My Toddler is Part Cat

I'm pretty sure my 17-month-old is part cat. The kid can wiggle, wriggle, twist and turn in her own skin just like a cat trying to escape the clutches of, well, a toddler. Not only can she morph into jelly, she can also morph into The Flash and run off at the speed of light. She powers through the woods behind our house (including through the pokey thorns), and has been known to follow the cats down the driveway into the road.

Because of that, plus that fact that I also have a 2 1/2-year-old and I'm pregnant, and in light of our trip to the Minneapolis Zoo tomorrow, I'll be making a toddler harness. I don't care how controversial they are, I need one. I looked at the ones you can buy online and in the stores, but she doesn't have any favorite characters and it seemed like a fuzzy, plush backpack or front pack type would be way too warm to wear in 85+ degree weather anyway.

As I was sitting in front of the computer screen, debating what to do about the problem when I suddenly remembered I know how to sew (!!!). I did a quick search engine inquiry for "Toddler Harness Tutorial" and came up with the perfect solution. Another fabulous mom out there made a tutorial for mom's like me who don't always have the time to put in making my very own pattern (it really can be more work humanly conceivable). Thanks to the writer of One Little Minute and her super fab tutorial for a DIY Reversible Toddler Harness, I'll be able to make one a scant day before our trip. Yay!

Look for the finished product after our trip - I'll have some action shots of the harness in use.

Sewing Organization

Recently completed project: A large hanging sewing organizer. I made it from a Butterick pattern, but it would be supremely easy to make this without one. I just happened to have the pattern on-hand and some fabric from my great Aunt Mary. I used cotton for the front, a medium weight denim for the back and the binding, and about .22 yards of clear vinyl remnant.


The original pattern was supposed to have 4 pockets spanning the width of the organizer, but I didn't have enough vinyl. The organizer was also supposed to be made to be hung by a hanger, but I was thinking that was a little tacky so I made some adjustments and put on some loops made from the leftover binding. Worked out pretty well.

A Snuggly for Baby!

Being just over halfway through my third pregnancy, I've been itching to get started with my planned baby projects. Last Saturday I picked up a set of coordinating fat quarters to make a quilt from. Normally I would just use scraps I have lying around, but I know I don't have a lot of turquoise, and that's the color I really wanted to incorporate in the new quilt.

I cut the fat quarters into squares (because I'm no quilting goddess by any means!) and stitched them up to make the front. I didn't have any backing that I wanted to use, so made yet another trip to get some fabric and came out with a super-cute frog and dragonfly print, some 6 oz. batting, and a fabulous turquoise satin binding.

For me, when it comes to quilting, simple squares and quilting along seam lines is the way to go. For this quilt I decided to shake things up and do a fun wavy pattern.

After a couple days of cutting, stitching, and quilting, it's finally all done. The fastest and most plush one I've ever made! It's so soft and comfy! Love!

Organization Rules!

Yesterday, my hubs and I ventured into the girls' room to do a dresser drawer clean-out in order to cycle out and pack up clothes that don't fit anymore, and add back in clothes that do fit. While the bottom three drawers weren't  too bad, the top drawer was a mess. It's become a catch-all for hair clips, fabric headbands, lotions, hair ties, safety pins, and a diaper wipes warmer.

A while back I made a picture frame hair clip holder, which has done a pretty good job. It lives in the drawer but still managers to collect all the clips. The headbands, though, are wild and out of control. So today I was looking to get my craft on while the younger one napped and the older one watched Dora and found a tutorial from The Ribbon Retreat.

Seemed quick and easy enough and I just happened to have everything I needed, so I took care of business. Except instead of gluing and tacking and all that stuff, I just made a finished fabric sleeve and slid it up on the oatmeal cylinder. I'll probably use my glue to tack the fabric down around the edges later if sliding fabric becomes a problem. The top looked pretty boring, though, so I decided to make a fabric flower for the top. I've never made one this way, but I've seen a million tutorials for them.

Turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself!

Wowza!

It's hard to believe that I haven't gotten a chance to post on STL since March. Seriously. Wow, have things been busy. I've finished a few projects and never got around to posting, then summer happened and we've been outside and busy a lot, and then I found out we're having another baby!

So! There will be more finished projects coming up soon like another coming home dress, crib bedding, and some other seriously adorable clothes that I have planned. Stay tuned for those.

In the meantime, here are a couple other projects I've finished since March:

A toddler shirt in size 3T

 

A high chair seat made from scrap fabric and binding (same as the umbrella strollers). 

I used the original seat as a pattern for the new one.