Saturday, June 19, 2010

my lips are no longer sealed!

Yeah! I've been making lots of baby gifts lately, but couldn't blog about them because then there'd be no surprise for the mamas! But now I can because they've been given - granted, most everyone who reads this has already seen the stuff, but you'll just have to sit through it again!

For Ginny, I made some felt booties. I got this pattern, which is a 1950's Simplicity reissue, and had no idea who I'd make them for, but I just had to get it! Because Ginny isn't going to find out whether she's having a girl or boy, I tried to keep them sort of gender-neutral. However, I think this pair is pretty girly! She'll have a 50/50 chance of being able to use them, I suppose!



I think these other two pairs turned out as something a girl OR boy could wear though! I made one each of the different styles. I think I could make a million of these and never stop loving them!



Oh man, why are baby things so darn fun? because they're adorable! I was looking on the Purl Bee because they always have the most fantastic baby stuff (it may just be that they have great photographers, and make stuff out of their fabrics which are to die for - and also horrendously expensive. oh if I were independently wealthy....) and found some super cute bibs - perfect! I didn't use their suggested unbleached organic handwoven and kissed by a baby lamb $50/yard terrycloth, but I did use some pretty snappy fabrics, I think! I tried to keep the color family and prints sort of similar so it really looked like it was supposed to be a set. The edges are bias tape, and the contrast fabric at the bottom is a crumb catcher (which I didn't even know bibs had!)


Then for English Emily, because she's doing a woodland theme in the little acorn's room, I made this squirrel! Stuffed stuff is just the most fun stuff to make!! I had to warn her that it's extremely non-kid friendly! I used some buttons that belonged to my grandma for the eyes - I couldn't quite remember which tin I'd fished them out of, but my mom recognized them when she saw them, so I knew it was from her mom's tin! they've got several layers, which is perfect for eyes, but they're sort of loosely connected, so they're also perfect for choking on. Then to make matters worse, I used some nylon threads for the whiskers and kept them from falling out by putting a little dab of glue on the fabric around them. certainly not going to keep them from being pulled out and eaten! Then, to top it all off, I made the tail by knitting an i-cord and slipping it over a piece of old wire I found downstairs. "sometimes the i-cord slips around and you have to tuck the wire back inside" - that's what i told Emily. seriously. i might as well have sewn little razor blades on it's paws! However, it's adorable and i think it'll be great for a room decoration - not everything has to be a crib toy!


Then, because I had so much fun making the squirrel, I kept going and made this turtle - he's a woodland friend too! Both of these patterns come from an old Lady's Home Journal book that I had to get after my friend Catherine showed me her copy - for one thing, right on the cover was a doll that my grandma made for me when I was a kid! I was totally blown away when I saw that! But on top of that were sections of jungle animals, woodland animals, cats and dogs, Alice in Wonderland characters - just tons of fantasticness!


And, of course, I had so much fun with Ginny's bibs, that I made a set for Emily too!



And finally, because I cannot stop making these fun bibs, I made a set for another couple who are having a boy soon - they're friends of billy's really, but I don't care - it's an excuse to make more bibs! and I just realized that I kind of did the bias tape wrong on these - well, I suppose I should say that I mad the trim different on these - guess it's not wrong! Again- I did the crumb catchers in fabrics that were mostly blue, so they'd look like a set! I think I might have to ask for a big box of bias tape for christmas - I'm kind of in love with it!


Whew! I'm glad all that's off my chest finally!

4 comments:

Ginny said...

They are absolutely gorgeous Chris! You out did yourself.

Catherine said...

Everything is so adorable Chris; great job as always picking out fabrics. Of course, now I want to make toys out of the book we both have! ;-)

hannah said...

I am so envious of your 3D sewing skills - I particularly love that little turtle. His neck is so cute!

What is the book he's from?

Emily said...

I love, love, love my gifts and can't wait to see the squirrel and turtle high on a shelf in the nursery (hee hee) and the bibs tied around our little acorn's neck! :)