencil or your scisors to carefully make sure the corners are poked out.
• now top stitch a little less than 1/4" around the burp rag  making sure the opening is tucked in to be flush with the rest of the burp rag.
• YOU'RE DONE!

I could make these all day. they are fast and easy and turn out so nice and will be AMAZING to use. And oh so absorbant and soft for baby to lay her head on! :)

BIBS:



For the bibs I used a bib I liked when Keira was using them and traced around it adding 1/4" for seam allowance. 

• cut one out of fabric (cotton or flannel)
• one out of chenille or minkee. 
• Place right sides together and pin
• Sew around the entire bib leaving an opening in the bottom for turning
• Clip corners, neckline and curved edges
• turn inside out
• topstitch at a little less than 1/4" (again to avoid having to hand sew-you may want to anyway)
• attatch velcro
• YOU'RE DONE!

Easy and cute!  I used these all the time and I would have made more but I ran out of chenille and minkee.  :)

 
 
 
 



    



Busy day today!

Baby slippers I made for the craft fair.