It was such a delight to be able to make a lot of my home sewn gifts for Christmas this past year, and pass them out to very loved friends and family members. My joy is overflowing when I get to see the face of the receiver when they open their gift from me. That is the best….not really what I made, but how much they are excited to receive. Well, I made some baby items for a cute and very welcome new 2nd cousin of mine, named Tristan. His Mommy & Daddy liked the items so much for Christmas that they requested I make some more, and I was so very happy to fill their request. It was an honor for me actually. Here’s what baby Tristan received recently in the mail….
A special “Thank You!!!!” to my talented friend, Johanna, for my beautiful magnetic business cards! I love them!
A few new bibs. I still used Lotta Jansdotter’s general pattern, but I re-sized it for a growing baby. Druming fabric from Ikea (child bedding), the flannel alligator print & orange plaid from JoAnn Fabrics.Anyone ever use those plastic snaps? They are so cool, and so easy to apply!
I have learned that my favorite bibs for Nathan have been of a thicker nature in weight…. They must hold up to spilled juice and splattered food after all! Using a new towel (these are from Ikea) for the backing works just perfectly! 
I also made a new changing mat for baby Tristan. I lengthened and widened my original, self-drafted pattern from ones made before, and added jiffy grip to the back (instead of lightweight vinyl) for a slip free surface. Animal print from Ikea, children’s textiles. My changing pad is just three layers….jiffy grip on the bottom, layer of fleece in the middle, and a cotton print on top, and trimmed with double wide fold black bias tape. Cut a rectangle the size you desire in all three layers, round the corners using a dinner plate as a guide, and trim with bias tape. I know it’s not totally an “abracadabra” here, but it is almost that easy to make one. Great project, even for a beginner. An easy tutorial for applying bias tape HERE.
I hope they are enjoying their new baby items and hope they know they were made and given in love.
Another up-cycled, quick project I finished tonight was turning a young girls shirt into a tunic dress for my niece, who is very soon to be 5 years old. The only thing I needed to change was the deep V it had in the front. I added a knit dickey in the front, with a decorative stitch and some eyelet trim at the top. I embellished it a little further with three buttons to the left. I thought it would look very cute paired with some black leggings. (I hope I’m right, anyways…)
And my little N is growing so fast that I already had to make him another pair of
Snap Happy Booties to wear around the house. I feel like I just made and posted about his last pair! Wow! Good thing they are easy to make! I used dinosaur fleece (Jo Anns) on the outside, blue Ikea fleece blanket for the lining, and black pleather (“fake-leather”) for the soles.
What’s next to be sewn around here??? Well, there is a quilt in the process….A “cheater” quilt of sorts. But, more on that later : ).
Have a blessed day!
