Instant Embellished Onesies For Summer

Summer with a baby under 6 months is tricky because they're too little for sunscreen. After a bit of research, I decided on long sleeve white onsesies with UV babylegs and a sunhat to keep babe covered and cool. The only problem is that white onesies are bo-ring!

So, I did what any crafty mama would do and dove into my fabric stash! I cut darling little scraps out of my favorite fabrics and zig zag stiched them on. I didn't want them to look the same, all sewn in the center of the chest, so one has a tiny fox on the 'breast pocket' and another has a coordinating embellishment on the back as well.

So far, they've been awesome for keeping Asher cool and safe. Plus, it's a great scrap-stash buster.

I wish I was able to get better photos, but we are constantly using them!

Mini I-Spy Doll AND Tummy Time Quilt

Here is the mini I spy quilt I made for my goddaughter. Part of the Baby Shower gift basket. I made it big enough for tummy time, but small enough to use as a doll quilt when she's a little bigger, about 32"x 32".

I adore I spy quilts, but I really hate quilting, so mini is perfect! I decided to round the corners, use a zig zag stitch and embrace the quirkiness of my quilting skills. At least on the second attempt, the squares all lined up!

I've also finished my first I Spy crib quilt for sale. This one is not quirky at all! Just plain cute. I'm debating about listing it in my shop. I really love the cotton candy colors!

And last but not least, this little gem that's already been snatched up! I used a simple, self binding method and I think it may have won me over to quilting! It's so much easier.

Patchwork Market Bag

Look what I made! I wanted to try my hand at incorporating simple patchwork into a non-quilt project. Turned out to be a lovely gift for a lovely girlfriend!

I used Hilda's technique for stamping with fabric paint to add a personal touch. Adorable from the back and front!

Homemade Sling: Stretchy Wrap

I think every new mom should have a good sling, which is why I made one for my friend Cara and her partner, Nathan to use with their new little one, Brenna.

Photo Courtesy of Nathan Hall

It was almost so easy! I read some tutorials here on Make Baby Stuff and a few other tips and tut's here and there. It sounded like 4m of a good quality jersey was enough. So that's what I bought. But actually I needed 5m. So, the troubleshooting started and, with the help of a talented friend, I decided to put a 1m panel in the center. I found a beautiful (and ridiculously expensive) batik print on clearance and snagged it up.

At this point I actually got excited about my mistake because it meant I could use a more expensive print on future slings and not break the bank! The batik was considerably less stretchy and didn't have a lot of give. I was a bit worried, but it is actually more supportive for babe while still allowing you to pull it over baby's body without much work.



My sewer friend, Darcie, showed me how to sew the panel on so it would be secure (a French seam, Darcie?). And when I was sure that is would hold, I top stitched just to make sure! It took a loooong time to hem 5m of fabric. I didn't pin, just rolled it under in sections as I went. The batik was very fussy and I don't know if I would use it again. Next time I may try and taper the ends at a gentle angle for the last half meter or so on each end. It makes tying easier, but I wasn't brave enough to try it my first time.

I'm so happy it turned out and that Nathan and Cara are using it!

This is me trying Daniel in the sling to make sure it would hold up to a toddlers weight. He looks so tall!

Traveling Gnomes

I am always thinking of ways to keep Daniel entertained when we are shopping, in the car or at a restaurant. We have the standard travel toy ideas down. Stickers, doodle board, crayon roll, photo album, something with buttons, calculator, pipe cleaners, I-spy bottle, magnet games and on it goes.

When I was a little girl I had these cute
little dolls that clipped into jewelery that I would bring when my mom was meeting a friend for coffee. They were SO fun! I wish I have never sold them and I really I could remember what they were called. I was after the same sort of idea for Daniel, but what jewelry can you put on a boy?

I decided on a little, Waldorf gnome that fits into a pouch on a necklace. It was one of the first toys I've made that he actually liked. Well, for a few hours anyway. The little girl I take care of liked it so much that I made one for her too.

I read that it is wise to make the body first, because you can more easily make the head to fit the body than vice versa. I just winged it all. I free handed the bodies onto pattern paper and then cut and sewed. I usually make dolls too skinny so it took a few attempts. I wish I had made the hats a bit longer so I could knot them at the end; I like how the hat flops over when it's knotted. The head is just a ball of wool roving tightly wound. They joy of making little dolls is not having to fuss with the head!

I originally made a wool felt leaf for the gnome to fit in, but it just didn't work out that well. Since taking the photos, I've made him a crocheted pouch like the girl gnome. I crocheted a rectangle long enough to fold over into a sleeping bag. Before tying off, I chained to make the necklace and slip stitched it to the other side. Then to finish, I folded the rectangle up and stitched the sides together. It's a much better fit than the leaf!