Aunt Nana’s Crochet: (WIP) Big Sister Kit

Good morning! I wanted to share an update on my WIP (work in progress) big sister kit. My gift deadline is by Halloween and I will give this gift in person! Daniel’s youngest sister is getting married and we will see the whole family again.

It’s been four months since our wedding, and I miss our family! I can’t wait to see everyone and give lots of hugs. I need an Aunt Nana fix! I love being an aunt.

The big sister kit includes a crochet blanket, baby doll burp cloths, a sock monkey hat and two crochet head hands (crown and bow tie). I’m still working on the little details.  All items are handmade crochet or sewing projects. What do you think?

Sew Creative: Baby’s First Baseball Season

In learning to sew, I’m practicing my new skill by making gift sets. I know it is almost the post season, but next April might be a someone’s first baseball season.

Using ribbons and remnants, I made a bib, burp cloth and baseball sensory taggie. Customize your items with your favorite MLB team fabric or ribbon.

Aunt Nana’s Crochet: Pink baby blanket and hat for Baby Girl Cline

One of my friends back home in Indiana is about to have a baby girl any day now! I hurried this last week to finish a baby blanket for her so that it would make it to Indiana for her big debut.

I was so inspired by the pink yarn, I had to make a matching hat!

I sent along a baby taggie as well.  I know that I am not this baby’s aunt, but I wish Stephanie and baby girl Cline all the best.

DIY: Chevron Baby Taggie Tutorial (Part Two)

You have your two pieces of fabric pinned together? Let’s get started.

After taking my first sewing class, I learned I was pinning my fabric the wrong way. Having the pin heads point outside of the fabric makes them easier to pull out.

I also added a few new tags to add some variety to the first pinning. Thats the cool thing about this…you can change your mind about ribbons and fabric until this stage.

Ok, thread your sewing machine with a matching thread. I used white.

Sew the first three sides all the way. On the forth side, stop sewing in the middle. Lock the stitch.  You need the hole so that you can turn the taggie inside out.

I cut a V shape out of each corner for smooth corners.

Then, I turned my taggie inside out through the hole I left open. I used a chopstick to push out the corners.

Repin the open hole and tag.

Sew a topstitch around the entire square.

Voila! You will have a baby taggie that is cute for a gift basket or for your own baby at home.

DIY: Chevron Baby Taggie Tutorial (Part One)

Need some baby shower gift inspiration? Love to make handmade gifts? Try making a baby taggie for the new arrivals with materials you may already have in your craft room. Sensory play gifts are not only cute, educational for the baby as well.

Materials you will need:

• Various ribbons (width, color & texture)
• Two pieces of soft fabric (micro-fleece, minky, anti-pill fleece, soft cotton)
• Sewing notions: fabric scissors, pins, gridded cutting mat, rotary cutter

Cut fabric in 14 X 14 squares (if your remnant isn’t 14 inches…improvise!) I bought my fabric from the remnant bin at Joann Fabric for 50% off. All the ribbons are from my craft collection at home.

Cut your ribbons to five inches each. Fold them in half.

Pin ribbons around one of the pieces of your fabric.

Top the ribbon fabric with the second piece (make sure the side you want shown is on the inside). Secure it together with pins. You are going to flip this inside out after it is sewn together. Make sure you have it pinned the right way.

Part Two of this tutorial will be how to sew it together. I am taking a sewing class at Joann Fabric tomorrow. It is as simple as sewing a square! Until tomorrow…