crocheted booties

I bought the patterns for these booties on Etsy, and I really liked how they turned out. I made some for my expecting sisters, and am half way through making some bigger ones for my baby. Sorry I cannot give you the patterns, but you can search Etsy.com in the baby crochet patterns to find these, and many other cute patterns.

diaper bags

I found a free tutorial to a diaper bag I love! I am so glad someone was nice enough to post it. I made three in two days (which I would not recommend, I totally ignored my family). I made the black one for me, and the other two for my expecting sisters. I love how they turned out! They are so cute, but also so functional. There are five pockets on the outside and five inside.

I used home decor fabric, I found the pink ones back in November for like 60% off at Jo-Anne's and I found the babric for my black one at Hobby Lobby for about $8 a yard. I used really heavy weight interfacing, because I love the look of a bag that stands up on its own.

I added this little strap with a hook, to hook on keys or a binky or something. I also made the strap on mine extra long, so I can sling it around my neck and arm, not just my arm, then I have more mobility with my arms. I also added metallic snaps to the outside pockets on mine (they are usually kind of expensive, like $4-5$ for one, but I found some on clearance at Jo-Anne's 2 for $2.50) I also added velco to the inside pockets on mine

they have a zippered pocket in the back that I love. It was my first time doing a zipper, but I just followed instructions on my zipper and in my machine manual, and it was quite easy.

car seat blanket tutorial

I have been wanting one of these all winter for my baby, she always kicks her blanket off when I am carrying her around in her car seat. I finally figured out how to make one, but since winter is ending, I decided not to make one for her. I did make two for my expecting sisters though. I hope these steps make sense, let me know if you have questions

I started with two coordinating flannels, one yard of each. I folded each in quarters so I could trace and cut my pattern (make sure you have the folds in the right place)

I do not have a printout of this pattern, but I am hoping you can see the measurements when you click on the picture to enlarge it, and use the measurements to make your own (I just taped pieced of 8.5 by 11" paper together). Make sure your folds are in the right place, and trace the pattern on each piece of flannel

unfold the fabric and mark where the strap holes should be cut (enlarge the two above pictures to see where to measure and cut for the strap holes) mark it on each piece of flannel. Or, if you have a carseat handy, you can put the fabric in your carseat and mark it yourself

cut and press where you will need to sew around the strap holes (do not sew yet!). Pin the fabrics right sides together and sew around the blanket, leaving a gap for turning it right sides out)

pin in place the pressed holes together and sew (if you try to sew them before the previous step, you will not be able to turn the blanket right sides out)

top stitch around the blanket, sewing the gap closed

place blanket in carseat and strap baby in

then swaddle

here is the second one I made

Thank you Heidi for informing me of something I did not know (check comments)

AFTER READING HEIDI'S COMMENT I TRIED TO SEARCH ONLINE FOR VERIFICATION. THIS IS THE BEST THAT I FOUND

http://babyproducts.about.com/od/carseats/a/carseatcoat.htm

it does state that the warranty may be voided (you could call your carseat company)

it also gives guidlines for you to check yourself if your baby is safe in his/her carseat

"Check All Winter Coats for Car Seat Safety
It's easy to check and see whether a baby's winter coat or infant snowsuit is too thick to be safe in a car seat. This test will show you how thick the coat is and how much the coat will compress during a crash.

1. Take the car seat into the house.
2. Put the winter coat or snowsuit on the child.
3. Put the child in the car seat and buckle the harnesses as you normally would before car travel. Adjust the straps to the appropriate fit for your child.
4. Take the child out of the car seat without loosening the straps at all.
5. Take the coat off your child.
6. Put the child back in the car seat and buckle the harnesses again, but do not tighten the straps.
7. If you can fit more than two fingers under the harness at the child's shoulder bone, the coat is too thick and is not safe for use with the car seat."

it also says, near the bottom, "

However, there are no federal guidelines governing after-market car seat accessories. These extra car seat covers and buntings could interfere with the function of the car seat harness, and many car seat manufacturers will void your car seat warranty if after-market accessories are used. "

It could still be useful for a carseat that is strapped into a stroller, rather than a car. Or with any five point harness device, such as a stroller itself, or a swing or a bouncer

minky blanket tutorial

I made a couple minky blankets over the weekend. I bought the fabric months ago on clearance, and I have been wanting to use it, but scared it would be hard to sew with. and when I attemped to about six moths ago, it was. Then I was told to use a walking foot, and it was a breeze.

I found this silky ruffle blanket binding at walmart

after cutting th minky to my desired size I `pinned the ruffles face down to the right side of the fabric

then I pinned the back piece of fabric , right side down, on top of that. I stitched all the way around, leaving an opening to turn, turned it right side out, and sewed the opening closed. I did use my walking foot, and I did not top stitch, I was afraid it would bunch, and I like how it looked without the topstitch. It took me about half an hour to make one

here is the second one I made

I made this one for my own babes for Easter, I used the same tutorial as my receiving blanket. This was so easy, I thought it would be hard with minky fabric, but it was so forgiving, the binding fabric is so plush, that you cannot even see the seems.

Amy Butler

I just love Amy Butler, but who doesn't. I found her book that I have been wanting for a long time, at the local library. I was thrilled not to have to buy it, but still be able to use the cute patterns. I made some PJ pants and some Robes from it, and I really liked how they turned out. I got most of my fabric at Hobby Lobby, for like $4 a yard, but some of it was Amy Butler, I already had sitting in my sewing closet. Sorry about the pictures, I could not seem to get that shadow out of the way.

this set is for my older sister, who is having a baby in a few weeks, I thought she would enjoy something to wear in the hospital

this pair is for my younger sister, having a baby any day now, I thought she too might want to wear something other than a hospital gown.

Still around

I know it seems like I have been slacking, but really, I have been crazy busy with projects. We remodeled out basement. There are still some finishing touches needing to be done (including bookshelves that are half way built for either side of this fire place to put all the clutter on the (and hide all the wires), and a few more things. I took the week off last week to sew, but hope to finish up this week, I will post pictures then, but here is a sneak peek

My sisters are both having baby girls this month, so I made them a bunch of stuff. I couldn't post pictures until I gave it to them though, it would have spoiled the surprise

I made them each a blanket like this. It is Amy Butler Lotus fabric on front, and Chenille on the back. I just put the right sides together and sewed around (all but 6 inches) then I turned it right side out and top stitched, closing the gap. I used a walking foot, since the fabrics have a different stretch than each other. I don't know if it was necessary.

I found this tutorial for the above blanket, but it was not as easy for me as it sounded, other people have told me they really like doing it that way.

so I reverted back to my old method for this one, and I liked how it turned out better.