Wings!

I have a rectangle figure.  No waist and no hips, just a tree trunk.  I have serious problems with pants with sewn in hips.  A lot of pants I get from GAP or BR have them, they look like wings on the side of my hips...it drives me crazy.  I finally decided to take matters into my own hands with my recent purchase of GAP maternity pants.  These were on a great deal - after tax and free shipping (LUXE coupon code) I paid $20!  I ripped the seams out from each side, and then pulled the fabric out a little bit and stitched straight down - to minimize the hip allowance.  The picture below shows the original and excess materials on each side.  The pink thread is a basting stitch that I followed with black thread.  It's inside out so you can see.  Now it fits like a glove!  I wish I thought of this before.

Bed Skirt

I've cut my fabric for the matching bed skirt to work on this weekend.  I'm short on the white pique and need to buy more ribbon, but I can still get started with what I've got.  The skirt will be just like the exterior of the crib bumper - white pique on top with yellow at the bottom and a brown grosgrain ribbon in between.  It's going to be box pleated with the interior geo print fabric as a peeking out.  I imagine it not taking as much time since it's just sewing straight lines. 

Minky Blankie

I decided to attempt sewing satin on minky with this project for our baby boy. It's really not too difficult to work with as long as you pin every 2 inches and use a walking foot on your machine. It turned out very nice. I think baby will love it just as the Piggie loves her blankie. I didn't make Piggie's - it was a gift from a friend. She likes feeling the silky satin and minky between her little fingers. Even at 22 months, the Piggie can't leave home or go to bed without her blankie!

Baby Crib Bumper

In search of baby boy bedding, I decided to make my own. I really didn't like anything at the retail stores. What's being mass produced is just to kiddie for me. Plus they want a fortune for poor quality. The ones I do like at boutique stores, I can't justify paying $300+. Then I cam to realization that in Amy Butler's Little Stitches, there's a pattern for a modern crib set.

I spent a couple days scouring the Internet for other patterns to for ideas. Then after a couple trips to the fabric store, Joann's and M&L, I had a better idea of what I wanted to do. With the help of my sister, we picked out a nice print pattern for the interior and the exterior multi-tone cotton pique. The pique really adds to the luxurious feel to the end result. I added a grosgrain brown ribbon and piping to finish it off.

Although the pattern is based on Amy Butler's, I basically used her pattern as a guide and made up the rest on my own. Initially, there was no intention to make the ties out of the same interior fabric, but I didn't buy enough ribbon to go all the way around. I was too anxious to finish the project over the weekend and didn't want to have to go back to the store to pick up the shortage. In the end, I think it looks better this way.

Basically my pattern consists of:
2 - 55 x 11 3/4 panels for the interior front & back
2 - 27 1/2 x 11 3/4 panels for the interior sides
2 - 2 1/2 packets of piping
16 - 2 x 22 strips for ties
2 - 2 x 4 strips for loops to hold together
2 - 55 x 8 yellow pique for front & back
2 - 55 x 3 3/4 white pique for front & back
2 - 27 1/2 x 8 yellow pique for sides
2 - 27 1/2 x 8 white pique for sides
4 yards of brown grosgrain ribbon - I was short and didn't add ribbon to the back panel. I'd probably need 5.5 - 6 yrds to include it.
1 package of baby bumper pads from Nu Foam - I ordered it online at Joann's.

1. Sew all interior panels together. Long, short, long, short with 1/2 seam. Press seams open
2. Sew yellow and white pique together with 1/2 seam. Press seams open
3. Attach ribbon onto each panel centered on the exterior seam where the 2 tones meet.
4. Attach exterior panels together, long short, long, short with 1/2 seam, press seams open - make sure you align the ribbon at the seam.
5. Iron and fold strips into bias and stitch along the opening. Or use ribbon or pre-made bias tape instead for ties.
6. Pin interior and exterior panels together - right sides facing each other. Pin pipping in between the 2 with piping cord inside the right sides. Pin ties at seams inside the panels and at 27 1/2 inches on the long panels. My crib has a decorative panel in the middle, so I measured to the spindle in the middle next to it. Pin loop on to one side panel top & bottom.
7. Sew the top, 1 side and bottom. Top along the piping - use the zipper foot, side (loop side) and bottom with 1 inch seam.
8. Attach ties on the open side panel and stitch top and bottom leaving 5 inch opening.
9. Turn inside out - your bumper is almost done.
10. Stuff and position panels of foam and you're done. I left the opening as is because I want to be able to take out the foam and wash the cover. You can choose to blind hand stitch it close.

Adult Blanket

Lisa liked the baby blankets that everyone was getting, she wanted an adult version of her own for the couch. We picked out a lovely paisley print and lined it with white minky.

Leah's Welcome Gifts

These were made for my niece Leah. She got a whole bunch of the Piggie's hand me downs, thought it would be nice to get something new and handmade : ) The little shirts were trimmed out with ribbon. It really dress up these little side snap tops.

Finished Projects

This one was for baby Leanna. I made a matching burper and a nursing cover for Shannon, but must have had pregnancy amensia and forgot to take a picture.

These burpers and blankets were for Danielle and Leah. Again, must have forgotten to take a picture of the nursing cover - of the same pattern as the black & red flowers.