Cat's in the Bag

Finished up the toddler harness using pink plaid and green plaid fabrics. Nice, lightweight materials. I cut them on the bias because, honestly, if I'd cut on the grain I wouldn't have had quite enough fabric.

The plaids were from my personal remnant collection. About two years ago, I made a reversible Mei Tai baby carrier - pink for when mommy wears it, and a manly green for when daddy wears it. I had just enough fabric left over and figured this was a great opportunity to put it to use.

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.