Wordless Wednesday – I love cloth diapers!

These are Thirsties Duo Wraps, Duo Hemp Prefolds, and Fab Wipes.

Read Full Post »

Sewing a square pillow

Here is how to sew a square pillow:

Cut out your fabric.  I used a quilting ruler and some leftover fabric.  I cut two squares the largest size that I could.

Put the pieces right sides (outsides) together and sew around three sides, leaving one side not sewn.  You can sew 1/2 inch or 5/8 inch from the edge.

Turn the pillow right side out and press flat.

To be more advanced, before turning right side out, cut the points off the corners, and fold over the open edges so you can iron them flat.  Then, then turn right side out.

Stuff the pillow!  (Edges are not folded in and pressed in the above picture.)

Here, you can see that the edges have been folded inwards and pressed.

Pin the open sides together and sew as close to the edge as you can.

Done!

Read Full Post »

How to Knit Newborn Baby Mitts (No Scratch)

Recently, I knitted some baby mitts.  They’re also good as no-scratch mitts if you have cooler weather.  The green set will fit a newborn and still fit several months later.

Click here for the pattern.

For the blue set, I used a Weight 3 yarn (baby alpaca?) with US 6 double pointed needles (DPNs).  For the green set, which came out smaller, I used Sensations Sincerely in Grass Green (Weight 4) with US 6 DPNs.  I cast on 24 for the blue set and 16 for the green set.

I made changes when I did the green set, because I wanted to use a larger weight yarn (to make matching mitts for a Yoda hat).  I also wanted to make the mitts smaller.  See below for the adjustments I made to the pattern.

Pattern Changes for the Green Set (to make them smaller):

CO 16 (instead of 24)

R1 – work for 10 rounds (instead of 12)

R2 – end up with 20 stitches (instead of 30)

R4 – end up with 24 sts (instead of 36)

R5 – do 8 rounds (instead of 10)

R6 – no changes

Delete R6-8

R9-12 – no changes

Here they are with the baby Yoda hat and sleep sack that I knitted.

Read Full Post »

How to make a Dirty Clothes Bag for the Side of Your Changing Table

Is your nursery pressed for space?  I made made large wet bags for cloth diapers and ones without PUL lining for baby clothes.  Both types can hang from the side of a changing table.  This way, you don’t need two separate hampers/trash bins.

Here’s how I made hanging hampers for baby clothes.  I recommend making two, so that you have one to use when the other is in the wash.  I tried to stay frugal by using fabric I had on hand.

1.  Cut out two large rectangles for your hanging bag.  You’ll also need three long, narrow rectangles for your straps.

2.  Fold the straps right sides together and sew along one short end and along the long edge of each one.  This will leave one end open.  Turn right side out.

3.  With the large rectangles, put them right sides together and sew along one short end and both long sides.  Fold over the non-sewn edge and press, then turn right sides out and press the entire piece flat.

4.  Sew down the folded over edge of the opening.

 

For each strap, tuck in the open edges and top stitch around all four sides.  I sewed 1/4 inch from the edge.

Place the straps against the outside of the bag, maybe an inch from the top edge.  Put one in the center and the other two a couple inches from the outer edges of the bag.

 

Sew the straps in place.  I sew a rectangle to get it tacked down very well.

 

This picture shows how it will look later on.  I pinned it to the changing table to make sure it would fit well.

 

Now, attach snaps to each strap, as well as one to the top of the bag (to keep it closed).  I highly recommend purchasing a snap kit.

 

Here is the finished bag!  The clothes bag and the wet bag can be kept next to each other on the changing table, which maximizes space!

 

Here are some pictures from the other bag I made.

 

 

Read Full Post »

Knitted Baby Sleep Sack

Recently, I knitted a baby sleep sack to match the Yoda hat I’d made.  I love this pattern, because it unbuttons at the bottom for easier diaper changes.

This is the Snug in a Bug Sleep Sack pattern.  I used Sensations Sincerely in Grass Green (Weight 4) and US 8 circular needles.

Here is a personal pattern note:  When working on the buttoned bottom, it says to BO 36 sts and K the next 36 sts before turning your work.  In my personal notes, I wrote that I knit 35 and had 36 sts on the needles, because I had one left from binding off.

This is with a Star Wars wet bag that I made.

This shows how the sleep sack looks with a regular knitted hat (non-Yoda).

This shows how the sleep sack can be unbuttoned.

Read Full Post »

Organizing Children’s Books at Home

I’m a teacher, and I keep the books in my classroom in labeled baskets.  I like having the books organized by categories, such as historical fiction, fantasy, life science, biographies, etc.  At home, I wanted to do something similar, but in a frugal way.

I used some leftover plastic bins and I printed some labels.  I sorted the books into categories, wrote those categories on labels with a Sharpie marker, and then covered the labels with packing tape to keep them from tearing or wearing out.

Read Full Post »

How to Knit a Baby Yoda Hat

I wanted to knit a baby Yoda hat, but I couldn’t find a pattern that was just right.  I found it best to knit a hat and then add the ears on.  This is based on the You Seek Yoda Hat by N. Lutz, but you don’t leave holes in the hat for the ears.  The beauty of doing a complete hat first is that you can always remove the ears when it’s not Halloween time.

I used Sensations Sincerely Yarn in Grass Green (Weight 4) with US 10 double pointed needles.  The hat is a baby size.  I know it’s too big for a newborn, but I don’t know what size baby it would fit after that.

First, knit a baby hat.  Then, make the ears.  For the ears, you will be working in the round, but on double pointed needles (not circulars).

Yoda Hat Ears (Make 2):

CO 22

R1-4 knit

R5 K1, K2tog, K to last 3 st, SSK, K1 = 20

R6-7 knit

R8 repeat Row 5 = 18

R9-10 knit

R11 repeat Row 5 = 16

R12-13 knit

R14 repeat Row 5 = 14

R15-16 knit

R17 repeat Row 5 = 12

R18-19 knit

R20 repeat Row 5 = 10

R21-22 knit

R23 repeat Row 5 = 8

R24 knit

R25 repeat Row 5 = 6

R26 knit

R27 repeat Row 5 = 4

Cut yarn, pull through, and weave in ends.  You can stuff the ears with extra yarn if you like.  Then, sew them onto the hat.

Read Full Post »