Diaper Elastic

Most of my cloth diapers are 2 years old now and just as everyone on the interweb claimed would happen, my elastic needs replacing. I bought a bunch of elastic from Joann's (it wasn't expensive at all, I think $6 worth finished up 11 diapers). 

I used three pieces of elastic for each diaper (a piece for each leg and a piece across the back). All three pieces measured 5 1/4" but if I was to do it again, I'd do more like 4 3/4". This is still allowing for room to make your seam and cut off the excess. 

I cut into the fleece at each end of where the old elastic was. Fleece doesn't fray, so I never even bothered to sew it back together. I did this a few weeks ago, the diapers have been through the wash quite a few times now, and they work exactly the same as they did before, but better because the elastic is tighter, of course. So don't be afraid to cut that fleece!

Hair Bows for Valentines

Whipped out some little fabric bows for some Valentines this year. Super fast and easy! 

Basically like this. 

Pink and Grey

I was so blessed to be asked to make a baby quilt for a friend's little girl due this summer. She picked out some great fabrics and sent a picture of something similar to what she wanted and I got to take it from there! I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out! (Forgive the little wrinkles. I knew it was about to be rolled up and that ironing it again would really be pointless.)

 

I kept track of my measurements, so here they are:

Car Seat Makeover

My mom was here a couple weeks ago and it's kind of amazing how much more productive I am when she's around. ;-) We had two sewing projects, both unnecessary, but I am SO THANKFUL that we were able to do them! So much more cheerful.

The old car seat was a minty green and very pale orange, with brown binding. It arrived in the mail a week before the little man was due, so I didn't want to risk returning it even though it was most definitely *not* the color scheme I had thought I was purchasing.

We saved the brown binding, but went a little more cheery on the rest:

Hanging Laundry Bag Tutorial

Little Boy is getting ready to move into his Big Boy bedroom in a couple months (already?!) and one thing he'll be needing is a new place to put dirty laundry. I found this laundry bag tutorial on pinterest, I think, and borrow a good bit from it. I like that it can hang in the closet, on the door, and even on the door knob, if you don't make it too long. The hanger can come out and there are no rough edges (french seams) so that the whole bag can be thrown in the wash. I added a couple ribbons to the inside of the bag too so that it can be taken in a suitcase and tied up a little.

You will need:

Tummy Time Rag Quilt

Finally got around to sewing a little bit last week. Really excited about this one! It's a cozy flannel 'rag quilt' that I plan on using as a 'tummy-time' blanket for our little one coming in May. Since tiny babies see red and black and white best for those first few weeks, one side of the quilt is entirely those colors, while the other side is much brighter, for the later weeks and months. This quilt is so cozy and soft!

Round Oven Mitt Tutorial

My little brother is moving into his very first house with five other guys and there's not a potholder to be found in the place. So I took it upon myself to make him a couple.

For one mitt (I made two, so sorry if one or two of the pictures are confusing because of that) you will need:
2 outside fabrics measuring about 10" x 11"
2 inside fabrics (I used cozy flannel, but I think it would have looked better if it was closer in color to the outside fabric) measuring 10" x 11"
Inside binding (mine is yellow) measuring 8" x 3"
Outside binding (mine is blue) measuring 30+" x 2 1/2"
lots of batting for the inside

Baby Tutorials and Links

I always email myself links and then save them for when they come in handy some day. I have a whole bunch of pregnant/nursing/baby links and tutorials that I thought I'd throw out there for the blog world.

Tablecloth Diaper Changing Mat Tutorial from The Polka Dot Umbrella

The Nursing Cover that I already made I got from Diary of a Quilter's Tutorial

Boppy Cover Tutorial from Katie J. Gibson

Headbands

Yesterday my little sisters-in-law and I started working on some reversible headbands. This was my little girl size tester. I started with the template from Happy Together (love this blog, btw!). We made the band a little skinnier and a smidge shorter for the smaller heads. This one turned out great! 

Memory Card Game

I want so bad to make this scrap fabric memory card game but I know it's gonna be at least a couple more years before we'd get any mileage out of a matching game around here. But I'll post it just because it's so awesome.

Cheaters Never Prosper

The nursing cover turned out fabulous. Except that I cheated and now I seriously wish I hadn't. I didn't have any boning on hand, so I cut up a wire hanger. I don't know what I was thinking. The hanger makes the neck stick out, sure, but then it promptly tips forward for the world to see what's going on in there. So, I will have to tear it all out and do it again with boning. But I didn't want that to keep me from posting pictures, because it still *looks* good. It is green because that's gender neutral-ish. It has flowers because I myself am not gender neutral. And flannel. Because then it can double as a receiving blanket if it must. Another big reason NOT to use a hanger, but rather boning. Also, so that it can fit in your diaper bag without getting bent out of wack. What was I thinking?!

Grow Chart

I finished this grow chart a while ago, but I only recently got it all hung up properly. It's made from a moda charm pack (Punctuation, I think?). I found the idea on Moda's Bake Shop website. 

I cut a long dowel and slid it into some fabric pieces sewn to the back (one dowel at the top and another at the bottom).

Then I used some orange yarn to tie it to the door like this. I'm sure there's a better way, but this will do for now!

Andy was 21 1/2" when he was born. I hope to make it part of our birthday tradition to go measure the kids on the grow chart.