DIY Seed Sack Stroller Bag

Before Chisum was born, and when I was patiently waiting for his arrival, I started a little DIY project.

My grandpa had given me a couple of seed sacks and I’ve been holding on to them for awhile to figure out the perfect project. He told me these sacks used to hold alfalfa seed and were from the 1950’s.

 

I found this tutorial for a stroller bag on Pinterest. I modified my bag some. I didn’t put outside pockets because I wanted to feature the print on the seed sack. Instead, I added inside pockets, as well as an adjustable shoulder strap and handles so I can carry it off of the stroller as well.

Baby Nursery Tour

With a week before Baby Pope is due to be born, we’re happy with the outcome of the room for him/her to come home to. After the sneak peek I posted in July, I’ve completed quite a bit of sewing and Ronny has helped a lot with reorganizing.

I was inspired for the colors of the room from the fabric {Moda’s Baby Jane} that I used to make the crib quilt. I also liked the vintage/antique feel for decorations, so I found a lot of the decorations from antique stores and from Ronny and I’s childhood.

My grandparents gave us this beautiful, antique dresser for baby’s room. It is the perfect size for the changing pad and a bin for easy access to diapers, wipes, and creams.

The wall collage was a work in progress that I’ve been collecting for some time. I’m thankful for Ronny and his measuring tape/level skills. He made sure it was all even. I would have just eyeballed it. :)

I made this small quilt hanging out of scrap fabric from my quilt. It was my first paper-piecing quilting project. I used this cow pattern, and included mini-flying geese as well. When putting on the binding, I included large, white rick-rack and hung the wall hanging inside of a frame I found from Goodwill that I spray painted white.

This year when we were visiting the National Western Stock Show, I came across this poem call, “The Tradition” and I loved the ending paragraph. Frame also found at Goodwill.

I love Golden Books. And since this book had a cow and the perfect colors for the baby’s room, I framed it (in another spray painted frame from Goodwill.)

This piece is a yarn art that I found in my grade-school crafts box. I’m not sure when I created it, but I love the colors. It was hung in my office, but I switched frames.

I left one small square frame to put a baby picture in.

I also made the crib mobile. Using this tutorial, I simply printed out the steer and bird silhouettes for the pattern. I made fabric/batting sandwiches, sewed around the steers and birds, then cut them out. I used Fray Check to keep the edges from fraying. Then I used embroidery floss to attach each one and tied to an embroidery hoop. Ronny said baby will get to start their livestock judging skills early with this pen of five. :)
 

The other side of the room includes our glider chair (that I originally got for my office), book shelf, Ronny’s childhood rocker and bear, pallet shelf and the laundry basket that I scored at a craft show.

This shelf was passed down from Ronny’s family. I found the wood crate and freezer basket at antique stores for books, and my friend, Maggie gave us the FEED wire basket that I’m using for toys. My friend, Georgia’s dad repurposed the lamp and painted it turquoise. I love it!

I think Ronny’s nesting kicked in before mine because he organized the whole closet!

We are using this basinet that was my Dad’s, and each one of us kids slept in. The frame above it is from the Colorado Baby Shower where my family and “mom’s” each included a Bible verse.

For the sewing projects, I used the sizing for the crib skirt from this tutorial I found on Pinterest, but instead of velcro, I attached ribbons. I liked the idea of using ribbons to tie on the skirt so I can easily move it up as I move the mattress down. I incorporated the flying geese pattern that I used on the quilt as well.

I struggled to find a changing pad cover online to buy, so I used this tutorial to make my own. I had a strip of the turquoise, ABC’s fabric so I put it in there for some fun color.

The last thing not in nursery right now, but is a nice addition for Baby Pope coming is this beautiful rocking chair from Grandpa and Grandma Bailey. We picked it out at a local Amish store, and I love that I’ll be able to do lots of rocking and cuddling in it very soon!

Baby Quilt–Flying Geese & Chevron pattern

Four weeks before Baby Pope is expected to arrive, and I’m finally getting his/her quilt finished. I started it mid-June and just created my own pattern based on this picture I found on Pinterest.

I fell in love with the Baby Jane fabric by Moda – especially since it had the perfect color turquoise, and the red, golden yellow and gray were neutral colors for the baby’s room. I ordered the charm pack and cut them in half diagonally.

I arranged the rows with alternating triangles to form a chevron/semi-flying geese pattern. I really wanted to include flying geese in this quilt in a fun, modern way. I did use the traditional flying geese on the back of the quilt.

When I finished the top & back, I sent it off to my favorite quilting lady in Omaha, Aimee at Splendid Stitches and she did a fantastic job with the quilting.

I used the turquoise-colored fabric for the binding. I’m so fortunate that my grandma switched sewing machines with me so I could use her awesome machine with fun designs for the binding. I’m pretty sure after she uses my dinky/simple machine, she’ll want hers back pretty quick! But I loved playing with hers.

Next up to finish: crib skirt and changing pad cover. Then we’ll just need a baby!

Throughout this whole summer, I thought I’d have plenty of time/energy to finish these projects. I’m going to finish in time, but wish I’d worked on them earlier in my 2nd trimester when I definitely had more energy!

DIY Pillow Shams

To match the quilt I made for my sister (almost finished!), I made matching pillow shams that I gave to her this weekend.

DIY Pillow Sham Tutorial

I put together my own pattern, but you could make these with any pattern or solid piece of fabric. It’s important to measure the pillow you’re going to use for the sham. I used a standard pillow and cut the following pieces of fabric (times two for two shams):

• Front – 31 1/4 in. length x 23 in. height
• Back – 35 in. length x 23 in. height
• Interfacing – same size as front

I wanted to use a heavy interfacing to hold up the sham nicely. The type I found was 20 inch - too short height-wise, so I added 3 1/4 extra inches to the bottom and sewed it on with a zig-zag stitch and a 1/4 inch overlay.

Once the interfacing is the correct size, lay the top of the sham right-side up on top of the interfacing.

To create the back piece with an opening to easily insert your pillow, you’ll need to cut the back piece. It really doesn’t matter the exact area of where to cut, but I measured over 16 inches and cut through the middle, top to bottom. Label your left and right sides and keep right sides up. I did this with the blue and yellow pins.
 

You’ll be hemming the left side of one rectangle and the right side of the other.  Fold over 1/2 inch and press. Hem each one.

Lay the left side of your backing right-side down (back of hem facing out). Pin in place.

Then position the right side of the backing right-side down. Pin in place. The two small rectangles will overlap, which is how you’ll insert the pillow when you’re done.

Sew all the way around with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Trim corners and fold inside out. That’s the beauty of these shams! Poke the corners out with the tips of scissors or a pencil. Iron the seam all the way around.

Measure your pillow to double check the size for the border. I created mine with a little more than a 2 inch border. You want the pillow to be snug, but fit correctly, so I made my border 2 1/4 inch in from the edge.  

Now you’ll sew it again, while it’s right side out, to create the border. I measured in 2 1/4 inch at each corner and made a mark.

Some machines have measurements on them, but I just made a small black mark on my machine at the 2 1/4 inch mark (so I didn’t have to mark my fabric all the way around) and followed around the entire pillow sham.

Insert your pillow through the opening in the back, and you’re done!