Button, button, Who in the heck sews with buttons??

So I know you don’t know this, because I haven’t posted any of them, but I have been in a sewing mood lately and yesterday I finished my 4th dress. Currently I’m working on non-matching/matching dresses for all my girls to wear to my 2nd daughters baptism coming up in March!  The first one is finished a turned out great.  BUT that is not what I wanted to share with you today (I’ll share those when all 3 of them are finished).  SEW I decided to try and make a dress that required buttons for my 3 year old.  I found some really cute corduroy that I wanted to use and as I was looking through the patterns I found a pattern that’s style, I thought matched corduroy really well.  So I got it.  LATER when I actually got around to reading the directions I realized it had BUTTONS as fasteners, like real live buttons, not fake decoration type buttons.  Needless to say I was a little nervous, but I like a challenge so I decided to try the button instead of doing what my brain was screaming at me to do, (you know like cheat and use snaps or Velcro or something).  The top of the dress came together flawlessly, then it came time to actually sew on the buttons.  Well I’ll forgo the sad story of me spending 3 hours looking for, while tearing apart my entire house something I thought I needed, to then borrowing it from a friend, to finding out I had what I needed along. Sorry this is all getting really long.  In short I read the directions and made beautiful practice button holes!  I was ecstatic, then when I went to do it on the actual dress, well let just say that, they work great and it could have been worse.  All in all I’m glad I tried it and I would definitely try it again.  Lessons learned: Reading directions, really helps.  Trying something new is always an adventure!!  So here is the finished product, I can never get that great of pictures of dresses sorry. 

Oh there is suppose to be a band at the bottom of the dress in a contrasting color, I left that off for now because, the buttons I had didn’t match any of the colors of fabric, I had and it looked really funny, so I thought I would add a ruffle of the same fabric on the bottom instead, or look for some green material to match the current buttons or look for some buttons that match the fabric I do have.  But for now she loves it and wears it all the time!

Swim Cover +

I was digging around in my closet when I found these super cute towels I got on clearance last year for $2.00!  Then it made me think that my youngest girl really needed a new swim cover, since she grew out of the one I made her last year.   I followed my awesome friend Sharon over at This Thrifty House great tutorial you can find it here.  If you haven’t been over to Sharon’s awesome blog you should go visit!  She has tons of awesome stuff and great ideas.  PLUS she just bought a new house and has tons, and tons of great projects lined up to show off.  I was just over to her house today and was really impressed with all that’s going on.  Seriously go check it out!

On to the swim cover

I’m not going to give you the full details, you can go check out the tutorial if you want to make one.  The only thing I did differently is to add a little ruffle on the bottom of the swim cover, and a couple of cute buttons.  It really is super easy and cute.  They work perfect.  Happy Summer!!

I had enough extra towel to make a couple of bibs & 2 burb rags for my sister’s baby. I just surged the edges and added a snap on the bibs.  Nothing fancy, just a good use of left over towel.

Patriotic Skirts

Well I finished two of the three skirts. I’m really happy with how they came out, but the pictures didn’t come out that great, because I already packed the camera that takes the best pictures for girls camp.  Oh well… the girls will still look super cute in them.

The little red ribbon says Proud to be an American.  Love it!

I sewed the the small red white and blue ribbon on top of the solid white ribbon.  I used a blue bobbin and a white top thread and tried really hard to sew down the middle of the little itty bitty white part.  So that way it looks like it has dots.

Baby Shoes

I know this isn’t new, or different BUT this was the first time I made these shoes and I love them!  They are so fun to make and I wanted to share them with the person I made them for.  I used this tutorial.

Jordan bag

I made this bag for my favorite brown haired sister.  I LOVE IT!! I think I might have to make one for myself.  It’s from Simplicity pattern # 2396.  It was super easy and fast to make.

I have orders for a few more.  Anyone else want one while I’m at it? 

Robot Pocket Pillow

I made some stuff for my nephew who is becoming a brother for the first time this week.  I love how the pocket pillow turned out!  I found the robot fabric at WM and I thought it was just perfect for my projects. Sometimes you can find the cutest fabric at WM.   I made a pillowcase, pocket pillow and a fleece tied blanket. 

The Pillowcase

The Pocket Pillow

I printed the big robot from my clipart onto iron on printable transfers and ironed it on. I made the pocket first and added all the embellishments then I just top stitched it with a zigzag stich onto the pillow.

 

The Blanket

Well the fleece for the blanket anyway I still have to tie it.  I think I’ll go do that right now while the baby is napping. Have a great day!

Baby Changing Pad Tutorial

Here is the changing pad I made for my sister. And a tutorial if you want to make one too. This Changing Pad is Absorbent. 

Note: A person experience about changing pads.

I have five children.  I remember getting my first changing pad with baby #1 (I think it came with the diaper bag they give you in the hospital) and thinking how great it was because it had plastic on it so it could be easily cleaned and the “wee” or “woo” wouldn’t soak through and get on things.  Then I gave birth and brought my little darling girl home.  I started using my changing pad. I remember it like it was yesterday.  I placed the changing pad over the bed spread and gently laid my little baby or top of it and proceeded to change her diaper.  I got her diaper off and was reaching for a new one when I noticed she is “weeing” everywhere.  I think I’m so glad I used the changing pad, now my bed won’t be wet.  Yeah!! Boy was I WRONG!!! Not only had the pee I mean “wee” rolled off the plastic changing pad and gotten my bed soaked but it had also soaked my poor little baby.  She was soaked with “wee'” from head to foot.  It was all in her hair and everything.  After this happened a few more times, Yes she had an incredible talent for “weeing” while her diaper was off.  I gave up on the stupid non-absorbent changing pad. 

Evolution of changing Pads from a Mother of 5

Baby #1 Plastic Changing Pad

Baby #2 Absorbent/ cloth Changing Pad

Baby #3 Use changing pad in public restrooms only. At home use clean diaper as a changing pad

Baby #4 Mostly rely on your amazing diaper changing speed. No changing pad necessary. Never change baby in public.

Baby #5  “Would someone please put a diaper on that kid!” JK

Sewing Supplies

Fabric

Edge Fabric

towel

*absorbent material

Velcro

Directions

Cut your fabric for the back of the changing pad to your desired size.  Mine ended up being 22” X 16 3/4”

Cut your absorbent material and your towel the same size as the back fabric.  * I got my absorbent material at Big Lots in the baby section.  It says it will hold up to 4 times its own weight in wetness. But you could also use a cloth diaper, or several layers of flannel.

Place them on top of each other, the back on the bottom the absorbent material in the middle and the towel on top.

Top stich them all together on 3 sides leaving one of the small ends completely open.

Next you’ll need your edge fabric. I cut 2 long strips about 6 1/2 “ x 60” I had extra so if you want to make the length a little shorter than works to.

Fold the strip in half and iron to form a crease.

then fold the side in to meet in the middle and iron again.

Do it again with the other side.

Lay the strip front sides together on your changing pad.  Starting with the long sides.

Trim the edge material so it is the length of your long side and top stich it on.

Flip it over and fold the edge to the other side of the changing pad.

Top stich the first edge on.

Do the same thing with the other long side.

Then again with the short side that has been sewn closed.

Fold the changing pad to figure out where you would like it to close.  The open end should be the bottom of your changing pad.

Next top stich the small side on but don’t fold over and finish off.

Cut a piece of Velcro to fit inside the edges of the changing pad.  This should be the soft side of Velcro, because it could come in contact with the baby’s head.

Pin it down and sew it on.

Once it’s sewn on, finish off this end by folding the edge over to the other side and top stitching. (just like the other edges)

Next you need to figure out where to put the other piece of Velcro.  I folded it down and lifted up the edge until I could see the Velcro.

Then I used a pen to make a line on the fabric.

Lined the Velcro up with the line I drew and pined it down.

Then opening the end up I sewed the Velcro onto the back of the changing pad.

Then take a needle and thread and hand stich closed the four corners.

All done.

p.s. I am completely aware that I used a white towel for a changing pad