Baby R. is due in March - and I am SOOOOO excited for our friends to meet their little bundle of joy! They aren't finding out gender before baby gets here - so we knew we were going to be working with a "neutral" color scheme / design.
We bounced around LOTS of ideas for fabrics / colors / etc. using a Pinterest board I set up specifically for this project. We were trying to coordinate with a sheet Mama R. found - a cute polka dot that included all the colors she was wanting to use. Suddenly I had a *lightbulb* moment and remembered one of my favorite fabric lines, Simply Color by V and Co. for Moda.
Even better - I had bought a layer cake {for those who don't live / breathe fabric.... layer cakes are stacks of fabric cut to 10.5" square - and include every fabric in the specific line} of Simply Color a WHILE back, and had never opened it up because I had yet to find the perfect project for it. Well.... it was great - I had samples of many of the fabrics we were trying to look at online - and suddenly the vision came together!
Fabric for Baby R.'s nursery - includes grey / aqua vines, green / orange zig-zag, and green diamonds from Simply Color by V & Co. for Moda, Michael Miller's Retro Clover, Remix Polka dot by Robert Kaufman, and Cozy Cotton Alphabet flannel by Kaufman
I set up a "registry" in my Etsy Shop that included the specific items Mama & Papa R. had decided they really wanted for the nursery - two changing pad covers, a throw pillow cover, a valance, and a pennant banner. This allowed friends & family to help them get the custom items they wanted!
The Etsy listings gave a little preview of the fabrics / colors I'd be using for the nursery - since all of the items were custom made after purchase!
We were going for a fun mix-and-match feel - so as the orders started coming in, I had fun playing with fabric combinations and layouts.
Two changing pad covers....
(I LOVE using minky on these... can you imagine how soft it will be on baby's head as they lay there and get their itty bitty diaper changed?!)
A couple burp cloths...
Front
Back
A mutual friend LOVES my owl applique design - so she ordered a coordinating onesie - I think this is one of my favorite owl onesies to date... and I have made a TON of them!
Another friend ordered a carseat cover (perfect for the rainy / cold days here in Washington) - it will also work great as a blanket when baby grows out of the infant carrier (we can just take the straps off!)
(we don't have any infant carriers at our house.....)
Then I had to start thinking about what I wanted to sew and give to the mama-to-be at her baby shower. I was going for cute, hopefully at least one practical thing, and stuff that would continue to pull together the prints / colors.
I decided to do a sling bookshelf. We LOVE these and have three in our house (all of them are overflowing with books!) - it's a great way to customize something commercial (and the fabric slings are SO much cuter than those nylon primary / pastel colored ones that come with the bookshelf!)
Practical, cute, and something I knew Mama R. had loved when I posted the ones I've made for our house!
Then.... I couldn't resist having a little bit of fun.... so I made a couple plushies! :)
Finally.... I sewed up the valance and pennant banner!
I can't wait to see the nursery all set up! Mama & Papa R. had me get some extra fabric to use on the inside of a re-purposed piece of furniture, and there were other adorable handmade items given to Mama R. at her baby shower. Baby R. is going to have a WONDERFUL place to come home to - filled with tons of love.... and handmade adorableness! :)
Oh... and because they are Packers fans, a friend asked me to make a custom onesie.... As a big-time Seahawks fan it was a little tough.... but I still think it turned out adorable!
Projects like this - that give me a little bit of "creative freedom" to mix / match / combine are my favorite - I just love taking a stack of beautiful fabric and making awesome, one-of-a-kind items!
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