babies should not be skinny

but Posy is in the 7th percentile for weight, and the 15th percentile for height. And for this reason, I was able to use some very small scraps from a maternity dress that I made for myself a year and a half ago (and which Aunt Pants is wearing now!) to make this little jumper for my girl.

This week she's been carrying her birthday balloon everywhere, and telling it "night night" before her naps.

See, here's a little tummy jutting out!
And she's digging the goldfish out of the diaper bag. Yes, you may.

oh no! my daughter and i are matching!

Mimi bought us this cozy flannel fabric when she came to visit last month.



But don't worry, we won't be wearing matching outfits in public.

finished

Found the angel at Target.

unfinished

The stocking that was made for me has a little plush angel stitched to the front of the stocking. I want something like that for the front of this...but this is what I have so far.

The Handmade Dress Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

The Handmade Dress Patterns GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

headbands!

A red corduroy one
to match her Christmas dress, if she grows into her Christmas dress in time...(here, being tried on over her clothes)
and if not, we'll call it a Valentine's dress
but about that headband...just outside of the picture I'm having to hold those tiny hands down. Maybe headbands will have no better fate than hats and clips have had.

But wait! How about this one? She loves how it coordinates with her brown pants and pink top!
Or does she?
Wait a second...
And it's off.
Ah well.

the story of a bathrobe

Nine months and one day ago, I was wearing this bathrobe.


My water had broken on Jan. 22, but by Jan.23 I was still only in mild labor, so the birthing center wouldn't let me deliver there. I wasn't ready to go to a hospital, so I was at Aunt Pants's house laboring and hoping to deliver my baby there on her bed. I stole this robe - her husband's, a man's XL - out of their goodwill pile and paced the floor wearing it.

Now my Posy is nine months old and the fleece robe has been hanging in our closet since we returned from the hospital (so much for the home birth). I decided the yards of fleece would be perfect test fabric for a bunch of projects I've been wanting to try:

The Sweet Wee Jacket from Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing



and these adorable boots from The June Bride




I also made what I'm calling "stroller pants" - basically, fleece pants large enough to fit on over her regular pants to keep her extra warm when we go on winter walks - and a simple fleece hat.

for owen

Do you have an Owen in the oven? If so, watch your mailbox for this:

double happiness pajamas

When Posy wakes up in the morning, she likes to lay on her back, talk to herself, and bang her feet against her crib mattress, as she's about to do here:


I made these pj's this weekend. The bit of pink and white striped flannel that I found in the remnants bin was just crying out to be made into pajama pants. This was my third time making pants for Posy. The first time, they were a little tight across her bumgenius diapers. The second time, they were a little short in the inseam. This time, they were juuuussssstttt right.

With the leftover scraps, I decided to applique a onesie to match the pants. I considered all the standard applique shapes - heart, star, flower, bird, lamb - and the trendy ones - cupcake, robot, owl - and was bored.

The Chinese character for double happiness is commonly used for decoration in both China and Vietnam. You'll often see it at New Year celebrations and weddings, and it's usually in a lucky red color.

I thought it was fitting for the pajamas because Posy is a joy, and Posy asleep for the night is a joy: double happiness.

I've done quite a bit of machine applique using a zigzag stitch. This may have been my first hand-stitched applique, and I used a whipstitch as recommended in The Alabama Stitch Book. With all the edges on the character, it took a while, but I'm really into hand sewing projects these days, and I enjoyed it.

available now!

Since we launched our etsy shop six days ago, we've had six sales! It's encouraging to know that we're not alone in thinking that storybook designs in modern colors are perfect for unique baby boys and girls.

gift sets

Soon at Aunt Pants, we'll have gift items available to complement our onesies.

We like bold colors for babies, and think this adorable orange Moda print backed with soft white minky fabric will be a perfect fit with our orange woodland fawn onesie!

crazymane's friend

I like to do all crafts at least twice.

The first time, I rush through a project out of curiosity - or more, incredulity - to see if it will work out at all.

The second time, feeling at least a shred of confidence that I'll have some success, I go a little more slowly and do things a little better.

Hence the four dolls for Posy, rather than one, the two bibs in quick succession, etc.

And now my first giraffe-horse hybrid animal, crazymane, won't have to live alone. Two by two into the ark, and two by two into Posy's toybox. His counterpart looks more like a real giraffe, has rice in his feet to help him stand with stability, and is mane-free (mostly because Posy has been ingesting too much yarn fuzz).

crazymane the giraffe

Do you think she needs a trim?




Based on this vintage pattern.

baby scarf and matching hair clip

I made this scarf and clip for Posy, expecting that she'd start tugging the scarf off as soon as I wrapped it around her neck, the way she pulls at her hats. Nope. Turns out, she loves the thing. It's soft and cozy. And she may end up digesting a bit of its fuzz. It was perfect for a short hike to a waterfall in the San Juan islands.

orcas island

Family weekend in Orcas Island. Aunt Pants and I break out the onesies while our husbands and parents go for a second hike. Later this week we'll print our tags, and then these will be ready for sale.

refashion: maternity skirt to pants with suspenders

Pants with suspenders? For a baby girl? Out of old-lady corduroy? For some reason, that's the vision I had for an old maternity skirt that I didn't like enough to keep around for the next (next???) pregnancy.




Just goes to show: ANYTHING can be cute if Posy is wearing it.

fleece jumper, with girl

first batch of onesies for etsy shop

We'll have tea-dyed, white, yellow, and blue. I dyed the yellow and blue this morning, and they are beautiful.


Would you like a newborn cap to go with your onesie? Maybe with a tiny woodland creature stamped on the brim?