DIY Baby Carrier Wrap Whatever

Is that a baby in there?*

[Note to self: apply make-up first, take photo after.]  

I saw these online, and thought it might be more comfortable than my previous baby wearing apparatus.   But did I want to pay the $45+ price tag? No way Jose.  I found a bunch of handy videos on You Tub e about how to wrap them, and then how to make them. Uh, ridiculously easy!! I couldn't take it anymore.  I went to Jo Ann's to buy my 5 1/2 yards of Jersey knit.  Well, did I luck out, because what is usually $12.99/yard was on sale for 50% off! (lucky because I really really really wanted to get it THAT Day!)  So, at $6.50/yard later, I got home and sewed up this baby wrap.  Just kidding- you don't even need to sew it.  It's just one looong piece of fabric.  Actually, I want to sew on some cute fabric to mark the center, but I haven't gotten that far, and none of my fabric scraps were quite large enough.  Anyhoo, I used this flower pin to mark the center so I'd know where to put it on.  [Maybe a blue flower would be more appropriate :-)]

  I didn't think I'd go back to "mom-doesn't-always-get-ready-when-I-don't-leave-the-house-baby-mode" but there is no avoiding it.  All my pics looked as scary as this spotty mirror, guess that needs some cleanin!

 If any of my local pals want one, I'd be happy to sell you the fabric at my cost ($12), since I have extra, (it takes 1/3rd of the yardage,but I had to buy that much to get the length). This baby wrap has come in handy when I've gone on places that dragging a stroller along isn't convenient (like when we took a tour of Historic Kirtland, and toured told homes with a lot of stairs).   And, YES, your husband can wear it if you don't make it too girly. There's a great You Tub e video that some gal's husband is demonstrating tie-ing it on.  Photos to come later after I sew on the pretty center panel cover to fancy it up.

*Babies can be forward facing in this as well.

Strip Skirt

s**This is a repost from 2009, there may be a few repeats as I try to get all my craft/decorating posts together on this one blog.

There's nothing like giving up an old hobby to master a new one. Well, maybe not so much master as tinker around with one. After my bunny fiasco I had  foregone gardening for the rest of the year (although I have pondered planting daffodil bulbs since they were the only thing that didn't get eaten) and turned on my sewing machine. I ordered some cute Amy Butler fabric on etsy, and got this Pink Fig girls stripwork skirt pattern and went to work. I wish I would have timed the project, but I'd probably say somewhere around 5 hours, since I had finished all the edges (so it wasn't "scratchy" and my daughter might actually wear it) and I'm a pretty slow, novice sewer. It actually turned out really cute (and she was happy to wear it to church- success!)

I've also gotten addicted to many cute crafty blogs, and have been inspired. Hopefully I'll have more projects to post soon.

DIY Nursing Cover

I ordered more Amy Butler fabric and made myself this Hooter Hider/nursing cover, since I'm so tired of those darn blankets falling off, and I like my privacy! 

 I got this free pattern here, and it only took an hour and a half. It has corset boning in the neck to make it stiff. I also made a matching burp rag out of this old cloth diaper. My cute SIL Lindsay made some of these for her baby, and I found this great tutorial here, and it was soo stinkin easy, why would anyone use something that is not cute when they can have these? I used Amy Butlers fabric that came in fat quarters, they are the perfect size to make the front and back coverings for the burp rags. I had more fabric left over from L's skirt, so I made a few more.

Front and Back Views

Kiddie Apron

I've been having fun making a few more kids aprons. Here's one I made for my niece.  It's a little fancier than my daughters $1 apron.  I used 2 fat quarters from Wally World, black bias tape for the trim, added a zebra stripe ruffle and pocket, and used some ribbon for a bow at the top. Since I was giving it away  I put more effort into getting the seams straight, etc.   I am pretty happy with how it turned out.   These are so easy to make.  My kids love putting their aprons on and mixing up a treat with me.