Pre-Baby Projects

Before Briggs was born, I was sorta on a crafting high. Nesting, I suppose. I had so many little sewing projects I wanted to accomplish, and while I wasn't able to finish everything I wanted to do, I was able to complete a few.

First I made a crib bumper. I was actually excited to start looking at boy things, but was disappointingly underwhelmed by the selection. Even if I wanted to spend a bazillion dollars (which I didn't!) I really couldn't find what I was looking for. I wanted something masculine and simple. No vehicles of transportation, no furry animals, no sports equipment. It's surprisingly difficult to find a simple blue geometric pattern in baby bedding! So I decided to go ahead and make it myself. How hard could it be??? (Famous last words, right?)


Actually, I was pleasantly surprised to realize it wasn't so tough to put together. I only ran into two minor problems, which were 100% my own fault in fabric selection. First of all, the seersucker (both the light blue and striped materials) is lumpy and bumpy (as it's meant to be,) which was fine for the big blocks but a little bit tricky when trying to sew the ties. Not terribly difficult, but a few of them came out a little funky. Secondly, the velvety material (the dark blue) worked fine for the big blocks, but was a beast for my little machine to sew through for the trim. One or two layers? No problem. Six layers of the thickest material, rolled over on itself? Needle-bending, thread-breaking nightmare. Live and learn. No thick velvety materials for the binding! (Until I buy a professional machine, anyway, and since I'm no professional, I think I'll stick to the regular-weight fabrics.)

But overall, I think it came out quite cute, if I do say so myself.


Of course, the best part is seeing him asleep in it! (I know... I'm obsessive with the positioning, swaddling blankets. Whatever keeps them asleep!)


Next I also made a car seat cover. Now... before you remind me of my promise to never make another one of these, let me restate that last sentence... I finished a car seat cover. Important distinction.


When I made the last car seat cover, I had started to make one to fit ours, mostly to make a pattern and to be sure I could actually do it. So I had this car seat cover 95% completed (everything except the strap holes and the edges of the canopy) and it was in boy-appropriate colors and fit our car seat. As much as I feared returning to this project, I knew it would be lame to leave the last little bit unfinished. And it was now or never, so I hunkered down and finished it up.


Bringing the little guy home in it even made it kinda worth it, but now I am officially done with the car seat cover business!


Finally, I made a few burp cloths. These were a fun and quick project that helped me remember how much I enjoy sewing. And hey-- he's an Asbury baby, so there was little doubt that this was a project that would be not only cute but very useful. And nothing says, "Mommy loves me" quite like something cute to spit-up on. =)


(And nothing says, "I'm a rock star!" quite like powder blue pop-pom trim! Though I think the cookies and milk pattern might be my personal favorite.)


And luckily for you, I will spare you a picture of Briggs putting this sewing project to good use.

I miss my projects, my sewing machine, and, admittedly, the free time I had to do such things, but my current hobbies include feeding, burping, diapering, soothing, carrying, bathing, and all things nurturing.


And I think that project is turning out quite nicely, too.