The Quest for a Pretty Burp Rag

My first baby didn't really spit up.  Baby number two spit up for a very short amount of time, until we figured out his dairy sensitivity.  Three, as we affectionately referred to him in utero, spits up a LOT.  After a couple of months of wearing soft, practical, and super absorbent cotton prefold diapers on my shoulder all day enough was enough.  I mean, I was using those things out in public, everywhere.  Not so pretty.  I had a few of those thin baby terry burp cloths, but, really?  Useless.

So, one day I bought some cotton chenille and flannel and these were the result.

They were a big step up.  Soft and absorbent and not diapers.  However, maybe I'm weird, but I am just so tired of pastels and baby prints.  They're cute on babies, but I'm not a baby and I'm the one wearing the darn thing 24/7, right?

So, back I go and this time I picked up some fresh white chenille and some pretty quilter flannel.  The quilter flannel is very soft and smooth and came in prints that appealed to me much more.

Now I'm happy.  These are functional and pretty.  And I need all the pretty I can get in this nose- and bottom-wiping, sleep-lacking, crazy wonderful season of life.

More Baby Shoes

I made a couple more pairs of baby shoes this week.  The first pair is for Baby T. 

I'm not really crazy about them.  The fabrics "go" together nicely, but I wish I'd put the contrasting fabric on the soles, instead of the heels.  I fully lined these with white minkee, so they are nice and soft.  And, the toe and sole fabric is a super cute Buffalo Bill word print that is just right for my little cowboy.  Oh well, they'll keep his feet warm for the next few chilly months, anyway.  Oh, and you see how there's just one in the picture?  Wonder where his mate is?  Me, too.  I. don't. know.  He'll turn up, eventually... 

This next pair is for some friends who recently had a baby.  They are a 6-9ish month size and should fit the baby in the summer months, so I used a cute little crab print.  On these ones I lined the soles with minkee and used the contrasting fabric on the outer soles and inner lining.  Much better!  I'm wishing I'd stuffed the shoes with tissue or chunky baby feet for the pics now, but you get the idea.

I've also been tweaking the pattern and I'm starting to be happy with it. It needs a bit more, but I'm definitely getting close.  The first pair of shoes I made were fine, but I've been enjoying the creative process of making the pattern mine.  Not to mention adding to Baby's shoe wardrobe. 

I'm making a couple of burp rags to go along with the shoe gift, I'll share those next.

I shared this project at: Blue Cricket Design, Somewhat Simple, Life as Lori, Sew Much Ado, The Train to Crazy, and A Few of My Favorite Things

Crochet for my baby

I made this in the car.  The hat, not the baby, silly.  This is the fourth hat I've crocheted.  The other three I made last summer to keep myself busy during bedrest. 

The one I had made for baby T earlier was from a baby yarn, and I wanted him to have one that matched his siblings' hats.

I think he likes it.  Doesn't it match his eyes well?

I was sorting through my yarn recently and realized that I have about 10 shades of blue yarn.  And that's all, no other colors.  Crazy, huh? 

I like blue. Blue is my signature color.

I've seen Steel Magnolias a couple of times...

Chubby Tootsies

When your ankles look like this:

it can be difficult to keep on socks that don't turn your feet purple.  Purple feet make a mama sad.  So, when I stumbled on this tutorial, I knew what I had to do.  I've been a big fan of the leather soft-soled baby shoes since A was born, but not a big fan of the price tag.  C had a pair of those name brand shoes that baby T's been wearing, but they're starting to get a little snug.  I happend to have recently purchased this snail fabric with no project in mind, I just found it adorable.  And, I'd been hanging on to a yellow t-shirt of C's that looked like, well, like a 2 year old boy had been wearing it.  The stars aligned and these:

were the final result.  Soft little custom shoes that fit my baby's chubby ankles and keep his socks on.  They were an especially good project because I had been wanting to practice button holes.  I got some practice and no one can see them, perfect combination.  And yes, the elastic is pink.  It's all I had on hand.  I'll pick up some manly white elastic the next time I make it to the fabric store.

Cute, huh?

Even cuter!  And he now had warm and stylish little feet.  I feel another pair or three coming on...