Sew Much Fun!

This is kinda old news, but I'm just getting around to blogging about it. You see, my 4-H leader would be so proud! My parents gave me a sewing machine for my birthday the first year I was married, which I used to dress "The Nest" with homemade curtains and pillows. But for Christmas I got a new sewing box and rotary cutter, which I have been very eager to try out! I'm brushing off the rusty sewing skills and have been "sew busy" getting ready for Baby's (and other babies') arrival!

First, there was the Hotsling! A few of my friends highly recommended these. I had a sling I used a few times early-on with Jack, but I never liked it. I think my sling had too much swing. What I like about the Hotsling is that they are sized to fit you (and Baby) which makes the fit more snug. What I don't like about them is how stinkin' expensive they are! I borrowed one from a friend so I could lug Jack around at a wedding this summer, and was surprised at how simple it looked. So I found some make-it-yourself instructions online and was right, other than my first experience with a French seam, it really was easy-peasy. So I made one big enough to carry Jack on my hip, and recently I've made a second, smaller one to carry the new baby. Here's a picture of Jack's girlfriend Edie testing out his sling during our camping trip this summer.

My next project was a nursing cover. My college friend gave me a Bebe au Lait cover (I prefer its other name - Hooter Hider) before I had Jack, which I LOVED. I never even thought about asking for one, but I definitely got my miles out of that thing! It still looks good, but the boning got a little messed up with so much wear. This is also happens to be one of my favorite gifts to bring to a shower. And, no surprise here, these too are slightly on the pricey side. So, not only did I want another one for myself, but I also wanted a less expensive way to give these to others. Thus, I found these instructions online. I changed the straps on mine a little to look more like the HH, and I added the terry cloth pocket like the original. I've made three so far and can't wait to try mine out!

And then there were the for-fun projects that I didn't have instructions for. I tried out a few renditions of spit cloths with some leftover fabric, and attempted to make a diaper case, but it was a lot harder than I thought and ended up not being photo-worthy. My last project was a pillow for Jack's new bed. I got this idea one night while falling asleep. The hardest part was making the anchor pattern, I had to double-check with The Hubs twice to make sure it was an accurate-looking anchor. And since this was with fabric left over from my kitchen curtains, I only had a minimal amount of material to work with. All in all, I think it turned out kinda cute and charmingly imperfect... and it matches the quilt Nonnie made!


I have one more project I'd like to complete for the new baby - a Moby wrap. From what I've seen, this should be super simple. The most complex part will be picking out the right fabric. Or should I say, picking out the right fabric without indulging in a rummage through the remnant bins at Jo-Anns. Other than being kind of fun, making your own stuff is supposed to be cheaper. But I seemed to have developed a bad habit of buying lots of clearance material and then trying to think of what I can do with it after I get home. Hooter Hider anyone?