Before my daughter was born, I was aimlessly walking around in a fabric store when an elderly clerk struck up a conversation. I mentioned that I wanted to make some things to use when my baby arrived. She suggested making receiving blankets because the commercial ones are never big enough. I made a few of these blankets that very afternoon. Each one cost less than $3 because I got the flannel on sale. Here’s how to make your own flannel receiving blankets: Materials Two yards of baby flannel. I like to use two different but coordinating prints, but you can use whatever you like. Coordinating thread Preparation The first step is to ask the girl at the fabric counter to cut two one-yard pieces of the flannel. If you’re using two different fabrics, it’s obvious. But if … [Read more...]
How to make a mei tai carrier
Did you wear your baby when she was small? I did. I had a ring sling and a front pack carrier that I wore her in all the time. I wore her so much that I used my stroller twice. Really. Twice – the state fair and a local craft show, and both times, it acted more like a cart than a stroller. Eventually, my baby got too big to wear comfortably in my ring sling. She was a 27-pound, walking and running 10-month-old toddler, and we couldn’t figure out the logistics of the sling. Sadly, I gave up on baby wearing. Recently, however, my friend Heather told me how she wears her toddler all the time in a mei tai, and I was fascinated. Heather’s daughter and mine are about the same age and size, so I wondered if the mei tai could work for me. Not wanting to spend a lot of money on … [Read more...]
Sewing a flannel changing pad
Remember the flannel receiving blanket that we made last week? You can make a diaper-changing pad in basically the same way. Here’s how to sew your own flannel changing pad: Materials One yard of baby flannel (or whatever fabric you like, really) One yard of vinyl backed flannel or other waterproof fabric Coordinating thread Preparation The preparation for a changing pad is easier than the blanket. Wash and dry the fabric. Iron if necessary to remove any big wrinkles. (Pay attention to the ironing instructions on the vinyl backed flannel. Sometimes it can't be ironed.) Place the plain flannel right side up on a smooth, flat surface. Lay the plastic on top, and the second piece of flannel right side down on top of that. Pin the layers together the whole way around. … [Read more...]
