Baby Shower Goodies!

Don't you just love looking at little bitty baby stuff? I do. I also enjoy making it. This little loot of goodies is for a friend expecting a little boy at the end of the year. I hope she likes them. These are all pretty simple items to make but if anyone is interested I can do a tutorial on them or shoot them an email with the instructions. It was late and I had no time to take pictures of the process. ;(

The first item was a car seat canopy. I simple rectangle with cotton on one side and flannel on the other. I used wide, satin ribbon for the ties.

For the next item. I have been brushing up on my crochet skills. When I was little my grandmother taught me the basics. More recently I purchased the book the Happy Hooker and watched tons of tutorials. By the way youtube is awesome!  This is just a simple ear flap hat with braids. I think it took about an hour from start to finish. I love how quickly these work up.

Here is my trusty childhood Ewok modeling for me. It was late and he was the only willing model. LOL! Sorry for the not so great photos....like I said it was late so flash lighting.

Gotta love variegated yarn.

And lastly, burp cloths. These are simply rectangles with a mid line sewn for easy folding and decorative top stitching on the edges. I used a microfiber cloth on one side and flannel on the other. I used the shape and size of the microfiber cloth and just cut my flannel to size.

I hope this gives you some ideas next time you have a shower to attend. Your options are endless. I don't know about you guys but I absolutely love it when someone takes time to make myself or my children something.



P.S. Coming soon Halloween post...with a baby Sumo costume and post about some Mommy goodies I had ordered, received , and tested.

Faux Chenille is in the air~~~

Faux Chenille is in the air right now. Especially among my favorite sewing mamas (you know who you are). I had long ago decide to jump on the band wagon. I have had all this fabric set aside for about 6 months just waiting to be put together. I actually swore I would never make one again after my wild adventures over a year ago with my first faux blanket. That was on my old machine. My new one handles it perfectly and now I don't mind sewing them.

It all started with this Spaceman flannel that K saw in the fabric store one day.He found it in the remnant bin and would not leave the store without it. So i decided to pick up some other flannels while I was there and make a soft, cuddly faux chenille blanket for him. Now that E is much more independent I was able to get it all put together.

I spray basted all my layers and went to town sewing all my layers. If you aren't familiar with a faux chenille blanket or how to make one I am going to include a few links to help you with creating your own. I would have but seeing as I made mine here and there I didn't take the proper photos for a tutorial. Here where I first learned of the blanket .... Aesthetic Nest and here are a couple others ..  MADE and Mercys Mom. All wonderful tutorials!

Don't you just love the soft glow of a sewing machine light.....ahh, I do. ;)

 Now if you aren't familiar with the faux chenille technique I will try to explain a little. You sandwich 4-5 layers of cotton or flannel fabric (you will need a fabric that will fray). Use a good spray baste to make sure your layers stay together. Mark a center line diagonally across your fabric and begin to sew down that center line. You then go out about 1/2 an inch and continue to sew lines parallel to the center diagonal until you have covered the whole blanket with the lines. After you have finished sewing you cut in between all the lines making sure to only to cut the 3or 4 layers of flannel or backing. You do NOT want to cut the front. Also be careful when cutting in the channels because it is easy to catch the front fabric.  

After you are done with all your cutting, square up your blanket, bind it and throw it in the wash a couple of times. You will come out with one of these little beauties!I love how it turned out. The colors worked perfectly together. Plus my boys both love it and all its cuddly goodness.

Here is a close up of all the frayed goodness on the back. It is oh so soft. It completely warms my heart to see one of my little guys dragging this thing around. I  love it when they like what I have made for them.

Here is the first Faux chenille blanket I made. It was for a friends little girl. I could not find the right combo of flannel at the fabric store for this one.  I purchased a package of coordinating receiving blankets that matched perfectly. 

Now fall weather is creeping up on us and these little cozies are just the ticket. Whip one or two or 10 for the little warm loveys in your life!;) Happy Sewing!