DIY For The Nursing Mom

If you are a breastfeeding mom you already know that basically everything nursing related is kind of pricey. It's nice to have the odd thing that helps you in being a little more discreet, as well as bits and bobs to soothe and assist, so I have poked around for as many nursing related tutorials I could find and here is what I came up with:

A Nursing Cover from Prudent Baby

A hardware free Nursing Cover from Craftbits

A "No-Sew Nursing Top" from DIY Maternity

A Heating Pad to soothe and help with mastitis and or engorgement from Martha Stewart

Aromatherapy and Breastfeeding Massage from Everything Mom and Baby

Nursing Tops from Sleeping Baby.net

Converting a Regular Bra into a Nursing Bra from Mamas Worldwide

DIY Nursing Bras from hourglassy

DIY Breast Pads from The Leaky Boob

Home Remedies for Breastfeeding Problems from Motherwear's Breastfeeding Blog

Breastfeeding Pillow Cover from Make Your Own Baby Stuff

Enjoy!

A Very Simple Toy to Make

This is really the simplest "toy" to make. All I used was an empty formula container with the top, and a few tin frozen juice lids (they don't have any sharp edges). Really any container will do, and any lids will do.



Just cut a slit the size of the lids you are using in the top of the container, and you're done. I also covered the container in fabric to make it look a little nicer.

The little dude loves it! He just slides in the lids, runs to me with the container so I can open it and off he goes again. Guess I'll need to drink a lot of juice, cause there are only 4 lids right now - he's keeping me very busy!



It's amazing what will entertain your babes with you barely spending a cent. :)

Favourite Online Crafty Tutorials

Here are a few of my favourite FREE(!) tutorials for crafting your own beautiful gifts, or just to get the handmade holiday, inspiration ball rolling!

Christmas Stockings

Denim Slippers From: 21CenturyDressmakers

Free patterns for projects made from fabric scraps From: TipNut

Travel Car Caddy shown both Here, Here
and Here

Knit Baby Bell Bottoms

A Guitar Strap From: Prudent Baby

The Gratitude Wrap From: Soulemama

The Holiday Hoot Felt Ornament From: Anna Maria Horner

I think I could probably go on and on and on! People are so lovely and generous with their how-to's on their blogs. What would us craft-loving chicks do without the internet??

Stop over @ Plain and Joyful Living- the inspiration behind a Handmade Holiday

How To: Receiving Blankets

These receiving blankets are amazing. Double layered for extra coziness, and unlike store-bought receiving blankets they actually ARE useful and can be wrapped around your whole baby! They are perfect for swaddling. They are such a great size I still use them every night in my one year old's crib.

When we were camping recently it was SO freezing cold, but we had several of these blankets with us and with one on my legs it saved the day (or night!). I am now on a mission to buy two good size flannel sheets and make one for my own bed for this winter.

Need:
2 Pieces of Cotton Flannelette - I get the fabric shop to cut off each piece as long as it is wide
Coordinating thread
Masking Tape

1. Pre-wash and iron your fabric.

2. Lay your first piece of material flat, right side up, on a large enough surface area, and use masking tape to secure corners.
Flannel can be very difficult to keep flat and I picked this tip up online which really does help a little.
Lay your second piece of material centered on top of the other, with the wrong side up. Pin pieces of material together all the way around the outside edge.



3. Machine stitch around outside, 1/2 inch from raw edge of fabric, leaving one gap large enough to fit your hand in.



4. Clip all four corners



5. Using the opening, stick hand in and turn blanket right side out.



6. Go around the outside edge of the blanket, pressing it lightly with an iron, and securing it with pins making sure to fold in the unstitched opening so it looks equal. Hand stitch edge of the folded in opening using a slipstitch, or other subtle stitch.



7. Stitch around entire blanket within 1/2 inch from the edge so you are sure to secure the raw edge on the inside making for a stronger blanket. Obviously you can also zig zag or serge the raw edge before turning in, but of all the blankets my mom has made me (and for how much use they have had) I haven't had any come apart.

Voila!



Best baby shower gift ever!

How-To: Baby Toy Strap

I have found a toy strap for the stroller invaluable while out and about, so I thought I would share with you a simple tutorial for how to make your own. Hope you like it! They are great for snack cups, toys, and sippy cups.

The Goods:
*Easy to sew velcro
*Fabric of your choosing 2" wide by 28" long - It works out to being just under 20" long which seems like the perfect length as it won't hit the ground, but is long enough for the child to play and move the toy about.
*Matching thread

The Details:
Lay your 2 pieces of fabric out and press.




With the right side of the 2 pieces together, stitch the 2 ends and along one side

Turn right side out - You can see the raw, open edge on the left side in the photograph below


Fold in unstitched edge and pin


Stitch around entire strap, fairly close to the edge

Fold one end over 4 inches and press
Stitch in place through all layers where shorter, folded over piece meets the main length of material (You can see this on the left side of the photograph below)


Fold over other end 4 inches, measure and pin 'easy to sew' velcro in place




Ta Da! A handy, dandy, cheap & easy, made from scraps, toy strap! :)


Please NEVER leave your child unattended with this toy strap. Be careful to fasten low enough (don't hang above childs head) on the stroller or car seat to reduce the risk of entanglement or strangulation. Do NOT use on a crib or anywhere child may be unsupervised.

**When I first started making these, I placed velcro on both ends. It isn't long before your little one is quite adept at opening the velcro end nearest them and throwing the toy on the floor despite your efforts to sew them a cute little strap to prevent this very situation. The end without velcro is sturdy, and easily wraps around any toy or sippy/snack cup. Simply wrap the sewn loop around your item, and then pull the velcro end through the sewn loop before securing to your stroller, cart, or car seat.