Project #10 Boutique Style Baby Blanket

Molly and I needed to catch up on some baby gifts and also make some items for a charity auction basket so we dug into our stash and made a couple of these blankets, some burp cloths and bibs. This is a pretty easy project yet has quite a "Wow" factor! Sarah, this one's for you! Instructions for making the blankie you admired last night. (I told you there would be shout out for you on the Tuesday's blog!)

Fabric required:
Baby Satin or Pajama Satin (Washable - not prom dress satin, if you will!)
Minkie or Baby Chenille

Cut satin to 35"x40"
Cut Minkie/Chenille to 30"x35"

Lay wrong sides together, minkie centered over satin.

Carefully fold satin over minkie and fold under a scant 1/4 inch hem and pin as you go.

Fold and miter your corners. This part is a tiny bit tricky, just takes a bit of practice! Even if this is not done perfectly, it is really OK. My favorite baby blankie, we will call it "Hugga" for the purposes of this blog, had messed up corners. It was my favorite place to stroke and rub for comfort. Hugga now sleeps with Lindsay. Messed up corners and all.

Me Pinning. Note the "I Voted Today" Sticker.

Topstitch close to the edge of the satin.

Do a pivot turn and stitch your corners. Start the next side.

Fold, roll, and tie with a fabulous bow. Now you have a very impressive gift. Who wouldn't want one of these?

Baby Z trying it out - just to make sure it was baby approved!

And Baby K rolling on the floor of the sewing room/her bedroom with her Elephant "Tangles."

Today's lunch. Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Dr. Pepper - nothing like an ice cold Dr. Pepper! Not a fruit or vegetable in sight. A Grilled Cheese Sandwich made with real plastic cheese (Today it was velveeta, generic Kroger Velveeta to be exact, Kraft singles could work, whatever plastic cheese you prefer.) This is actually the best way to make one. I promise. I have a fridge full of expensive fancy cheeses. We like them - they have their place. But for grilled cheese? Plastic is the way to go! Tastes just like one from Sonic. Or Red Robin.

Project #9 Mending Steve's Clothes - totally boring.

It seems our blog posts tend to have a theme - something fun and crafty as well as something that is developing a homemaking skill - canning, jams, etc. Well, today's installment is "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." Steve has started to say he needs some wardrobe updates, his shirts are showing some age and it is time to get a couple new ones. I remembered I had this basket in my sewing room full of clothes that needed repairs. And they have sat. And sat. And sat. So, I decided to tackle them! All of these clothes were in perfectly fine, practically new condition, they had just been unfortunate victims of door knobs or nails or something or had crummy buttons that kept cracking. One shirt needed 3 new buttons. Two shirts had tears near the tail - where they will be tucked in. One shirt was a gift and since Steve will not wear a long sleeve shirt to work, it was waiting to have the sleeves shortened. (I have done this with a fair number of his work shirts - no one would ever know). A pair of pants had a tear near a back pocket. Same with a pair of shorts. I don't have a bunch of pictures of the afters or really close-ups of the befores but you get the idea. Fix stuff. It is easy. Why go out and spend easily $150+ on 4 work shirts, 1 pair of pants and 1 pair of shorts when I can fix ones he already has?