Heart Onesies

Last weekend I taught my friend some basic sewing skills - it was such a great time!  For our project I taught her how to add applique to onesies (she has some friends' baby-showers coming up).

I originally learned to do this from Stitch by Stitch - and it really is simple!  Here's our final product!

Baby Ball Toy

I can't remember where I first saw the idea for making these toys - but it's pretty simple.  You take 8 surfboard shaped pieces of fabric (mine were approximately 6" long but they could be any length depending on the size of ball you want to end of with), sew them together along the edges, and then cover the ends with fabric circles.

The original tutorial I looked at suggested using wool, but I made mine out of some t-shirt scraps (pink and navy/plum) and linen scraps (navy/green) from my reversible tote.

I sewed the edges together by hand using a blanket stitch for the pink and navy/green balls, and with my sewing machine for the navy/plum ball.  It was much faster using the machine, but sewing by hand is fun sometimes too.  For all three I had to sew the circles on by hand at the end.

I also added some loops of ribbon that I had on hand to two of the balls for some tactile interest and maybe a way for a baby to pull on or pick up the ball. 

I used fiberfill to stuff all of them until they were firm but not hard. 

Baby Bib

It's been a busy week getting ready to go away for a weekend fall retreat (can't wait!).  I haven't had any time to work on my current project so I thought I'd show you something I made this summer for a dear friend.... I'm typing as I scarf down my lunch.

My husband and I were given the honor of being asked to be godparents for a little lady that will be arriving sometime next month.  This is our first god-child and we are so excited to meet her and lavish her with love!  I wanted to make something special to give her momma at the baby shower.

I found a really cute tutorial for bibs made out of graphic t-shirts here.

Picture from alittletipsy.com

But I didn't have any cool graphic tees that I could use - so I changed things up a bit with the fabric, but basically followed the tutorial step by step.

I used a pinkish (salmon?) color for the front and a soft black t-shirt for the back.  I wasn't sure if the pink on the front would be absorbent enough but it's there for looks and the bib is reversible =)  It looked a little blah so I add a heart to the front.  I just opened up Word and searched the symbols until I found a heart that I liked.  Sewing the heart on was definitely the most time consuming part - not necessarily hard, just time consuming.  I used the steps for applique that I learned in Stitch by Stitch.

What do you think of the final product?

Can't wait to see her in it!