It’s been a while since I made a crafty post, so I thought I’d show you what I’ve been working on.

I’ve got a stack of cushions.  Can you guess what they’re for?

When I made this little batch of shirts for Hunter, Logan was insistent that he knew exactly what needed to be printed on this one, so I did what I could to make his vision a reality.  We got out my dusty gocco printer and the fabric inks, and just like that we were done.  It was one of those projects that made me wonder why I don’t do it more often– it was so quick and painless and made my Logan so happy and proud.

It is a rare thing to have something so potentially messy go so smoothly, but it sure is a happy day when things work out.  I think with a big brood of small people the more spontaneous projects are the ones that end the best.  For me, at least, when i plan and prepare I have way too much invested in the outcome to be adequately relaxed, patient and kind about the process.  Does this ring true for anyone else?  I need to somehow find a happy medium between the spontaneous and the planned so that there can be more happy collaboration between the kids and I.  How do you guys plan happy creative projects with your kids?

I made a couple more shirts for Hunter and just totally love them.  While I was at it I thought I’d show you how I put the binding on them because all of the tutorials and instructions I’ve seen make it way more complicated that I think it needs to be.  Instead of sewing it on then folding it over and sewing it all again, I make double fold tape, sandwich the edge to be bound inside of it, and sew it on all at once.

First I cut my binding fabric into a 2 inch wide strip with the stretch going along the length of the strip.  Then I get out my handy dandy tool to press the edges of my strip into the center to make my binding tape.  (I have a super cheap Dritz 1″ tape maker, but it looks like they don’t make them anymore.  Clover does, though, and they’ve got cute colors on them.)

Then it’s ready to be sewn onto my project.  With the folded side up I just line up the edge of the fabric that I’m going to bind with the fold on the left,

fold it over, and sew it on a little less than 1/8″ away from the edge.

I like to move my needle over all the way to the left so I can center my binding under my presser foot.  I gently stretch the binding as I sew and cut it to length once I’m done with an edge.  I also tend to have more binding underneath than on top, so I don’t have problems failing to catch the binding underneath in my stitches.  Then it’s all done in one step.

This is the way I put the binding and ties on our Sweet Pea Pilot Caps too.  I also bind quilts this way (with quilt fabric, of course).  I’m all for quick and easy.

When sewing with knits keep in mind that you need to use a ball point needle in your machine.  That way you don’t risk snagging runs and making holes in your fabric and it slides through the fabric much better than a universal needle does.

Now for the pictures with the shirt on my model.

“Hunter, go sit in your seat so I can take your picture!”

That works…

I’ll show you the other one tomorrow.

Being the fourth child to go through our boy clothes leaves Hunter wearing a stained onsie (or just a diaper) much more often than I’d like.  What I really want his summer uniform to be is a t-shirt (without crotch snaps) and a diaper– with some shorts to throw on when we need to go in public.

I’ve got the first set done.  I used an old onsie to make the shirt pattern ( you can find a good tutorial for doing that here) and whipped it up out of some creamy cotton jersey knit I had on hand and leftover cotton ribbing from Ian’s batch of tinkle time trainers.  It ended up being shorter on him than I had planned, so I just added a band of ribbing at the bottom instead of hemming it.  I like how it turned out, but I’ll still make the next one longer.

His shorts I made by tracing a pair that fit well.  With the pattern drafting and all I think they took me an hour.  I think I’ll be able to whip another pair up in half an hour now.  That is, after I make a trip to restock my supply of elastic.

Getting an adventurous toddler to stay still long enough to get photos of his new outfit is a challenge.  Thanks to the ants building a hill in the cracks on our front porch he stayed in the same place for more than half a second.

I love how babies squat– how their little toes grip the ground.  It’s the stance of concentration.  They can play like this for long stretches of time, but they’re at the ready to stand right up and hurry to the next thing.

Or look at things from a different angle.

In his everyday world this guy is the littlest one around.  He thoroughly enjoys being the big bad monster once in a while.  The ants, on the other hand, aren’t so sure…

Here’s a little tea towel embroidery I did while listening to General Conference over Easter weekend.  The ever inspiring Geninne posted hers and she kindly obliged when I asked for a pattern, so I had to stitch it up.  Hunter likes to carry it around saying “buhr, buhr”.  I finally remembered to take a photo of it before it gets dirty and thrown in the laundry.

Hope your week is off to a good start!  I had a good morning walk with a friend and spied nearly 10 goldfinches!

The first thing I ever really researched and obsessed over using the internet was cloth diapers.  I figured it all out with help from many, many online cloth diaper users and sellers and makers, many of which aren’t around anymore, some who are under different names and locations.  My main source of information was the FAQs at the One Stop Diaper Shop (now Very Baby) and the Diaper Pin.  Anyway, back then I tried my hand at sewing some diapers, but it was a long process to get just one done without a serger or a snap press.

Just a few weeks ago Jessica came out with a one size version of her fitted diaper pattern with a snapless option, and since I do have a serger now I thought I’d give it a go.

I learned that serging around curves is hard.  It is definitely something that needs more practice and time than I had to give it.  I made 3 with stretch terry on the outside and velour on the inside.  (I don’t know what I was thinking with my color choices, though.)  My chubby baby likes to pull them out of the laundry basket and bring them to me so I’ll put one on him.

I’m a big fan of one-size diapers.  I absolutely loved my Mother Ease One-sizers when they were in their prime.  They lasted through 3 babies, but by the time they got to this guy they were scratchy and stinky. 

I’m not sure about the snappi fastener on these, though.  My climbing, running, climbing, dancing, climbing baby seems to get his diaper all wadded up.  If I could somehow find 2 days to sew I would get myself a snap press and push through making a dozen of these the real way.

I’ve also got another bum that needs covered.  We’re working on the potty learning here with Ian, but it’s a process.  I hate putting him in diapers, though, so I’m making him some Tinkle Time Trainers.  They offer more protection than the training pants you can find at Target, can snap off for messy accidents, but still feel like underwear.

I’ve got one done.  Let’s see how long it lasts today.

And let’s see how many more I can get done.

So, did anyone out there follow the Celebrate the Boy month of February over at MADE?  Well, I, being the mother of many boys, certainly did.  I really wanted to get some 90 minute shirts made, but alas, they just ended up on that list.  You know, the list of projects I would really, really, really like to get to.  I need a laundry lady.  And a school assistant.  Then I could get to that list.

Then Meg contributed her Sweet Pea Pilot Cap pattern (gloriously, generously FREE here, just scroll down and look to the right).  No pattern drafting needed to get the project started, just easy pieces to cut and quickly sew together.  In a Saturday afternoon I had super cute, soft hats for my littlest boys.

Ian calls his his space-man hat and is rarely seen without it.  (He’s 3 and wearing a size large.  This hat fits my almost 6 and 8 year olds too.)

I love how it frames Hunters perfect chubby face. (His is a medium.)

The pattern suggests you use a walking foot and stabilizer to keep your knit fabric from getting all puckery, but I just couldn’t wait until after I  made a trip to the store, so I did these without either.  I did use a ball point needle and my machine has a special setting for knit fabric and can somehow sense what pressure the presser foot needs, so my hats turned out pretty pucker free.

I made a couple for gifts at a sewing date with RaeLyn borrowing her walking foot.  I’m not sure if it made a difference or not.

I guess I’ll have to whip up some more to decide for sure.

• Get up before everyone else.  Read.  Pray.  Do yoga (or go swimming).
• Take a shower, even if the baby has to come along.  (Naked babies are fun, after all.)
• DO NOT YELL UP THE STAIRS.  It does not make you feel happy.  Walk upstairs to say whatever it is that needs saying.
• Do not whine back to whiners.
• LOOK AT THE CALENDAR.  Your planner is your friend.
• Wait until after school to look at the computer.
• Read aloud.  And snuggle.
• Work on making something with a child.
• Work on making something all by yourself.
• Watch birds.
• Breathe fresh air.  Go outside, even for a second.
• Eat vegetables.
• Remember that there are people that live outside this house.  Talk to one (or some) of them.
• Give one hundred bazillion hugs and kisses.  (They are much more important than math.  Really.)
• Smile.
• Laugh.
• Sleep.

I’m printing this out and putting it on my bathroom mirror.  I’m needing the reminder lately during these days of not-quite-spring.

Speaking of spring– the new issue of Rhythm of the Home is up!

It’s full of creativity, fun, and loveliness– including the pattern for my sweetie birds.  Go check it out!

We’ve been battling a very, very, gross stomach bug the past 2 weeks, but I think it’s safe to say that we’ve beat it. Phew!  I’ve got lots of posts up my sleeve.  Let’s see if life will cooperate with my plans of regular posting.

Another Christmas book I got was Design it Yourself Clothes by Cal Patch.

And, truth be told, I spent a big chunk of my Christmas vacation with a list of measurements, a roll of newsprint, a ruler, pencils and erasers.  I got Brenna in on the action too and she drafted her first skirt pattern.

Then it took me awhile to get any of the sewing done, but here they are!  Super simple a-line skirts that fit (almost) perfectly (I’ve lost some more weight since I measured it seems.) cut from my stack of designer home-dec fabric.  I had only just barely enough, so we skipped hemming them and I just made a lot of green bias binding.

I learned a lot, even with such a simple design.  Like– it’s much easier to put in an invisible zipper with an invisible zipper foot, and french seams are easy and pretty.  Brenna even sewed her own.

And it looks cute with my warm boots– my snuggly warm Colorado winter boots.

I’ve done some preliminary runs through my basic t-shirt pattern and have visions in my head for that button down shirt.  Now to find the time…

(Thanks Barry and Brenna for humoring me through the photo shoot!)

While I was designing and writing the SweetPod pattern I wrote many an e-mail to my blog friend Meg at Sew Liberated.  She was so kind and gracious to answer all of my questions and help me along the whole pattern designing and writing process.  Though she couldn’t fit being a pattern tester into her book-writing, pattern designing, new baby life we decided we’d do a trade.  She cut the pattern pieces from fabrics she loves (left over from book projects), sent them over to me, and I sewed them all together.  Now I’ll have a little advertising button over on the right hand side of her lovely blog.  Check out her post about her carrier.  Finn!  in that hat!!  I can’t stand the cuteness!

It’s made with an Echino print for the decorative panel and a luxurious silk/ hemp charmeuse for the lining and sleeping hood.  Lovely and fun for that mama, and that chubby little boy.

I’m glad you like it, Meg!!