more nesting

I keep thinking about the last time I used the bassinet and how much I was frustrated that everything I needed was in different places. Her lotion was in her room, diapers and wipes were in a jjcole box thing on the floor, burp rags were in her room and the changing pad was useless. Because we don't have a nursery set up for her yet (basement still being built) I wanted everything to be accessable when I needed it.

I saw this on etsy for sale and had a light bulb go off! http://www.etsy.com/listing/93623395/giraffe-stripe-and-dot-custom-diaper   Keep in mind that hers is way stinking cute and the fabrics are adorable. I was trying to make this without spending a penny. I used scraps of fabric I had left over. I didn't even have any more fusible fleece, so I used blanket batting and some of those plastic children's placemats. I cut the placemats to the dimensions I wanted and sewed all around them so they couldn't slip around. It adds some stability that otherwise would have been there if I used the right materials in the first place. I lot more work than was needed, but that's just how I roll these days.

 

so mine doesn't look the prettiest, but it's functional like I wanted.

I even made a new sheet for her to match. If you can't tell in the picture, there is yellow and green in the fabrics used. If I was feeling really ambitious and wanted to spend the money, I would have recovered the whole bassinet too, but I didn't. I am really tired these days, grouchy, and want her out NOW!

to secure it to the side of the bed it's self, I used some clip things that were already being used for something useless on the bassinet. This helped so I didn't have to make button holes in the bedding to fit. Also, if I decide to keep the bassinet in a different spot than I planned, it's a piece of cake to move it to the other side or something.

I also made some newborn size bibs today. I want to be done sewing so badly but have one more thing I might do. Other than that... I need a break. sigh.

For the bibs, I just traced a bib I already had, added 1/4" seam allowance around it and used that for a pattern.

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.

Scripture Cover

         I wanted a scripture cover for my beat up scriptures. Mainly to keep my daugher from wrinkling more pages. This was a first try and needs some adjusting before I post a pattern for it. I did take pictures of each step and plan on doing something more with this. These are the full size quad scriptures. I found a tutorial with a pattern for the mini ones on pintrest, but had to make up my own thing for this size.

     

       It has a two slot pencil/pen/highlighter pocket on the inside.

 

sporting my pen my dad helped me make! :)

If you notice, earlier this does not have a stripe on the outside. I took it apart this morning and added it to the outside and I fixed the spacing issue on the inside. I think I'm ready for a pattern!!! :)

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!!!

EASY Hooded Towel Tutorial

Again, I apologize for the terrible pictres. I'm using an old camera until I can afford a new one. This little stink bug broke my last one. Also, forgive the mess. I'm in the process of moving baby stuff in and sewing stuff out of this room. Big job!

Materials needed:

bath towel

hand towel

thread

sewing machine

Step 1: fold hand towel in half like a hamburger bun. place it on your child's head and see how far you want it to cover their face or come past their forehead. I didn't do this the first time and had to make some adjustments. My daughter is almost 3 and she still has room to grow with this one. I ended up cutting 6 inches off the side.

Step 2: with right sides together (meaning on a towel... the finished edging you want showing outside is the right side)  stitch up cut edge at 1/4 inch and then either serge or zig zag the edges.

After I bought these I realized one side would be different than the other side of the hood. oh well! they were cheap! (on the pink towel I also cut about an inch off the bottom just because I didn't want it super long. not necessary.

Step 3: find the center of the main towel by folding in half and placing a pin. Match up center of main towel to seam on hood. With right sides of hood and main towel together, stitch at 1/4 inch.

ALL DONE!

Boppy Slip Cover

     This project was so easy and fast. I read this: http://www.make-your-own-baby-stuff.com/breastfeeding-pillow.html  and sorta just did my own thing based on this. I didn't print a pattern out or anything. I just traced the cover that came with it allowing for seam allowances.  I even winged the velcro closure and it came out great! :) Love it!

      
         I didn't have a boppy with my first baby, so I wanted one with this one that's due soon. I didn't want to pay $35.00 or more for one so I found one used on ksl or something. I paid $15.00 and it didn't stink. It was clean and in excelent shape.  I washed it still and looking at the cover that it came with it looked pretty see thorough and skimpy so I thought... I'll make a new one!!!! :) It took me about 45 min from start to finish. :) EASY!

Velcro closure



soft minky type side



Making a few slips

      This is a pattern I used earlier in March to make my daughter a dress. It has long ties for shoulder straps that tie in the back.  for these, I measured each of the girls with the dress on to get the strap lengths and length of the total slip. They were really fast and easy to make! This dress always looks so comfortable to wear.

    The back of the original dress calls for three rows of elastic, but I just did one and changed seam allowances a little because I spaced doing that while cutting the length. PREGNANT BRAIN!! it's a real thing, it HAS to be!

     My friend's daughters will love to finally get to wear the dresses their mom crocheted for them! She has a shop on etsy and facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Crafting-Friends/180595232008676     or    http://www.etsy.com/shop/CraftingFriends4you?ref=pr_shop_more
                                    She is awesome and does beautiful work!!!!

Finished with the Blessing Dress

   The dress is washed, pressed and buttons sewn on. I made a slip and ruffled diaper cover.

       The slip I started last night and finished this morning. It was pretty simple except for cutting it out on slippery fabric that came from my old wedding dress as well. Finding the grainline is a little difficult and time consuming sometimes. I also noticed while sewing the slip that my needle was snagging the fabric all over. I either have a dull needle (totally possible) or need a satin needle. rather than poking through fabric, the satin one pushes the fiber aside with each stitch. (if that makes sense) I really didn't care that much because it was just a slip.

 

         The diaper cover was a total pain in my butt! I have a strong love/hate relationship with ruffles. I LOVE the way they look and turn out, I HATE making them. If  I had a fancy sewing machine, I could get a ruffler foot which I would use all the time! Because I didn't have a baby to try it on, I guessed on leg openings and waist measurements. I think it will be adorable on anyway!

          The diaper cover was from a pattern that was pretty wide size range. 0-12m and 12-24m. it will probably be way huge and baggy, but I don't care. it was on my list of things to get done, so I did it.

         This little girl is spoiled rotten already and she isn't here  yet. My older daughter might feel bad later in life because her dress was bought and was so simple. I have been learning sewing by sewing for her, over the years i'll just keep getting better I'm sure.

Newborn Blessing Dress

made from OLD wedding dress

It still needs a wash and press and some pretty buttons on the back, but it's done and so PRETTY!!!

For this dress, I used McCall's pattern M4865.  I am in love with the pattern it's self, but VERY disappointed in the instructions.  There were TWO times I was so confused and left not knowing what the heck to do. Luckily I pulled out a simplicity pattern (4709) that had the same things going on and the instructions were SO DETAILED in comparison. 

         For example: McCall's - On skirt back - step 3: Open out slashed edges of back. baste right side of contiunous lap to wrong side of back, placing reinforcement stitching on back along the remaining 1/4" seamiline on lap, matching circles. STITCH. ( the pictures also left me clueless- and I sew a lot)

      Simplicity-  Spread slashed edges of skirt apart so that they form a straight line. Baste right side of cintinuous lap to wrong side of slashed edges, matching stitching lines and small dots.  Stitch along stitching line. ... after that I was like... Oooohhhh!

          ....and when I was doing the binding on the sleeve, the instructions were less that informative, so I eventually cut new sleeve pieces and binding pieces and went ahead like it was blanket binding. I would have thought that in the first place, but for me, the instructions made it sound like you did it a completely different way.

I love how the inside of the dress is lined and all sewn in by hand. it took all day, but it looks nice!

On the dress pattern pieces, it has the length an extra foot longer than I made it.  I wanted it shorter than my first daughter's dress but ended up the same length. (I wanted her cute little shoes to show -silly right?)

          no, I did not do beading on it myself, it's just part of the wedding dress beading. I did however break a needle on one, after that I was super careful! :)

     I did not do lace on the bottom like the instructions talk about, I just did a regular hem and stitched it by hand! :) All in all, I finished this dress in a day and a half.  I had interruptions and at night I just called it quits because I was so frustrated with the instructions! :) VERY happy with the outcome though!

    

Cupcake skirt and shirt

 

       It's been a while since I've posted but now that I've dug out an old camera, I can update as I go! I had this cute fabric left over from last year and wanted to make my little girl a cute bouncy skirt that was comfortable and full! I had no pattern for this and I should have taken measurements and If my camera wasn't broken, i'd have taken pictures of each step.  It was pretty easy and turned out just like I hoped!

        The shirt was just an applique I made up. I wanted an NON perfect cupcake top with sprinkles and added a strawberry on top! the cupcake top is yellow dot minkee.  It has been washed a few times since It was made, so i apologize for it being wrinkly and not FRESH! :)

     This skirt really didn't use a lot of fabric, but took patience while I did the ruffles. I started at the top and wanted the yellow to be double thick and also be a slip underneath all in one. I attatched the cupcake next and topstitched in place after a little gathering. Then the pink ruffle was last.  i'm sorry this isn't more detailed and instructive. I kick myself for not thinking ahead about this post.

   there is the slip that is all in one. PERFECT and so comfortable I imagine! :)



Back Tie Bow Dress

    I apologize for the bad pictures, my camera is broken and we need a new one.

    I bought this pattern a while ago and intended to sew it, but it has taken me a long time to get to it.  The pattern can be purchased here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/78394035/sewing-pattern-reverse-knot-dress-pdf  she also sells kits so you don't have to do fabric selections.

      When I bought this fabric I did not have this dress in mind, so I only bought two fabrics rather than the tree it calls for. Oh well, it works! My daughter loves this dress and it's so comfy looking. She twirls and runs and feels like the pretty little girl she is!

     This pattern is very easy to use and it took no time to cut fabric out. I did most of it the measure and tear way. I did not get my iron out and iron like the instructions said, and If I REALLY cared about perfection, I should have for a few spots. I think next time I make this dress, I'll topstitch the ties so they lay down better. I would totally recomend this pattern to others and think it's a fun dress to make! It doesn't look sloppy either.