Baby Boy Carseat

My 12th complete sewing project for 2009!

I finished the carseat, and feel much better.  I was feeling a little silly that I waited so long to finish this project.  I was going to feel really foolish if our boy was born early and I didn't have his carseat ready.  So now I feel much better because it is all ready.  Also I figured out a new way to do the binding and elastic, that was way easier, and also the little clips weren't difficult at all to sew on, which I thought they might be.  Anyways I am pleased to have it done, and Ben loves it (which I am glad since he is the one that picked out the fabric.)

More carseat work in progress

So I worked really hard on the carseat over the weekend, and haven't touched it since then.  I finshed the sun shade, and it looks really nice, I really love having the linging fabric in it.  I used the leftover fabric from the sheet that I cut up to make the wedding dress bag to do the lining and the back side of the cushion for the actualy carseat part.

I also got a lot done on the cushion part.  I got all the batting pieces cut out, the back pieces, I zig-zagged them together and then sewed the pieces together.  I also put the over large buttonholes in for where the straps come through, and I put the letter Z on the carseat.  Yes our son's name is goig to start with a Z.

So the next part, I am not looking forward to, and that is probably why the carseat isn't done yet.  I need to put the binding on and put the elastic on the edges and also sew on these hook things that keep the cushion attached to the plastic part of the carseat.

the finished sun shade

the carseat partially done (waiting for the binding and elastic)

my messy sewing room after working on the carseat somewhat obsessively

Hello Kitty Jammies

My 11th complete project for 2009!

I bought this fabric back in September for Prairie's Christmas pajamas, but then decided that she would love the ariel pajamas even more, so decided to not use the Hello Kitty fabric.  Well I couldn't have predicted how much she would wear her ariel jammies.  Basically she wears them constantly, and only takes them off when I tell her she has to get on clothes to go somewhere, and then as soon as we get back to our house, she immediately changes back into her pajamas (Autumn is doing exactly the same thing).  They are both wearing their Christmas Jammies out, so I thought it wouldn't hurt them to each have a second pair of pajamas, especially since they are eating most of their meals in their pajamas.  

So this is a back up pair of pajamas, she likes them, but they hold nothing to the Ariel jammies.  My girls are pure girl, they love disney princesses.

Carseat - work in progress

No new finished projects.  I was on such a roll before we went on vacation.  Ben said I should bring my sewing machine so I could keep up with my average of finishing 1 project a day.

I had fun sewing up those spiderman pajamas, but decided that before I sew up any more baby clothes I need to finish some of the essentials, like the carseat.  My carseat that I used for Prairie and Autumn had expired, and so I bought a new one for this pregnancy.  I like having unique infant carseats, since you take it everywhere and then it is easier not to get confused with other peoples carseats, especially at church.  So I am making a new cover for the carseat.  If you want to see what the carseat covers have looked like that I did for my two girls click here.

So I ripped apart the carseat cover in early december and haven't touched it since then.  Ben picked out the fabric for the cover the day we found out we were having a boy.  Ben wants to be very involved in choices since it is his son.  So I got a lot of it cut out yesterday and finished ripping apart the sun shade on the carseat.  Hopefully I can start getting it sewn together.  I would hate to have the baby come early and not have the carseat ready, I would feel very foolish.

the naked carseat

the original carseat cover all pulled apart

the new one cut out with some of the pattern pieces still attached (I made my own pattern from the original one that I ripped apart)

the sun shade cut out and th original one (the tan pieces are the original one, and I made notes on it to remember where the different pieces attach to eachother).  Also there is all the little pieces of fabric that I still have to cut out that are piled up on one of the orignal sun shade pieces

Also I am going to line my sun shade and the original one wasn't, which will make it even nicer, lining makes things soooo nice!

Spiderman PJ's take 3

My 10th complete project for 2009!

So this is the last project that I am doing out of the spiderman fleece that my mom bought me.  I threw away the rest of the scraps, and it really was scraps.  Actually now that I typed that I realized that after everything I cut out, there was one complete spiderman that had no cut in it, so I carefully cut it out to applique onto a shirt or some outfit for our little boy in the future, so I guess I will maybe have one more project out of that fleece.

I am pretty excited to be sewing some clothes for my little boy.  I went through our baby clothes the last two days and was dumbfounded to find plenty of boy and gender neutral clothes for our little boy for the first 6 months.  I thought I was going to have to go crazy sewing.  I don't have any dress clothes for him, or swimwear, but that is a small list compared to what I thought I was going to have to make.  Don't get me wrong, I am still going to sew a few outfits for this sping and then for this summer, but they aren't as necessary as I originally thought.

The Pink Ipod case

My 9th complete project for 2009!

I made this for Autumn the day before we left for Puerto Rico.  We thought this Ipod had died, and said Autumn could play with it as a pretend one.  Well one time she said she thought she saw something on the screen, so I tried a hard restart and charged it up and it was good to go (I guess Ben didn't need to buy a new one in July).  Anyway that was still months ago, Ben told her he didn't want her to have head phones, but I thought it would be okay for the trip.  So we got some princess music loaded on, and borrowed a pair of headphones from the portable DVD player.

Then I surprised her the next day by making this case.  It is out of pink wool felt, and has a plastic cover so the ipod doesn't get scratched and it has a hole to plus in the headphones, and a pocket to store the headphones when she isn't listening to it.  Also it has a strap so she can carry it easily.

Let's just say Autumn was beyond thrilled, watching her dance around with her new ipod case was priceless.

Back view with the pocket

View from the top, pink velcro to keep the ipod in its pocket, and the pocket with the headphones in them

Side view

view of the case with the flap open

the Lavendar shirred dress

My 8th complete project for 2009!



I had two shirred dresses all cut out for Priarie since September, and this morning when I got up I really didn't feel like doing the cleaning to leave on our trip, so I thought I should whip up this dress for Prairie. Also it feels nice not to have those projects hanging over my head, since I had already cut them out. Prairie was very pleased and will be wearing it on the plane tomorrow.

Black with Green flower maternity swimsuit

My 7th complete project for 2009!



I am really really happy with my second maternity swimsuit. I added some height onto the bodice, so I get a little bit better coverage, I did some of the seams tighter, overall it is easier the second time because you can make something fit you really well. I am excited to go swimming with my two new swimsuits.

Blue Leaves shirred dress

My 6th complete project for 2009!


This was a project I cut out in September to make at my mom's house in NY, but I never finished it. I decided that since all Prairie would wear during the summer, I should maybe come prepared to Puerto Rico. So I decided that I would finish this dress today. I think she will like it. Now i think she needs a pair of knee length black leggins to go with it .... I guess we will see what I have time for tomorrow.

Maternity board shorts

My 5th complete sewing project for 2009!

These are the completed maternity board shorts

I really like to wear a pair of shorts with a swimsuit, but my shorts that I usually wear didn't fit because I am pregnant, and also I really wanted to have cute swimwear, like thinkgs actually matched. So I found that below pair of pants at DI (local thrift store) for $4.

They were way too long, but also way to small, so I thought the extra length would help me add to the sides so that they fit appropriately. I used my maternity pants pattern as a template, and used some of my board shorts to figure out the length. I did a curved cutout in the front, so it hugs right underneath my huge tummy. I redid the waistband, and did the waistband on the front of the pants on the bias so it can work with the curve of the pants.

I also had added 8.5" of width to the shorts so that they would fit me correctly. If you notice in the above picture, there is only one green striped on the side of the pants. When I added width, I used the green part, so there were then double stripes. I actually had to unpick the white racing stripe entirely because it was over the seam line. So then I added back in over one of the seam lines that I did. If you look very carefully on the bottom picture you should be able to see the other seam line, but because the racing stripe is covering up one of them, it is normal to have a side seam, and so it doesn't really look like I added anything.

I am pretty pleased with out these turned out. If I were to do the project again however, I think I would have 1.5" of height on the back of the shorts, so that they rode me a little higher and felt a little more snug, especially in the front that they are trying to stay on underneath my tummy. Overall they are nice, and it wasn't worth another 2 hours of work to take off the waistband and add height to the back of the shorts.

Prairie's Butterfly Swimsuit

My 4th complete sewing project for 2009!




This is another prep for Puerto Rico trip sewing project. Prairie has one swimsuit (that was Autumn's) that is a little too large, and two swimsuits from this past summer that are too small (can we say wedgie city?). Anyway I actually started this swimsuit in July, but never put the elastic in the arm, leg, and neck holes, so I did that today, and it turned out great! If I could make Prairie one more swimsuit, I think she would be really set. Autumn has 3 swimsuits that fit right now, so I know she is good to go.

Prairie modeling her new swimsuit

July 2006, Prairie showing off her swimsuit

I really wanted to include this picture too. This is a swimsuit I made for Autumn when she was 9 months old to wear. So this is swimsuit fabric that I have had for about 4.5 years. Anyway this is when Prairie is a baby and she is wearing the swimsuit out of the same fabric that her new swimsuit is out of.

Wedding Dress Bag

My 3rd complete project for 2009!




This has been on my list of things to get done for about a year and a half. I am so glad to have it done. My mom made a bag for my wedding dress, but then when my sister got married, we just started using my wedding dress bag to get her dress from one place to the next. Anyways so I have had this white sheet to make a bag for my dress for a while.

Since we moved from our old apartment in September I have been storing my wedding dress in Ben's suitcase, but we were trying to start getting things packed up for our trip to Puerto Rico, so I decided it was high time I made the bag for my wedding dress. So I made it and it is done. My wedding dress is safe, and Ben can now have his suitcase back and pack up our trip.

The Ariel Travel Pillow

My 2nd complete project for 2009!




Prairie is a very picky sleeper, so I have been a little concerned about her on the trip. She isn't sleeping in a crib anymore, but refuses to sleep with anything except her Mickey Mouse foot pillow (that her Grandma Mary Anne made for her) and her Monkey blanket.

Anyway I told her that her Mickey Mouse Foot Pillow is too large to take on the trip, and I don't think she will use a regular pillow at the hotel so I decided I would make her a travel pillow. We had some leftover flannel from her new sheets, so she picked that out. The Pillow was a quick sew and I was really happy when Prairie took her nap that day she requested her Ariel pillow. I think we will be okay on th trip.

Crazy Maternity Swimsuit

My 1st complete project for 2009!





So we are going to Puerto Rico with my Dad, and sister and her husband on the 9th of January so I am in high gear to get everything ready for Puerto Rico. I don't have any maternity swimsuits, and I tried on my swimsuit, thinking that maybe it would just stretch over my huge tummy, but it really didn't fit well, so I am sewing some swimsuits, because it is sooooo much cheaper than buying them.




So I took a pattern and and added a seam line in the front and added some extra room for my tummy, and then just gathered it at the bust line. This is the first time I have made a swimsuit for myself from a pattern, with a built in bra and everything, and I am really pleased with the outcome. I am hoping to make two more swimsuits and a pair of pregnancy board shorts to wear there also, so I have a lot of sewing to do.


This is the pattern I used Kwik 3416 and I did view A, I did straps from the sides instead of the center, and I sewed them in so I don't have to bother with tying straps.

A Year in Review

So I just wanted to write a little note after posting SO many projects yesterday. I just wanted to try to get everything updated before the end of the year.

I started this blog about a year ago because I was feeling a little unfulfilled being at home full time. I felt like I wasn't doing anything with my life. Don't get me wrong, I totally think raising my kids is really important, doing the laundry, dishes, making meals, but I didn't feel like I was doing stuff for myself or making progress just for myself. I had the idea to keep a blog to keep track of all the sewing projects I did. I have really enjoyed keeping track of everything I sewed, and so I can look back at this year and not think "all I did is scrub the carpet hundreds of times when Prairie had accidents", but I can see the talent that I am developing.

Anyway I don't know how many people that actually read this blog, and that doesn't really bother me if hardly anyone does. I do like sharing what I do with the free time that I have. I really love sewing, I love creating. I really loved the section about creation in Deitor F. Utchdorf's talk in September 2008 and especially this quote "Our birthright—and the purpose of our great voyage on this earth—is to seek and experience eternal happiness. One of the ways we find this is by creating things." I felt some deep satisfaction this past year sewing projects and seeing what I am able to create with a little fabric, some patterns, imagination and work. I really love being a mom, but I know that my sewing machine and the creations that happen because of it help me stay sane, and enjoy all the time with my children even more.

Anyway for those of you that read, look forward to another year of seeing the projects that I am making. The first thing on my list of things to do is to get ready for a family vacation in Puerto Rico on January 9th, and after that I will be in high gear to get everything ready for our little baby boy to arrive in March, so lots of boy baby clothes, so cute and so fun to make.