baby sling

When I was expecting my younger Smurfette, I thought about making a sling to carry her about. I had already gone through the strolley waltzer... baby in, baby out, fold, put in the car, get from the car, baby in, slalom, etc etc. You know the drill.

I made myself a sling, very simple, using this tutorial, and I'm still using it now (14 months after).

The trick of the longevity of a sling is that there's a baby position for every age. Well, that and having good back muscles...

I find it very useful (it does fit in any bag, unlike the stroller), and I promised to make one also for a friend of mine (P's mom) who's expecting her little one.

Since P's a boy, I opted for the always suitable fabric of Ikea, the one with the hippos (which is now discontinued, I believe... I can't find it on the site, but they still sell it at the shop).

With this project, I've discovered Gracie's hem foot (see here why my sewing machine actually has a name): IT'S GREAT! I've never used it before... serves me well, now I'll think twice before dropping apparently useless accessories.

see the perfect hem? ah!

made with this buddy

Next sling it's going to be in stretchy fabric: I'll make it for me, since now that Smurfette#2 is older (and indeed bigger...) it might come in handy.

portable changing mat

There's a new baby girl on the way (no, not mine...) and I wanted to make something for the little bundle of joy. I'm planning a quilt for M, but in the meantime I thought of this "transformer" project: a changing mat which morphs into a tote.

This is the changing mat (open):
there are four pockets for diapers, wipes and baby change.

And this is the same thing (closed):
to close the mat into a tote, you just fold the pockets inwards, then fold lengthwise in half.

Soft pink ballons... that's a "fuzzy applique" (or so I call it)

I'm sure I've not invented anything, most changing mats are also bags, so there's really nothing new. Applique decorations were probably also inspired by some picture on the web.

But everything is smooth and soft and ready for M. Her parents liked it and me too... and you?

summer nap - completed

No, I'm still living in this hemisphere, the winter-y one... Summer Nap is P's quilt (P is my friend's baby boy, the one I made the burp cloths for).
I certainly hope his mom won't read my blog anytime soon, 'cause I'm giving her the quilt on P's birth, in march... (S, if you're reading STOP NOW!)

Here are the shots:

 I didn't want a gender-specific color, so I went with these summer colors instead. I think it turned out well. The coin quilt structure brings out the yellow tones, and the contrast is very refreshing.

 That's the quilt in a heap. You can easily see that the back is a total yellow: sorry, I just love this fabric!

Here's another shot of the back, which also brings out the quilting pattern (which is obviously NOT a pattern...). I opted for an "almost linear" quilting: a combination of straight and wavy lines, randomly spaced.

The binding is in the same turquoise fabric I used for the front and it's (as usual) hand stitched on the back of the quilt. I just can't bring myself to try the machine stitched binding, sorry. The label is my standard one, with an important detail: there's P's name on it, as a special dedication to the little dude.

The quilt is 40"x49", a little off in size, but I don't mind that. It's also lighter than my usual since I used a super thin polyester batting: I wanted it to be used also for real summer naps, after all... I also considered the version with no batting at all, but I wanted it to have some structure so it was a no-no option.

Well... what do you think? The only thing left is the packaging, which I'll think about when it's almost time...

burp cloths for P.

I have a quilt ready for this baby (which I'll soon show you, by the way), but I can't give it to his mom before the little man is born (that would be in march)... so I opted for something rather simple to give as a pre-present.

I used leftover fabric from the quilt project to create two burp cloths.

The "operative" side is in cotton.

I didn't resist and put them in a pretty package. P's mom will be happy and will have a feel of how the quilt will be looking...

sew modern monday #36 @ canoe ridge creations

Very productive week end, finally!

I made little pants for my Smurfette#2:

Then some napkin pochettes for Sis:

And then worked some more on my secret projects #1 and #2:

That's all folks! See you next monday!

pants (baby size)

I've finally had the chance to use my serger and try sewing some (easy) garment.

I made little pants (no patterns, just a pair of pants in the right size) for Smurfette#2. She tends to sleep without any cover (what's with my girls and sheets already?!?), so I have to dress her with something...

I had one yard of knit fabric of the right weight, and cut the parts. Ok, I cut twice, 'cause the first time I didn't count enough allowance... but hey! I've learned.

That was actually the hardest part, 'cause sewing the pants up only took me no more than 10 minutes... waistband included.

That's the result:

Maybe not haute couture, but it's nice and it works. That's fine with me (for now).

sew modern monday #34 @ canoe ridge creations

It's been a while since I posted anything here... not for the lack of crafting, but I didn't do anything that really qualified for this kind of post.

But now I have something. It's a little something, but I'd like to share.

This is my take on modern for this week: a diapers pouch in oilcloth fabric (see the specific post for details).

I'm planning to be more 'modern' in my creations and link up to CRC every monday I can. Thanks for visiting!

diapers pouch

I got tired to have baby-change things lost in my bag and I finally sewed a pouch to hold together diapers, bags for dirty "bombs" and wipes.

My bags are NOT small, 'cause I carry around all sorts of things, so the pouch is actually a must.

I made it with a very pretty oilcloth from my local fabric store. Sewing oilcloth goes like a breeze, 'cause you don't need to serge anything... it only took me 10 minutes to finish the pouch, complete with zipper and squared bottom.

Nice. And it fits perfectly in every bag I have.

mommy...?

... what's all this sewing about?

Christening day

Yesterday Smurfette#2 had her christening. It really was a fantastic day, and she was very good and nice and bouncing from sibling to sibling to get her share of hugs and kisses. She was quite the princess...

I don't have photos of the christening yet (I was a little occupied to take photos...) but I hope to have something to show you soon. Hubby took some photos with my phone when we sliced the cake (which, by the way, was fabulous).

fantastic cake

that's me (awkwardly) slicing the cake, with Smurfette#2 "yelling" at the chef (!)

You can't see Smurfette#1 nor any other kid (and parents accordingly) because they all were outside playing like crazy in the sun. Figures.

finished!

I've spent the late morning finishing up my confetti bags. There you are (I know, you already saw them, but now there are all 16 of them).

confetti bags

Smurfette#2's christening is very VERY near (next sunday) and I'm focusing on sewing and making confetti bags for siblings and friends.

They're not complicated and it's quite relaxing making them. This little basket makes me very proud, it's very cute!

cross stitch bib

In a month or so a friend of mine is having a little baby girl. It's a tradition: newborn = bib with name. So here it is.

little Martina's bib

smiling with no words... and still speaking volumes

Smurfette#2 smiling this morning

embroidered bibs

Once in a while I like to indulge in my old love: cross stitch embroidery. So... what about bibs? I made these while I was pregnant with Smurfette#2, 'cause I knew I was going to need tons and tons of bibs.

This is first Smurfette#1's bib, made six years ago (more or less):

I don't know why I'm thinking (and blogging) about cross stitch, maybe the old flame is burning again...?

linen confetti bags

In June Smurfette#2 will have her christening, and therefore I have some work ahead.

I thought about confetti bags and made some prototypes... the only thing I had clear in mind was that I wanted to use linen and dry rose petals.

This is the one I chose among all prototypes:

It's a 7inch square bag made in antique rose linen, loosely filled with dry rose petals (the perfume is really nice!), and sewed on all four sides. Then a toulle with three confetti is attached to the bag with a natural fiber string and a little lattice ivory rose.

I think it came out well.