Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Baby Gifts and New Insanity


Lots of people having babies over the next few months 
so am sending out these baby gifts in the mail. Come this weekend, 
these little balls, bibs and fleece blankets will go to new homes. 
Am always excited when I hear of another happy event, 
not only because I think babies are great and smell nice, 
but also because it means my bib stash gets to shrink a little.



Since we are on the subject of baby stuff, I thought I'd share 
another obsession: these soft balls with a bell in the center 
and ribbon tags all over. I began making them almost three 
years ago when my eldest was teething. I'd noticed that many 
of her softies were unusually pristine save for their laundry tags, 
which were frayed, faded and perpetually damp. I decided then 
that the ideal teething toy was featureless (why waste time 
including ears, nose, hair etc?) but covered with these little tags. 
So set about sewing my favorite shape with folded ribbons and 
ric-rac trims sticking out- the more, the merrier. Then discovered that 
these already existed, and with sincere imitations all around, besides. 
And as blankets! Was gratified to know that there were other odd 
children out there with a tag fetish. So I kept sewing - and giving 
them away. Plus it was such a good way to use up bib remnants. 
The balls in the photos are just some of what I have left after giving 
many away. I finally stopped when I ran out of room to store them. 
Sadly, there is no similarly convenient limitation for bibs, which are 
flat, so that particular addiction has continued unchecked.

I have many happy memories of sewing these while Emily 
(my eldest) was napping. I had just moved into our new home 
and left all my childhood /teenhood sewing machines behind in 
mom's house. My mother-in-law, understanding only slightly 
my almost rabid need for a sewing machine in those early days even 
before we had furniture to speak of, loaned me her old Singer. 
I didn't feel quite ready to jump back in to sewing clothes, having taken 
too long a break from it while in paid employment, 
so baby stuff was the prefect re-entry project. 




When I grew a little bored of the balls, I tried some blocks

and blankets


Along with the balls, I've since given quite a few cubes and blankets 
away and these are what are left. Wish I'd taken pictures of those
 that have left for better homes but that was in the pre-blog days 
and it never crossed my mind that there'd be a reason to.

And here is evidence of further insanity: new fabric I've been 
buying over the past few weeks. Not exactly impulse buying, 
considering how long I stood in the store rationalizing buying 
them. I am pleased to say I know exactly what each piece will 
become. The challenge now is to find the time to make them 
before the weather changes and renders the particular garment useless.

These cotton-lycra knits will become shorts for little girls 
(or maybe pants if I don't get to them by the fall)

These are for secret projects for birthdays, 
so sadly I will have to reveal their outcome only later.

And these (shameful glee) will become more bibs!


6 comments:

  1. Ironically (or coincidentally), I have been wanting to make N a ball and have been experimenting with polygonal pieces instead of orange wedges. Never thought of the tags but N likes to chew on hard things anyway.

    Yours are so nice and ROUND!

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  2. I love those balls so much! Can I be thick skinned and ask if you can make one for Olivier! I would be sooooo grateful. You are so right, babies love those tags! Charlotte always did and now Olivier too! Your stuff are just too cool! btw, can you give me your address want to send you something for your 3 princesses :)

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  3. I'm digging the bunnies and carrots print; that's cool cos the bunnies look silly - always a good sign. Reminds me of 'The Dumb Bunnies'.

    By the way, Bib-makers Anonymous are trying to track you down.

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  4. I love those! So cute! Like I said before, you are really amazing.

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  5. I love the balls!!!! They are so nice. And yes, Kimberley loves those tags too. Wonder why they do. Haha.

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  6. These are so beautiful. My six month old son also plays/chews tags more than the toy itself :)

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