As promised, today I’m sharing a free footed baby pants pattern! If you hate trying to keep socks on a baby’s feet as much as I do, you’ll love these little pants! [Read more…]
Nursing Cover Tutorial
February 7, 2009 99 Comments
With all of my babies, my nursing cover was one of my most-used and most appreciated items. They make the perfect gift for a new mom, and can be whipped up in no time!
Description:
A stylish and practical nursing cover. The dimensions are slightly larger than most nursing covers, which gives added coverage and less chance of someone getting an uninvited sneak peek!
You will need:
1.25 yd fabric (home décor weight works best)
16” boning – in fabric casing – can be found in local fabric shops or online here
2 D-rings – 1.25”-1.5” – these 1.5″ D-rings
Fabric pieces to cut:
· one rectangle 28”x40” for main body
· one rectangle 28”x40” for main body
· one strip 4.25”x10” for neck strap
· one strip 4.25”x26” for neck strap
Directions:
1. First we will complete the neck straps… Take 4.25”x10” strip of fabric and fold in half lengthwise right sides together. Stitch ¼” from edge along raw edges, forming a tube. Repeat with longer strip, but sew a curve towards the inner fold when you are reaching the last few inches of the strip. Trim seam allowance around curve close to the stitching line.
2. Turn each piece right side out and press flat with the seam going down the center of the strap. Topstitch ¼” from each edge on both straps.
3. Place shorter strap through D-rings, matching up raw edges. Stitch as close to the D-rings as possible, encasing them between the two layers of the strap.
4. On to the main body of the nursing cover… With your main body rectangle of fabric, fold and press upper edge (if your fabric has a definite pattern, ensure you know which side should be at the top!) ½” toward wrong side of fabric. This should be your 40” long edge. Fold and press again ½”.
5. Open up the folded edge and center the boning along the raw edge (I used black boning for demonstration purposes), with the boning curving away from you (sounds more confusing that it is… now’s a good time to take a look at the picture below). There should be 12” of the pressed edge on either side of the boning. Pin boning in place.
6. Stitch along upper edge of boning casing (depending on your boning, your stitching may need to be nearer the top edge). Stitch at either end of boning casing, ensuring that boning is completely covered by the casing. If needed, first trim 1/8” off of each boning end (plastic only, not the casing) to allow casing to completely cover the boning. This will assure OCD people like me that the boning will not move or poke through the casing or your fabric.
7. Allow the upper edge of fabric to fold over again the way it was pressed. With the right sides facing toward you, take each neck strap and tuck under folded edge, centering each strap at the edge of each end of boning. Pin in place. Stitch along lower edge of fold.
8. Press neck straps upward, away from the main body. Stitch along upper edge of main body, backstitching at edges of straps, securing neck straps in their final and upward position.
9. Fold and press lower edge of nursing cover ½”, fold another ½” and press again as was done with the upper edge. Stitch close to folded edge. Repeat with raw side edges.
Note: If you would like to add an interior pocket that can also be used as a burp cloth, simply cut a right-angle triangle piece of terry towel or chenille the size you would like your pocket to be, allowing enough fabric for a hem on the top edge. Hem the top edge, sandwich the raw edges of the triangle between one lower side and the bottom pressed edges before they have been stitched, and stitch the pocket right into place while you sew the bottom and side edge. I have personally never needed a pocket because it seems I always have a big diaper bag with me anyway and a separate burp cloth, but it’s a simple step to add if you think you might like one!
10. Thread the long strap through the front of the D-rings and back out again through one on the underside.
11. You are done, great job!
Give it away as a gift or keep it for yourself!
Pacifier clip.
September 23, 2008 4 Comments
I finally posted one item on my Etsy shop. I have a bunch more that I need to add, but frankly my house needs the work a lot more than my Etsy shop does right now, so that’s the way it’s gonna go. I just need to do some editing to get all my pictures ready, and then I’ll be good to go. At least I have projects ready though, that makes me feel better. Anyway, this is a pacifier holder. My fellow (and awesome) Canadians would know it as a soother holder. The first time I called it a “soother” in the US I got a very strange and confused look. It basically has snaps on either end, so it can attach around a SOOTHER with a loop on it, and has a metal suspender clip on one end to attach to the baby’s clothes.
It can also be used for other things, like to hook around baby toys, especially teethers, so they don’t fall on the floor, or to attach to the inside of your purse to hold your keys.
Birdie bib.
September 12, 2008 6 Comments
I made this birdie bib the other day. The fabric is Marcus Brothers Bleeker Street. My plan was to use it for my Etsy shop (which is still not up and running yet, but should be very soon), but I think I might use it for a gift instead. There’s just something about giving things away that I love. Audy?
p.s. Believe it or not, I designed birdie myself. To most people it would probably seem easy, but I am a person who cannot even draw a stick man, so a bird was a large accomplishment for me!
Brodie’s Bib.
August 30, 2008 6 Comments
I decided to make a bib to go with Brodie’s blanket. I hope you can tell that it is a necktie appliqued onto the bib. I am thinking of making an easy tutorial for this project. Leave me a comment if you would like to see one. Who says babies shouldn’t be able to get dressed up just because they like to spit up? Thanks to my lovely model, Wyatt.
