Crafty Mamas - Whatcha' making? - Page 4

[Janel47]

Maybe give the Wee Weka patterns a shot... they're pretty true to newborn size IMO. http://www.thenappynetwork.org.nz/diy.php  I haven't tried the Shar patterns at the same link, but I see she has a bunch for newborns.  I made a Wee Weka cover with gussets and FOE in newborn size yesterday and it turned out just the size I was imagining.  SO tiny, and yet... newborn bums ARE that tiny.    I'll see if I can get a picture up, and maybe of the other stuff I've finished. 

[sh118]

Janel47 thanks for the reccomendation.  I made the newborn fitted (Shar) as an AIO and it turned out great! 

First thing I've turned out of the sewing room that was a success in quite awhile!  On a side note, I bought all the stuff for a diaper sprayer and DH hooked it up today, it is awesome!  I used the tutorial from Happenings of the Harper Household. 

[Janel47]

Soooooo cute!!! :D  I need to get some liner material so I can make newborn pockets!  That pattern looks perfect.

I should post pics of my recent stuff... although I knit a bootie the other day and it fits my 3 1/2 yr old pretty well.   

[cameragirl]

After ruining the transfer by following the directions, I decided to just make a stencil and use fabric paint. (I don't know HOW I ruined it - I have a good iron so the temperature is pretty consistent. Maybe they used a cheap iron when they wrote the directions and it didn't get as hot? No clue.) I used water color paper and an exacto knife to cut out most of the shapes. It took forever, but it came out pretty well. I did the rib cage first on mine, let it dry to touch, and then did the baby. I had to paint on the toes and fingers, since there was no way I could cut that out - they're tiny! For DH, I did fast food like the template linked earlier. I did just the rib cage on DD's shirt. Just need to paint DH's, and we're set!

Tada! All done!

The shirts I did for myself and DD:

IMG_0002 by JJordanPhotography, on Flickr

IMG_0003 by JJordanPhotography, on Flickr

And DH's shirt. He painted it with DD. It was still wet - sorry for the funky angle. The paper template worked pretty well up until this point. There are some bits of paper on the shirts that need to wash off, and DD and DH soaked it so badly with paint that I'm going to toss it. It was worth the time, though.


IMG_0004 by JJordanPhotography, on Flickr

And last but not least, the bee hat:


IMG_0001 by JJordanPhotography, on Flickr
Edited by cameragirl - 10/27/11 at 4:54pm

[Janel47]

Awesome job!!!  DH's is soooo funny!  lol!  The one time I tried an iron transfer it got ruined as well.  I don't know why.

CUTE hat too!

[mollsworth]

Just finished some loafers (so fast!) and almost finished with an earflap hat for a friend's newborn...then it is time to start on hats and booties for this little lady! So excited. 

[sh118]

those loafers are so cute!  I love all the cute baby shoe patterns available, just need to be a lot faster at crochet to attempt them myself. 

[cameragirl]

I love the loafers, too! I may end up hand-sewing some little felt shoes later on. I tried sewing Robeez-style shoes for DD, but it is a lot of work. I'm tempted to show my mother in law the patterns I like, and ask for those instead of things we may (probably) won't need. I can loom knit, but actually knitting and crocheting...well, I do it like a drunken sailor. I got a cute little moccasin kit for DD, and they were adorable. Unfortunately, DD was born with feet that didn't even fit in the box on the hospital birth certificate, so she never got to wear the little leather moccasins.

[sh118]

A few more NB AIO's.  I think I am done with these until we see how big baby is and how fast it grows!

I have made a couple maternity shirts.  The first was kinda an experiment with fabric I had on hand.  (DD insists that this apple print is tomatos and green peppers).  I'll post the other style next time I wear it and get a picture.  Both are patterns from Ottobre magazine.

I've made a few prototype post-partum pads, but nothing I'm too happy with yet, so no pics!  I've been busy in the sewing room for the first time since this spring I think.  Gotta use it before it turns into the baby's room!

cameragirl, I made some leather shoes for DD that she wore for a long time when she started walking... if I can find the link to the pattern I will post it...they weren't too hard.

[mollsworth]

You could make these, I SWEAR! Before these I had never used a pattern before and had only made improperly crocheted scarves in college. Each shoe only took about 45 min-1 hour to make. So easy. I ended up making 3, since my second one was so much better than my first. I threw out the 1st and made a third to match. I say go for it, shoes are easier than hats or scarves.
 

Originally Posted by sh118 

those loafers are so cute!  I love all the cute baby shoe patterns available, just need to be a lot faster at crochet to attempt them myself. 

[lunabin]

I'm so happy to have found this thread - and if anyone is on Ravelry, please feel free to 'friend' me (my user: kaitobin)!  

I just knit a pair of pink fingerless mittens for my DD, and next am going to knit her Xmas stocking.  I have 3 already done, but am going to make the 4th one this year just in case things are too hectic next year.  Then, it's on to my first baby project - Monster Pants!  

I've been in an absurd craft mode - sewed DD a pirate costume for Halloween, and painted 2 window silhouettes, and carved a few craft pumpkins...  But, I'm having a hard time coming up with good knits for boys.  Girls seem to be so much easier to knit for...  

[cameragirl]

Aww! Those pants are so stinking cute!

[Janel47]

Cute pants!  Can't wait to see how yours turn out! 

I have finished a few projects and am about to start making the baby's prefolds... I'm very excited about them.  :)  Also, christmas.... there's always that.  :)  I'm making my SIL an advent calendar, knitting gloves for my mom, knitting all our ornaments this year, and making quite a bit of stuff for the girls.  Not sure where the time is going to come from, but that's my plan!  :)

[LizzieMum]

I've just finished off making some flannelette wipes.  I cut up an old pair of pajama pants that were too short and made them into double thickness wipes.  I'm also going to make some with terry on one side and flannel on the other.  I seem to have more success with making 'things' rather than clothes.  Lol, that way they don't have to fit  :-)

Also, I think I might crochet a blankie.  Will have to save it for when the baby is a bit bigger though.

[cameragirl]

How do the flannel wipes hold up with washing? Does it curl much? I'm tempted to do this with some of my husband's worn out pajama pants. He wears them until the crotch is so worn it gives out, but the legs are fine.

[LizzieMum]

Originally Posted by cameragirl 

How do the flannel wipes hold up with washing? Does it curl much? I'm tempted to do this with some of my husband's worn out pajama pants. He wears them until the crotch is so worn it gives out, but the legs are fine.

To be honest, I'm not sure how they'll go in the wash in regards to curling, I hope they'll be alright.  I saw them being sold online as two pieces sandwiched together and overlocked around the outside, so I just copied that, lol.

[cameragirl]

I'm working on an album I've been meaning to pull together. Earlier this year, my grandfather gave me all of his ancestry files, including pictures. The pictures have been stored in manilla folders. I thought it would be better to keep them in an acid-free album that I can pull out for holidays and what not. I got a scrapbook album, page protectors, black textured card stock, silver photo corners, and some nice white labels with silver trim and scalloped edges. It'll probably take me awhile, but it will be nice to have it finished.

[Janel47]

I've only ever used flannel wipes and have never had a curl issue.  Some of them are serged, some fake-serged (straight-stitch edge plus wide zig zag stitch over the edge), some double layers that are turned and top-stitched.  All are fine.  I hate the fake-serged ones as it is thin flannel that is cut too small, but they're ok in a pinch.  Otherwise, no issues at all.  There are probably more cuddly choices out there though.  Oh wait, I do have some hemp fleece ones too... those are nice as well.  The fleece takes off poo a bit faster, but I wouldn't actually spend money on the difference.  I'm an old cheapskate.  :)  Most artificial fabrics are going to be less effective, so don't make your wipes out of Joann's fleece for example, and I tried to use some polyester baby washcloths before and they were worthless too (I think they might be worthless at everything!).  I have some flannel to make more wipes this time, probably double-layer serged???  And I've been making my prefolds and have lots of knit fabric left over, so after I'm done making soakers, I'll turn the rest into double-layer serged wipes.

Pictures of my prefolds coming up soon!  And hopefully pictures of my other projects too.  I am SUPER excited about my prefolds though, they are turning out better than I hoped!  Plus, the OBF (organic bamboo fleece) is a-mazing.  It's like heaven for my baby's skin.  If only I could afford to make myself some panties out of it!  Oooooooooooh.... maybe I'll top my post partum pads with the spare pieces.

[cameragirl]

Anyone working on Christmas presents? I should have started earlier this year...but oh well. I think we might go to Goodwill later to look for glass containers. I'm thinking I'll make some terrariums for gifts. The littles can get small terrariums with a fanciful theme, and fancier ones for the ladies with begonias and what not. Should be fairly inexpensive, and not a lot of work for the receiver. Gotta love plants that need water once every 2-3 months.

[Janel47]

Prefolds!!!  I'm so excited about them... which is ridiculous, I know, but what can I say.  I modeled them after Megaroos extended tab prefolds and they are so cuddly soft!!!  The firetruck/dalmation print is from Joann's, but the rest are repurposed tshirts.  Some of you might recognize the giraffe print from the cloth diapering world... it's pretty popular there... but I was SO surprised to find it on a shirt at Salvation Army!  Score! 

Bottom picture is my newborn stash so far.  Well, not really newborn since the prefolds will fit birth to maybe 14 lbs and the rest are flats that we can use until potty training.  The prefolds are in pairs... one folded to newborn size, one at infant size.  The other side is Ikea flats.  I'm planning on coloring the white flats after baby is past the newborn stage... give them a good sunning to get newborn stains out and dye them pretty colors.  :) I'm waiting on a bunch of covers my friend is mailing me at some point and half of my pins which should be here in the mail soon.

Oh yeah, one ooga booga print newborn cover in the bottom pic is my creation too, but it was my first attempt at a cover and I got the gussets and snaps in the wrong place.  I don't think I'll use it much, even if we have a girl.

I also knit a "newborn" girl sweater and a boy sweater vest/booties/hat combo.  The boy set somehow did not get photographed yet, but here's the girl sweater.  It actually turned out 3-6 month size, so I have to make a newborn girl sweater still!