It feels so good to finish a project. And this feeling is multiplied when the end result is a gift for someone you cherish. My friend Andrea is one of those friends. She is as close as a sister and loves my children like they were her own. On the night before we left Indy for good, she sat me down and told me that she was pregnant with her first child. I wish I could have been there through the pregnancy and birth of my sweet friend's baby girl, but since the Lord had other plans, I decided to be supportive in another way. This is the project I've been working on:
Not a sling, not a fanny pack (!) This gorgeous, giant diaper bag is from Amy Butler's book Little Stitches for Little Ones. The pattern says it is for an experienced seamstress, and that is no exaggeration! It is super-interfaced, fully-lined, has bottle pockets and cell phone pockets...the pockets are even interface and lined! I haven't used a commercial pattern in a long time, so it was fun to let someone else tell me what to do.
The rolled up changing pad in the bag is also in the book. And did I mention this bag is huge? Andrea could easily tote the baby herself inside for at least 6 months. Donnie said she could use it as a duffel when she leaves for college! Yeah, it's big.
This little diaper stacker also went along in the package to Indy. The main fabric is one of the sheets that Andrea chose for the bedding. The dots were left over from the changing pad. She chose this soothing color palette because she did not find out the gender of the baby before the birth. That might be exciting for Mama, but it was infuriating for friends and family. The baby was a girl (I KNEW it!) and they named her Juliette Rose--probably the most romantic name possible. So after working so long with soothing colors I decided to make her something a little more vibrant...
I'll show a progress shot later. But here's a peek at the raw materials.
Definitely not gender neutral.
