Meet Ribbit

I've been working on a baby sweater for next fall, but I decided to take a break and knit some toys for the nursery instead. First up is Ribbit. This is a free pattern by Susan B. Anderson on the Spud & Chloë site. This was a fun knit, and the coolest part is that the frog body is a tennis ball.



I had 12 appendages to sew on. This is the first one I did. It makes Ribbit seem, well, punk. It definitely belongs in my Sarcastic Crafts collection.

Pillowcases

I made three standard pillowcases in the Hooty Hoot fabric collection for when Alex gets a big-boy bed. The one on the left is flannel and the other two are regular fabric. They didn't take very long to make.

Look What I Found!

Awesome, right?



It's especially cool because it's on vinyl. I need to get out my old record player.

Travel Diaper Pouch

I saw this tutorial last week and I just had to make one for me and for a friend. Katie had some leftover scraps from the quilt and pillows she made for Julia, so she gave me some for this diaper holder to match. I didn't use any of my matching fabric because I thought it would be a good chance to use some other cute fabric in my stash.

They were easy to make and I learned some new techniques as well.

The Curtains Are Up!

Heinz just put up the curtains in the nursery. They were the first thing I made for the room, but I had to order special rods that stuck out far enough from the wall because of the new blinds we had ordered. I was going to do white panels with tiebacks underneath the valance like I did in the guest bedroom, but I decided it wasn't necessary and that I'd keep it more simple in here. For some reason, I really love vertical stripes for a valance.

Book Slings

A couple of days ago I made these book slings for the nursery. My friend Katie made one for her son earlier this year, and I filed away the idea. When I started planning the nursery, I knew I had to make some using the fabric collection I had picked out. The tutorial is from Penny Carnival. They didn't take very long to make, and they would have been even easier if I had used one big piece of fabric like in the tutorial. I realized that my print would show through when it was doubled, so I lined the inside with a cotton solid. That ended up being a bonus because I now have extra of the more expensive prints.

I love the concept behind this, which is that it's easier for toddlers to find their favorite book when you can see it face-out instead of trying to find it from a bunch of spines on the shelf.

p.s. Yes, the bathroom is VERY green!

Sewing for Baby

I've finished two sewing projects for the nursery now. First, I made curtains. I can't show those yet because I had to special order some rods today that would extend past the new blinds we ordered.

This is the crib skirt. It was a lot like making curtains: you just make panels and sew them onto a sheet of muslin. I still have to serge the seams (or I may just use pinking shears). The pattern is from Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones. Right now the mattress is at its highest. Once we lower it, I may have to tuck the bedskirt underneath the mattress or something.



I like how the panels look modern and aren't frilly. The long side has two panels plus an insert in the center underneath. The directions said to make panels for all four sides, but why would I do more work than I had to? So I just made panels for three sides.

Something Old, Something New, and Definitely Something Blue

We have already been working on getting the nursery fixed up. The walls are painted, which is a huge relief. And there are already a few pieces of furniture in the room.

First is this little rocker, which I used when I was little, and my dad, and my grandma and her siblings. Since my grandmother's oldest sister is almost 91, it's safe to say this is at least 90 years old. It's the only old furniture that I don't mind using. My grandma tried to get me to take a 100-year-old wicker baby carriage to use, but I declined. I think this rocker will be cute with a little pillow in it.



Heinz already put together the crib and changing table for me so that I can plan the decor for the room. Draped over the crib are some of the fabrics I'm using in the room. I'm almost finished making the curtains and then I'm going to start on the crib skirt.

Another Reason Why Justin Timberlake Is Awesome

Penn & Teller

Heinz is in Las Vegas this week at a work conference. He really wanted me to go with him, but I have a lot of freelance work to do this week, and my personality type makes me feel agitated if I try to travel the week the magazine closes. So I opted to stay home, which Heinz is never going to forgive me for. Because he missed out getting picked to do a trick onstage with Penn & Teller, his favorite magician/comedy duo. Heinz was sitting in the front row, and Penn went up to him and asked if there was someone with him who could call his cell phone. Apparently giving your number to the person sitting next to you wasn't good enough, so he didn't get to do it. The trick is that they take your cell phone and hide it and it reappears sealed in a bag, inside a fish frozen in a block of ice, in a box sealed with duct tape, underneath someone's chair in the audience. But the coolest part is that they turn on the videocamera on your phone, video you with Penn & Teller doing the trick, and leave it on the whole time so you then know how the trick is done. I hope Heinz can forgive me some day. At least he got them to sign his program and got his picture taken with them. Oh, and he got to hear Teller talk.

Knitting for Baby

Yes, yes, I have a blog. No, I haven't felt like updating it in quite awhile. Mainly because I didn't have much interesting to share. But now with a little one on the way, I'm busy making plans. I painted the nursery this week and finished knitting this Buga Baby Bunting tonight. It's the hardest thing I've knitted so far and I'm proud how it turned out. I can't wait to see a little baby in it! The background is the back of this quilt that Katie made for the baby.



Here's the pattern picture. My favorite part is the little foot sticking out.

I Need One of These

I saw this on a recent episode of the Big Bang Theory. I think I need one. It's a t-shirt folder.