My Best Baby Gift Project Ever...Wordful Wednesday

If you've followed my blog for a while you know I love sewing and crafting and especially love to make gifts - especially baby gifts. My mom says I sew like my grandmother used to (her mother) - "by the seat of my pants" - meaning I just start crafting and the project unfolds on its own.

This particular gift is a culmination of many of my other projects and is for a very dear friend of mine. She started trying to get pregnant with her second child when T Rex Dad and I were trying to get pregnant with T Rex - if that tells you how long her journey has been. Finally a long distance trip to a specialty fertility clinic in another state helped achieve success. Then she started to have preterm labor and has been on strict bed rest since. She has done so much to have this baby.

My mom went through a lot to have me - she was sick most her pregnancy and suffered many complications and even has long lasting effects as the result. Because of this I often make it a point to thank her for all she endured as a result. I shared this with my friend and told her that some day her baby girl will do the same. I just know she is going to be one special little girl.

Because of this, I just went all out. So here are some photos from this mega project. It took two Saturdays to complete. It's a lovely turquoise blue with brown accents. I am hoping this is "girly" enough - what do you think? What I was hoping to accomplish was a departure from the normal girl colors of pink and purple but something more than gender neutral colors like green and yellow.

On a side note, I actually purchased this fabric about two years ago specifically with this friend in mind. I am SO happy to be able to use it for her now!

Here are some photos of the completed project:

I was given a lovely baby gift in this basket so I'm passing it along. A couple of other items in the basket that I did not make - the organic teddy bear and a small little coloring project for the 5 year old big sister.

Here are most of the items I made - starting clockwise: burp clothes, breastfeeding cover, rattle, fleece blanket with satin trim (much harder to sew than it looks!), travel changing pad, and cover for changing pad.

Left: remaining homemade items - baby pants, bib, and hat/Right: close up of rattle.

Matching card.

I did pull together a couple of items for our Little Girl when I had the sewing machine out. I made a couple more "girly" burp cloths since I only had two others, which I also made, and some bibs. She's been needing bibs but it's a challenge to get out shopping with two little kids in tow. I purchased this super soft flannel as remnants ($2 total for 2 yards).

I used a button from my mother-in-law's button collection - I think it adds a nice touch and will avoid scratching the neck from velcro.

Since I could not get to the store to purchase bibs and burp clothes, I probably saved $20. And this has been a trend since Little Girl was born. I'm getting to the store less and less - we saved 40% from our normal month spending in January. Interesting, huh? I never thought having another child would save us money!

I am so grateful I have not had to endure all the pains having babies that my friend is currently enduring. Hence, I have to include a couple of photos of my sweet treasures...

Left: T Rex sitting on top of my completed project, right: Little Girl modeling her new bib. Side note - Little Girl's hat is homemade, not by me, but by my friend Katie - she is much more skilled in the knitting world than I am! Thank you, Katie!

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