She was so excited for her party.  She worked so hard to get ready.  Stamping cards, stringing garlands, testing candy.  You know, the usual.  She even helped me with the icing for the cupcakes this morning.  And then, of course, asked me every hour thereafter if it was time for her friends to come.  It’s a good thing that almost everyone came on foot there is still NO parking anywhere here.  None.

She did such a great job sharing her toys and playing with her friends.  I think she had a good time.  When I asked her what her favorite part of the day was it was candy, cakes and oh yeah, candy.  Don’t forget the candy.  What a load of fun.  Only one playmobil person went mia.  If she stowed away with you please let us know, her pony is lonely.

It’s too late to make use of it now but maybe I’ll remember to link back to this post next year.  I was really happy with how Chase’s Valentines turned out.  I had no vision for them when we started, it was something of an organic process.  I scanned the original card so it can be downloaded as a template to make your own homemade mouse valentines!  You can print and cut them out as is or cut it out and use it as a template for cutting your own sponge for stamping.  We used tempera paint on cardstock.  Once they were dry I drew on the face and tail and cut them out leaving a 1/4″ border.  A10 envelopes are just the right size for these cards.  Or you could freehand your own simple mouse shape.  I’ll try to get the pdf up in the next couple of days.

I spent all weekend coming up with clever notes to write on the back.  Here’s what I came up with:

• Brie my valentine
• You’re my main cheese
• Love is in the gruyere (Thanks Shannon!)
• I’m never bleu when I’m with you
• I’m so glad we’re such gouda friends

Those are some serious cheese puns!  We also finally got around to trying the crayons I posted about last week.  I found a heart shape ice cube tray at Target that worked fine and was way cheaper than a silicone pan.  They bake at such a low temp that it didn’t particularly matter that the pan may or may not have been silicone plus they weren’t going to be eaten.  I did have to bake the crayons twice as long as called for at 175 rather than 150 in order to get them to melt.  I used a bunch of different crayons and they seemed to separate a little making all of the color sink to the bottom which made it easier to color with one side than the other.  Generally though a fun and cute project that used up a bunch of crayon bits.

The table was cute all set up.  Each kid got a valentine, a lollipop, a crayon and a paper bag to decorate and bring their stuff home in.  So, we had a good time and I used up some of the party supplies we seem to have collected over the last couple of years.  It’s easy to do when everything is always pink, pink, purple and sometimes red.  Now I just have to work on remembering refreshments for the grownups.  I think my absentmindedness in that regard is a reflection of my everyday.  I need to work on that.

It was nice to see all of our friends.  Chase is already asking when it will be her birthday again.  Funny girl.  Here are a few pictures from the party.  Happy Valentine’s Day!!

It’s up!  It works!  I stuffed all the little pockets with food while she was sleeping and the first thing she did was take every single item out.  I thought it would be super cute if I stitched pictures of the food items in felt on the front but then I thought that might be limiting.  I was toying with the idea of using clothes pegs to clip pictures and prices to the front of the pockets but maybe I’ll just let Chase lead the way on that one.  She’s still too little to be really interested in that aspect of it anyway.

You can see it’s still a work in progress.  I haven’t stitched down all of the letters.  I’ll probably make a few more adjustments before I do.  And then I need to make some more food.    This was my inspiration.  I wanted the bins to hold the food without needing to devote a lot of floor space to another big toy.  Saving 100 bucks isn’t bad either.  I mostly used the leftover felt from the popcorn costume.  I’m going to try to finish it up this weekend and then really put it through the paces to see how it holds up.

We’ve also made progress with Christmas and her birthday.  I set up an Amazon wishlist so at least I’d have something to reference.  Ben keeps complaining about my choices but not making any suggestions of his own.  I told him what the deal is.  I’m going to do some shopping a little later this week and take advantage of one of these last days while Chase is in school.

Speaking of school, today was Chase’s first day in the drop off program at Hoppin Tots.  I can only assume that all the carrying on about I want to go back to gym means that she had a good time.  She also came home having mastered hopping on one foot which is something that she’s been working on for a long time.

While she was there I visited A Fabric Place.  This time I was allowed to peek into the back room.  I came home with 10 yards of THE sweetest cotton print because I’m insane going to make curtains for Chase’s new room.  Really though, the cutest.  I’ll be happy even if it means just embellishing some simple white panels.  Being in the fabric store did inspire me to sew a little though and that counts for something for sure.

I’m progressing as well.  My doctor did admonish me however to take it easy and rest.  My blood pressure is still high when I’m on my feet and regulates almost immediately when I lie down.  So that’s what I’m supposed to do.  I’m 1cm but she didn’t seem worried that I wouldn’t make it until Tuesday.  We’ll see :)

I used the Beanie pattern from Men’s Knits by Erika Knight.  It’s super easy because it’s not knit in the round but you do have to have the patience to do the seaming which can be tricky to get to look right.  Especially on something like a beanie that’s meant to stretch.  It took me more than one attempt to get it right but I’m pretty happy with the result.  I think he is too.

To make this diaper I used a tiny piece of flannel and an old cloth diaper.  We never actually used these ones as diapers because we used Bum Genius but they sometimes got used as burp cloths or a quick place to change a diaper.  I wish I could show Chase but I’m determined to keep it a secret and to make her a few more before I run out of time.  Is it too much to hope that I might be able to make enough to stock a few sets in the shop?  Probably.  In the meantime… you can try it yourself.  I put up the new scrap busters button in my sidebar that links to the page so you can check it out.  

To Make:

Get the pattern here.  Fits my daughter’s baby Cabbage Patch that measures about 13″.

• 1 cloth prefold (you could also use a piece of old towel, fleece or anything else diaper-like)
• A contrasting fabric of your choosing (I used flannel)
• About 5″ of 1/4″ elastic.  
• 2 sets of self adhesive velcro tabs (although this is really up to you, I used what I had on hand)

Cut your elastic into one 2″ length and two 1.5″ pieces.  

First, layer the fabric and diaper right sides together.  Then pin the pattern piece down on top pinning through all layers so there’s no shifting.  

I don’t cut out the diaper.  With either side facing you, just stitch through all layers using a zigzig stictch around the perimeter of the pattern leaving 2/3 of the front edge open for turning.  Begin stitching on the front edge with only a little less than 1/3 of the edge remaining, turn the corner and continue to stitch around to the leg.  End stitching in the same place on the other side.

Start and finish stitching the short lengths of elastic at the dots in the leg wells.  When you reach a dot, with the needle down, raise the presser foot and slip a length of elastic underneath.  Stitch a few stitches to hold it in place and begin stretching as you stitch.  Stretch and turn as you stitch to follow the curve of the leg ending at the dot at the other end.  Gather the back edge the same way between the dots using the 2″ length of elastic.  If you find you have a little too much elastic stop stretching and cut off the extra.  If you find it’s a little too short, join another piece and continue stretching as you otherwise would have.   It will look something like this when you’re done.  Then cut off the excess fabric close to the stitching.  

Turn the diaper right side out taking care to turn the tabs all the way.  Close the front edge by closing the edges to match and top stitching all the way around the edge of the diaper.  

Now all you have left to do is add the velcro.  I had adhesive tabs on hand but sew in velcro would be fine too.  Cut and affix pieces using the pattern as a guide.  

Now you’re all set!   Who’s a happy baby?!

I showed Chase the book and told her I’d make a hat for her and one for her baby sister upon which she insisted that I also make a hat for her friend Skyler’s new baby sister.  So I did.  We went to Lovely Yarns and picked out some colors.  Chase wants her to be the reverse of this one with pink for the main body.  The pattern itself calls for a gorgeous merino wool that requires hand washing so I chose 100% wool Cascade 220 so it can be tossed into the machine.  It’s nice and soft and incredibly easy to knit with.  The folks at Lovely Yarns are awesome and so helpful.  I love being able to walk in with my book and walk out with exactly what I need.  And Chase likes watching the dohicky that winds the yarn.  

I had to wait nearly 24 hours to write about this, which was harder than I thought it would be.  But it’s safely in its new home now.  I should have made it one size larger.  It was so tiny when I finished it I couldn’t imagine it fitting even the tiniest baby but it ended up being a little big for stunt baby so I hope maybe it will get cold on the early side this season and she’ll be able to wear it for a week or two before it gets too small.  

I’m going to cast on Chase’s next.  I think they’ll all be very cute in their matching pixie hats don’t you?  When we come down the block people will say, a stroller gang!  and cross to the other side of the street.

It’s finally been hot like summer here for the last two days.  Everything in the yard if fried except for my freakishly hardy basil.  The grass is so sad.  The good news is that we had rain tonight.  The storm was so bad that it knocked out the satellite and the changing pad was born.  This is just the prototype there are some adjustments I have to make.  I would also like to prewash and square off the diaper panel with a rotary cutter because they get all wonky in the wash.  

I like this project because it’s quick and cute.  I’ll keep this one for the new baby but I would really like to make more to give away as gifts to my friends. I always have good intentions about these kinds of things but unless I get a special request and then constant hounding about where the stuff is I stink at follow through.  

I might do it though.  It might be worth making a little tutorial on how to put this together.  It’s pretty simple.  Just center a prefold on the right side of a fatquarter.  Turn up the edges and pin.  Stitch bias tape of ribbon over the raw edges and it’s done.  Then I added a button and a loop closure made out of a hair elastic to keep it folded.  It’s just the right size for folding a diaper and one of those tiny packs of travel wipes inside.  I made something similar for Chase and really liked it because you can just toss it in the wash to clean it, very easy.

It looks kind of sad just hanging there all wonky-like but I’m fully confident that it will be super cute on.  I’ll put some more time into it while I’m NOT at the office, mwah hah ha.  

This pattern is rated 3 out of 4 scissors compared to the tea party dress’ 1 and it shows.  Anything with tiny sleeves is bound to make you want to tear your hair out at some point.  Speaking of tunics.  I picked up a super cute tunic from Sweet Pepita at Pile of Craft.  I have to try to get pics of that but you can see Pepita sporting a similar one here.

I want to immediately get started on the next piece.  I’m just not exactly sure what that’s going to be.  Chase is thrilled about the cats.  I still feel kinda badly that I threw all the pattern designer’s advice for selecting fabrics out the window and went with this loud print.  But I love love love these Alexander Henry fabrics and, quite frankly, don’t think I could pull them off myself.  Lastly, the pattern calls for using a hem facing but I ended up putting in a narrow hem which I think is totally fine.  I cannot wait for Chase to wear this tomorrow.  I’m gonna tell everyone the wrinkles are from her wearing it.  : )