More Post-Holiday Updates
I finally finished my Christmas wreath! I realized that I never posted the final image, but here it is! In its detailed glory!
I should mention at this time that around the beginning of the New Year I got a new iPhone. Normally I'm not super-big into brand loyalty, but since I already have my contacts, email, and music set, I'd rather not switch. But holy cow, going from the 4 (no Siri, just me talking to myself!) to the 6, I see a HUGE difference in the camera function. So much better!
I've been making a lot more of my crafting photos using the new phone, as it's quicker and easier than my larger camera.
I also made another round of baby blankets for Kate's newest baby, Bean. Kate chose the colors of grey and pink predominantly for her first bundle of joy, so I chose these colors to make this baby blanket set.
I've used this tutorial many, MANY times, and I think my pink Minky was a bit longer than a yard because I couldn't fit the burp cloths into it. I have had great success with this pattern in the past, but you do have to be very careful about cutting.
I chose these fabrics at Hancock Fabrics, and while the color representation is not fantastic, I feel obligated to point out the greys and pinks matched much better in person. While making this, I also decided to forgo the embroidered onesie, as her older kiddo would likely have a few she could reuse.
Instead I made two flannel burp cloth sets out of two different prints, for a total of four burpcloths. I will say, making burpcloths with a rotary cutter, self-healing mat, and ruler makes them look MUCH more professional and they also come out a lot quicker! I took 2/3 yd of flannel fabric, cut it in half (For one fabric I cut down the selvage, the other I down the grainwise, for either longer or fatter burp cloths. I decided based on the pattern, but both are very useful!) Once cut, I turned them right-sides together, and sewed down the three raw edges, leaving a space in one edge to flip it inside-out. Once they were flipped, I ironed them well, then top-stitched in a decorative stitch near the sewn edges to close the hole used to flip it as well as to make it pretty.
Things I learned:
Take photos. I missed getting all of the things I added to Kate's bag because I did the burpcloths in December and the Minky blanket at the beginning of January. It was very pretty, and I like a "see what I made" photo album.
I attempted to make fabric-edged baby washcloths. I bought baby washcloths (in the grey motif) from Target and attempted to make essentially double-fold bias tape with the scraps from the border and main print so there would be an additional gift. The edges of the baby washcloths were INCREDIBLY stretchy and since you don't want points on the edges, you have to try and curve the fabric. That was tough enough, but it really doesn't work so well on fabric cut on the grain rather than on the bias. One sorta-worked, but the others were a lost cause. This is why I craft for crafters. They understand this concept!
I had some pink baby-footprint ribbon from Joann's that I tied all of these gifts for Kate. I also included a book about siblings for the soon-to-be older sister. I think the minimalist wrapping worked well, as it all was put into a bubble wrap mailer. Also, the ribbon can be re-used. The only thing that was actually gift-wrapped was the older sister's present, and everyone knows unwrapping the gift is half the fun at that age!
The baby blanket set is designed so that you can make two blankets out of the yard of Minky. Since I had the other half (and no pregnant friends on the horizon. Yet.) I decided to gift the puppy with the other half. She was willing to QC the minky softness for Kate and Bean.
I think that's a "yes" to snuggling in the Minky!
(Cross posted to my blog)