Gingercake

Some Weekend Sewing- Mushroom Short Pants

Over the weekend I sewed a couple things for the baby.  She is so cute right now and it's fun to pick out fabrics for her.  I like sweet but fun fabrics on babies and this ann kelle print is perfect!

I followed Made by Rae's baby pants but added a panel to the bottom for some extra space.  I also shortened them for a shorts/ bloomers look.  I made a bunch of these pants before the baby was born.  They look so tiny now!  

I added a 7" piece of 1/4" elastic to the hemmed pant openings and stretched it to make a simple ruching. They turned out really cute!  More baby clothes cutenss later in the week...

Fabric: Ann Kelle Woodland Pals Bermuda

Baby's New Shoes

I have been losing a lot of baby socks lately.  On our Washington DC trip, strangers kept coming up to me and either handing me fallen off socks or letting me know the baby was missing a sock.  Whoops!  Socks don't work so well to keep baby's feet warm but these little shoes do the trick.

I cruised Pinterest to find a free pattern but then just decided to search on Etsy "baby shoe pattern PDF"  and this great pattern by Petitboo appeared in the results.  They are adorable and totally functional.  The clever construction makes them fully lined too.  By the 3rd pair I had them done in 1/2 hour.

 I made them in 6-9 month size and they are a little big (since she isn't 6 months yet) but they still work great.  Yeah for a useful baby item that I could sew up myself!  There are lots more baby shoe patterns that include frills and ruffles but I just wanted a shoe to keep her feet warm and wouldn't fall off!

She sits!  Loving this stage.  Just in time for spring-  I can just plop her down and be outside.  Thanks to PetitBoo for such a cute pattern.  I'll be making more when she grows out of these!

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Super Simple Little Bib Tutorial- for my Slobberer and Craft Hope!

Color Block Triangle Quilt

It always feels great to complete a quilt.  Even the simple versions of quilts that I make!  I love how this one turned out.  Cal was ready to celebrate too...

I made this by using a 1/2 yard of six solid fabrics.  For inspiration I visited this site which is great way to guide you for mixing solids.  I never would have thought to add the navy and it really makes the whole quilt pop.  

Cut the 1/2 yards of fabric in 18" x 18" pieces (each color will make 2 squares for a total of 12 squares).   Match up the pieces with 6 different combinations.  Then use this method to make your HSTs.  Awesome tip!  The only change I made was to increase the size of the squares to 18" x 18".  I like the bigger pieces and it comes together really quickly.  Then just mess around until you have a fun pattern.  

I quilted it by stiching in the ditch (along the seams) along the zig zag and then down the center of the triangles.  I like the fun pattern it made on the back!  The binding is simply more of the solids and then finished using this method by Jeni Baker.  You would have to purchase a little more than 1/2 yard of the solids to make the binding the same way.  

I used Bella Solids by Moda.  They are lovely!  The backing is just pink flannel.  The finished size of the quilt is 47" x 62".  It's not big enough for a bed but more for the baby to play on the floor and for picnics or a cuddle on the couch.

How Bunny got a Pocket

Since I am having the bunny sale this week, I was trying to think of a way to make more versions of the pattern.  In the past I made the bunny smaller by printing it at 65%.  You can read about those here.  Very cute!  I have gotten lots of emails by sewers saying they are excited to use the pattern to make bunnies for the easter basket.  I thought, why not make Bunny the easter basket?!

This was surprisingly easy and fun.  I thought it would be perfect for the baby this easter too since she is obviously not going to be eating chocolate or jelly beans!  I am thinking the easter bunny can fill the pocket with baby toys and onsies.

To make the pocket in the bunny, you have to just make a couple adjustments.  First, give yourself some extra width so the pillow will stand on its own.   Add about an inch to the base and backside when you are cutting out your pattern.  Like in this fuzzy camera picture below!

Follow the pattern instructions with interfacing, sewing the darts, making the ears, and all that other stuff.  Next cut out a rounded piece of fabric for the pocket.  I didn't take measurements here but from the picture below you can get the general idea of size...

Before you sew the 2 bunny sides together, attach the pocket pieces to each side of the bunny like in the photo above.  Then, flip up the pocket piece and layer the 2 bunny sides together and sew all the way around the bunny edges and, instead of going straight down the bunny back, sew your seam around the pocket edges.  Trim your seams and clip the corners around the pocket.

Turn it right sides out and push the pocket inside.  See?  works!  I then used a funnel and added about an inch layer of rice to the base before I stuffed the bunny with polyfil.  This gave it a nice weighted bottom so it stands up easily.

Stuffing the polyfil was a little extra work since you need to keep your hand in the pocket but it doesn't have to be perfect since the bow hides folds in the neck area and when you stuff your items in the pocket it fixes problems there too!

I stuffed it with the super simple bibs I made a couple weeks ago.  I went to a baby shower over the weekend and I thought this would have been a perfect gift!  The kids are loving trying to figure out what they can stuff into the pocket.  It would be fun to make one for a big kid that has velcro and is like a secret pocket, huh??  

 

Super Simple Little Bib Tutorial- for my Slobberer and Craft Hope!

My sweet little Marion is almost 4 months old.  She is precious but the girl can slobber!  And spit up all over me and her clothes several times a day.  My other babies were not big spitters/ slobberers so I always looked a little sideways at the moms whose babies had bibs on all the time.  I found a small bib pattern I drafted years ago that worked great for her size and should be good for a few months at least!

This has been saving me from changing her clothes like 10 times a day.

Also, I try to contribute to craft hope projects when I can and figured I could make extras and send over bibs for their current project.  So even if you don't have a baby to sew for right now, making these little bibs is fun and fast and you can contribute your work to craft hope's excellent cause!  

I made mine reversible and with pearl snaps.  This way baby can slobber (my 8 year old, who is always dying to hold her, says "MOOOOOMMM!  She slobbered on me again!  Come and get her please!") on one side and then she can slobber on the other side too.  OR, you can switch the bib around to match her outfit if you care about that (and I admit that I do...).

First gather your materials~ 

2 pieces of cotton fabric that measure 9.5" x 12"

1 piece of cotton batting that measures 9.5" x 12" - flannel can substitute

pearl snaps (or velcro, regular snaps, or ties)

chopstick to poke out corners

sewing machine, coordinating thread, scissors, & iron

optional- rotary cutter & self healing mat

 

1.  Print pattern pieces, cut them out and tape A & B together.

Download Gingercake Little Bib Pattern Pieces

2.  Use pattern piece to cut out mirror image pieces of the 2 cottons.  This is important since the sides of the pattern are not symetrical!  Maybe layer the fabrics right sides facing and cut them out together.  Also cut out a piece of matching cotton batting.

3.  Layer the materials together- starting with batting, then a piece of cotton face up and then the other piece of cotton face down.  Pin together.  Sew the 3 pieces together with a 1/4" seam allowance and leave a 3" opening to turn the piece right side out.  Trim the seams down to 1/8" except at the opening.

4.  Turn the piece right sides out and poke out tip with a chopstick.  Iron it nice and flat and match up the opening edges.  I use a piece of steam a seam to close up my opening but if you don't have any around, just be careful when you top stitch.  Top stich around the bib about 1/4" from the edge.

5.  Follow the directs to attach the pearl snaps.  Make sure you have one side of the snap facing up and the other facing down!  

Now you have a pretty little bib!  One thing I noticed is that a quick ironing after washing seems to shape them up really nicely.  If you want to put in the extra time, you could easily quilt the top to give it some added interest and probably eliminate that ironing after washing.  I made a bunch at once and it was so fast and easy!

Now she slobbers away and I just have to change the bib!  So cute and yet so slobbery...

If you want to make these to sell, go for it!  Just give me credit for the pattern with a link back to this post.  Thanks!  Also, please share your creations in my gingercake flickr pool!  

 

A Baby Book

Baby Books!  Love em or hate em?  The pressure of filling them out makes me aprehensive.  I am fine with the initial info about when baby was born, what was happening, what the birth was like, etc.  It's just the follow up that gets me!  All the other kids have half filled baby books- great at the beginning and then lots of blank pages!  Life gets in the way and I forget to stop and fill out baby book info.   This is where my big girls will be helping future Marion.  They are PSYCHED about the baby book.  

Fabric used: Pretty Little Things Tree by Dena Designs, Free Spirit Get Together Flock of Birds Pink

& Valori Wells Wrenly Rosette Cerulean Blue

I knew the notebook slipcover pattern would come in handy for this project.  My older daughters helped me choose the fabrics.  I added a double layer of cotton batting to make it softer and decided not to add the extra top stitching.  A cleaner edge just seemed right for this project.

I purchased the whole set of pages from the lovely Shanda over at CustomMemoryBooks.  These are so nice!  Shanda customizes the cover page and all the pages just for the baby.  Check it out if you are in the baby book market.  So so sweet.  You can either have her print the pages and send to you or she will customize a set that you can print out yourself.  They are clean and simple with modern graphics. Brilliant.

I bought a binder and clear protector pages from Office Max- an invest of about $15.  At first I thought I wouldn't like using the protector pages but they are actually really nice.  You can insert photos and cards in with certain pages and it keeps the whole thing more organized.  You scrap bookers probably already know about this trick but it was new to me!  

So, were you good about your baby books?  Does it really even matter?  All I know is that when I mentioned baby book to the big girls they were so excited.  We brought out their baby books and it turns out that I filled in just enough to make them happy and together we talked about their baby times.  Phew!  Hopefully we can give that gift to Marion too.

Traveling Changing Pad PDF Sewing Pattern is ready!

Yeah!!  The pattern is ready and in the shop.  No big surprise that pattern writing and testing takes a lot longer with baby in the house but I am proud of myself for finally getting it done!  

I love this project mostly because it is so useful.  I have used mine a bunch of times already and it works so well!  I love folding it back up and doing the cute tie.  The tie is awesome because you can stuff it with diapers and wipes and don't have to worry about it being too full to close up.  Also, you can get as creative as you want with the pad and pockets- patchwork, quilting, whatever!

The wipes pocket requires PUL which was really easy to work with and does a great job of keeping the wipes moist and ready for baby.  It is available at Joanns or online.  Head on over to the shop and take a look! 

Changing Pad with Pockets

Here is a little something I have been working on.  It was only a matter of time before I started with some baby ideas!  I wanted a changing pad with the diaper & wipes pocket attached.  

She is getting chubby!  3 months old tomorrow!  The pad folds up nicely to fit in your bag~

I like the ties but I also made a version with a flap.  The flap was nice but the ties are more fun to me.  What do you think?  The best part is that the pockets are attached and you can put your wipes directly in.  I love that since I was carrying around a loose diaper and plastic baggie with wipes since she was born and it just wasn't looking cute in my bag!

Hoping to have the pattern done in a couple weeks.  Actually I was hoping to have it done this week but pattern creating and writing is in slow motion with Miss Marion in the house!   

2 Months Old

Miss Marion is already 2 months old today.  It has gone by fast!  She is so so sweet.

I made this Kimono from a vintage pillowcase a few months before she was born.  I put it on a month ago and thought I had wasted my time making it since it was so big and looked all bunched up.  I tried it again today and found it much prettier.  Why do we forget that our babies grow so fast?

The pattern is from a vintage layette set.  Some of it seems insanely impractical with all the tiny bias tape and ties but I had to try a few.  I may make another in fabric that doesn't wrinkle so easily!  Did you have a favorite thing you made for your baby to wear?  She has already almost grown out of those cute baby pants I made!

 

Handmade Gifts from Friends

I meant to share these amazing gifts from my blog friends before I went to the hospital.  They are so precious.  Thank you friends!

Vanessa made these adorable hats for the baby.  They fit beautifully and the bold color blocking is perfect Vanessa style!  I am so jealous of people who can crochet!  Maybe I will finally learn this winter...

and also this super soft crocheted stroller blanket.  Awesome.  Thanks Vanessa!  You are so thoughtful and Marion and I both are happy about these soft and lovely gifts.

Back in August, Amy sent me a box full of beautiful handmade baby gifts that really lifted my spirits and helped get me in the mood for baby.  Above is a cute diaper changing mat and sweet little soft bunny.  Precious!

These bibs are almost too beautiful to use.  Seriously.  These are from Amy's darling tutorial on her blog.  

And matching burp cloths.  Look at those hexagons!  Thank you so much my friends.  You are special to me and Marion and I both appreciate your lovely and thoughtful gifts. 

 

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