Baby Blanket and Booties

I would be remiss if I didn't make an afghan for my new neice! I used lightweight yarns (size 3) to make this project. She will be born in late Spring so I didn't want a heavy blanket for the summer months. But don't be fooled - it is still warm! I was working on it on a couple of the 80 degree days we've had recently...whew!

I also made some little booties to cover the little tootsies. It is hard to believe that a newborn baby is so small, especially once your own baby hits the teen years.

These have been plesant diversions - thoughts of a summer visit, the love I have for my family and the prayers for the new little one in every stitch I've made. I pray for a safe and speedy delivery for my sister and strength and health for them both!

Sissy's Stylin' Diaper Bag

My friend suggested that I keep a photo album of all the projects that I make and give away. I had been thinking that I should have a way of keeping track of the things I've made so I thought, hey why not use this blog I created when I learned to make a blog for my class?


So the project that I have just finished is a diaper bag for my sister's fourth baby. It all started with a phone conversation in which she asked if I would try to make a diaper bag. She had a list of wants and needs as well as a list of dislikes. I guess when you've had more than one child you get a good sense of what you do and do not want. So after combing through my many purse patterns I found one that I could alter to make work. I added bottle pockets, magnetic snaps, a lining and an adjustable single strap.

Then I headed to the local quilt store to find the perfect fabrics. In the end, it really looks nothing like the pattern I used for the shape. Our wonderful "home ec" (they don't call it that anymore) teacher monogrammed the pocket in a demonstration to her class of how to use the embroidery machine.

I took the bag to work to show her and her students and found that several students were eager to learn how to make purses also. Maybe in some way this little project will inspire the creativity of one of our students who will make a lifelong career out of his or her creativity. Or maybe one of them will find a healthy and worthwhile hobby to enjoy for years to come.

I wish I could be there to see her face when she opens the package and sees it for the first time. The hours of thinking and labor that I put into this bag are so minute in comparison to the love I have for my little sister. She is such a good mom. As she uses it daily I hope that she remembers the love, prayers and encouragement I send her way.