Baby Overload

I didn't get much crafting done in July or in August, as I was preparing to go back to work. Boo. I also didn't have much motivation. I was running around like a mad woman trying to get not only my classroom set up, but also get it ready so I can go on maternity leave.

My due date was Sept. 18th. I was planning on working up until I went into labor, but then I was feeling pretty miserable (mostly at night and probably because I was working all day), so my husband and I discussed it and decided to make my last day at work Friday, Sept. 9th. At that point I want crazy with surfing the internet (thank you google!) for baby crafts and digging through my sewing patterns stash (love those 99 cents sales at JoAnns).

I got to work pulling together a list of ideas and then materials (I've mostly been working through my stash, buying very little), crafting. I worked nonstop on Monday, Sept. 12th... then my water broke (more like slowly started leaking) that evening.

Baby Alexander was born the following morning (via C-Section, he was breeched). Good thing my last day was a week earlier! So... to make a long story, shorter, here's what I got completed before my precious little son was born:

First up, are some items I created using (and I hang my head in shame at this) Simplicity patterns. Good thing I refuse to pay full price for those patterns, cuz these I probably could have sketched up on my own - if I ever paid attention to babies and their things before.

These all came from the same pattern (I don't have the number in front of me) but I think the title was something along the lines of "diaper bag and diaper bag acessories".

This is a portable changing pad. I LOVE this item. Since our baby is sleeping in a pack-in-play with an attached changing table in our bedroom currently, this is a great item that we are using right now. Once we start traveling with our baby this can be rolled up and placed in the diaper bag. The fabric is sandwhiched between vinyl (I hate working with that stuff) and terrycloth. The vinyl is great (even though I hate using it with my sewing machine) because I can just wipe down any messes he makes.





The next item that came from this batch of patterns is a tummy pillow. No its not a breast feeding pillow (its not big enough for that). Once baby gets a little bigger (and can hold his head up) it'll be a great item to help make his tummy muscles stronger. My husband and I chose the jungle fabric because his nursery is jungle themed.



The final item that I managed to finish (from the Simplicity pattern) before Alexander made his debut was a burping cloth (well, actually three). Easy pattern. One side is the fabric the back side is terry cloth. I only bought enough fabric to make one (the pattern called for 3/4yd) but guess what? 3/4 of a yard gets you three plus some extra! I wish I had made more though... he spits up so much.





While my husband and I were digging through the nursery prints at JoAnn's, we found some fabric to make those awesome cloth books. I used fusible batting in between the pages instead of quilt batting (quilt batting would have been WAY too thick to make this work with my sewing machine). Oddly enough, the characters on the tummy pillow are the same characters in the cloth book and on the wall hanging that I made (which I don't have pictures of yet.)

Here's the book:















(I still need to use fabric markers to fill out the back page).

The final item that I managed to get through (well half way through) before my little bundle of joy arrived were these write rattles. I made WAY too many, but they were so easy to make, I couldn't help myself.

I found this great pattern on how to make wrist rattles. I use fabric scraps and fat quarters that I had home. The only thing new I had to purchase were the little patches (which came nine in a pack). I probably should have saved the patches for something else to make for him, but I was on a crafting overload. Plus these things were just too cute! I couldn't help myself.























I have TONS of more things that I want to make for my wonderful baby. I need more geek crafts (I have a Yoda and Boba Fett rattle in mind, along with a Star Wars Quiet Book and Mario Brothers booties). I also want to make some crinkle toys, bibs, and covers for my nursing pillow. I'm on maternity leave through Thanksgiving and I have the perfect little man who sleeps all the time, so we'll see what I get done.

Fish City Weeks 2 and 3...

Well... that didn't last long! In my previous two posts I had mentioned how I was going to update weekly my progress on Fish City. While I haven't been updating, honestly, there's been nothing to report. My sister was in town for the entire month of June and honestly, I wasn't up to cross-stitching much. So... progress remains the same as it was during week one.

In other news... I should have plently to update with in the next few days with the Fourth of July just around the corner (happy Independence Day USA!).

Fish City: One week later...

Its hard to believe its only been a week! I've was working on this project rather steadily at first but slowed down over the last few days because I wasn't feeling well (pregnancy is taking a drain on my body).

Here's where I was at the end of day one:

.

Progress after a week:

(Click on the picture for a larger image).

Overall I'm pretty pleased with how far I've come. The only thing that saddens me is how far I have yet to go. A long, long ways...

Fish City Day One

I've noticed at some of the cross-stitch communities that I visit that some bloggers keep track of their weekly and/or monthly progress on a large project. Its not something that I've ever done (of course I haven't completed a large project in several years) and thought that this would be a good project to do it on.

Yesterday I started working on the Fish City pattern by Stoney Creek. The pattern is 18 pages, the design size (I'm working it on 28 count, white, evenweave) is 29" by 21". This is by far the largest project I've ever attempted.

I've done several TW designs, that while they can be difficult with the blends, special stitches, and beadwork, have never been large. My fabric is so large that I neded up going out and purchasing one of those stands for your hoops. So far, I'm not liking the hands free because I feel as though it slows me down, however it does keep my left hand (the hand holding the hoop and fabric) from cramping up.

I didn't start working on it until late yesterday afternoon and was unable to get as far as I would have liked yesterday (due mostly to the fact that I was an anxiety attack over this baby and I felt like crap physically).

So after working on it for I have no idea how long yesterday, this what I've got done:



I have a long way to go.

My goal is to take a picture Wednesday evening and post my progress every Thursday morning. I'm sure I can keep this going while I'm on summer vacation. Once school resumes in the fall I won't have much of an opportunity to work on it (between teaching, going to school, and a new baby) so update may become monthly in August.

Baby Gear

Last week I posted a mega cross stitch post that featured two of the baby items that I had been wroking on for my own little guy (or girl). This is sort of a part 2 to that post.

First up is a baby bib that I started (and completed!) yesterday. The pattern is from the book Baby Bibs to Cross Stitch by Linda Gillum and Sandy Orton.



A close up:


It was a nice quick stitch and a fun project to do in lew of the jungle baby project I've been working on (I'm sick of looking at the same shades of green, blue, and purple!)

Earlier in the week, I posted about a stitch called the turkey stitch and what a headache it was giving me. Today I was finally able to sit down and practice. I practiced on 18 count Aida before attempting it on my project:



Overall, I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. This gave me enough motivation to go ahead and attempt to do it on one of my jungle babies. (The only other one I've stitched.) The jungle baby patterns come from Stoney Creek (oh how I loathe and love the).



and a close up of the turkey stitching:


I don't think it looks as nice as the practice one, but I'm not going to complain. It was a pain in my @$$ and I'm looking forward to putting that tiny little nightmare behind me. I'm currently working on a purple rhino (also part of the jungle babies) but honestly I'm sick of looking at DMC 211 and may continue to work on other projects throughout the week.

Turkey Stitch Tryouts

So yesterday I pleaded for help from some livejournal cross-stitchers on how to do a turkey stitch. I had about 4 people respond who had suggestions. One of them sent me this google video that seems to explain it well enough. I haven't tried it yet though and I don't know that I'm going to be able to do it today. My baby sister is coming in from out of state to stay with us for the month of June and I have a whole lot of cleaning to do today before she gets here.

Plus grocery shopping. EEK! I now know when so many of my coworkers moan about wanting to be able to quit their jobs and be stay at home wives/moms. Its hard work keeping a house clean and right now its just my husband, me, and our six fur babies. I can't imagine what the work is going to be like when this baby is born.

Whew.

Thankfully, my darling friend Emily has volunteered to help with some of the cross-stitch stuff for my baby since I'm due in about 3 1/2 months and am going to run out of time... fast!

Turkey Stitch

So I'm working my way through the Stoney Creek "Jungle Babies" book for my own baby (due in Sept!) and there's a new stitch that I've never seen before, called the turkey stitch. I've followed the instructions and am beyond annoyed that it keeps falling apart.

I've been trying it out on some spare fabric but nothing seems to work. I've posted to a livejournal community for help and have googled for tutorials but have yet to find something that helps.

I think I'm just going to continue working each jungle baby and eventually do the "turkey stitches" on the babies when I'm completely finished. I've only finished 2 out of the 6 panels so I guess I have plenty of time to practice.