Hi there! We're still waiting for Baby #2 to make his appearance (he's five days late and counting!), so I gathered up all my spare energy and used today's naptime to start (and finish!) one more sewing project.
You might remember the doll I sewed for Nathan from the Winter 2011-2012 issue of Living Crafts magazine. I made it with the intention of Nathan having his own 'baby' to tend to while I tend to our Baby #2. But like most of the toys I lovingly make myself, this one didn't really grab his attention and got little use.
I can't blame him, really. He's a boy who loves trucks and cars and all things boyish, and he'll probably grow up to be a man's man, like his father. (Does that make him a boy's boy now?) Also, back then I don't think he grasped the "we're having a baby" concept. But now he does, and he started playing with the doll a litlte bit and added him to his core group of "guys" (stuffed animals) that make up his bedtime menagerie. He even said recently, "Soon I'm going to have two babies!" Almost made my heart melt.
So I thought I'd make the baby some accessories so Nathan can actually do something with his own baby while I tend to mine -- I made him a bed with a sheet and pillow. And he loved it!!
After a few minutes of putting the baby to bed and then "waking him up," Nathan asked for clothes for the baby to wear and for some diapers. So next I'll make some felt diapers with velcro closures and will try to figure out how to quickly make some clothing for Nathan to throw over the doll's perma-jammies. I don't think I have time to knit something, yet don't know when I'll have the energy to lug out my sewing machine again and wrap my brain around another custom-designed project.
I wish I'd taken better photos of the bed, sheet and pillow while we had daylight. I tried hard to make the sheet look like a real sheet, although I added some topstitching for extra detail. The striped fabric (from a hand-me-down crib sheet) made it easy to press hems without having to measure, and I eyeballed the size of the sheet and pillow. I even machine sewed the pillow shut after stuffing it, instead of dreaded hand-sewing. I love how it came out!
The bed itself is a cardboard crate from Cuties brand clementines. I wrapped a piece of sheet around it and neatly folded and hot glued the edges onto the bottom of the box. I wish now that I'd also secured the fabric inside the box, but I think the fact that I didn't makes it look more cosy and bed-like and less cardboard-box-like.
I love saving things to use later in crafts (like the clementine crate) and being resourceful with the materials I have on-hand (like the hand-me-down crib sheet I never used because the colors didn't match Nathan's room).
I'll try to feature the baby's diapers and clothing, if I ever get around to creating them before the real baby gets here.... and I haven't forgotten about my last installment of the baby's nursery before the big reveal. I'll try to do it very soon!
You might remember the doll I sewed for Nathan from the Winter 2011-2012 issue of Living Crafts magazine. I made it with the intention of Nathan having his own 'baby' to tend to while I tend to our Baby #2. But like most of the toys I lovingly make myself, this one didn't really grab his attention and got little use.
I can't blame him, really. He's a boy who loves trucks and cars and all things boyish, and he'll probably grow up to be a man's man, like his father. (Does that make him a boy's boy now?) Also, back then I don't think he grasped the "we're having a baby" concept. But now he does, and he started playing with the doll a litlte bit and added him to his core group of "guys" (stuffed animals) that make up his bedtime menagerie. He even said recently, "Soon I'm going to have two babies!" Almost made my heart melt.
So I thought I'd make the baby some accessories so Nathan can actually do something with his own baby while I tend to mine -- I made him a bed with a sheet and pillow. And he loved it!!
Naptime for baby!
Put him somewhere good for safe keeping.
Naptime's over!
Time to get grabbed in the face!
It's bedtime now!
Tucking him in.
Happy boy.
Good night kiss for baby.
He's actually reading him a bedtime story! I love how this sweet boy pretends. I love this sweet boy!
After a few minutes of putting the baby to bed and then "waking him up," Nathan asked for clothes for the baby to wear and for some diapers. So next I'll make some felt diapers with velcro closures and will try to figure out how to quickly make some clothing for Nathan to throw over the doll's perma-jammies. I don't think I have time to knit something, yet don't know when I'll have the energy to lug out my sewing machine again and wrap my brain around another custom-designed project.
I wish I'd taken better photos of the bed, sheet and pillow while we had daylight. I tried hard to make the sheet look like a real sheet, although I added some topstitching for extra detail. The striped fabric (from a hand-me-down crib sheet) made it easy to press hems without having to measure, and I eyeballed the size of the sheet and pillow. I even machine sewed the pillow shut after stuffing it, instead of dreaded hand-sewing. I love how it came out!
The bed itself is a cardboard crate from Cuties brand clementines. I wrapped a piece of sheet around it and neatly folded and hot glued the edges onto the bottom of the box. I wish now that I'd also secured the fabric inside the box, but I think the fact that I didn't makes it look more cosy and bed-like and less cardboard-box-like.
I love saving things to use later in crafts (like the clementine crate) and being resourceful with the materials I have on-hand (like the hand-me-down crib sheet I never used because the colors didn't match Nathan's room).
I'll try to feature the baby's diapers and clothing, if I ever get around to creating them before the real baby gets here.... and I haven't forgotten about my last installment of the baby's nursery before the big reveal. I'll try to do it very soon!
Well, as you saw in my post about Dusty, my seven year old boy still LOVES his "doll". Dusty is a man's man and last night his belt was loaded up with Bionicle parts (weapons?)...his role has changed over the years, and he is sometimes the swarthy, manly hero, and at others the skinny, pathetic victim of many an evil plot by other toys. I bought some new baby dolls for my Kindergarten classroom this year and have been pleasantly surprised to see that they get as much play (if not more) from the boys as from the girls. I expect a few of the boys (or most?) have never really had access to doll play.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck as you wait out these last days...I know the feeling (my first two were 11 days and 7 days "overdue")...those days can be long!
Aw! That is so sweet! My youngest son is 6 and plays regularly with his doll (Heddy) including him having a hair makeover recent ;-/
ReplyDeleteDoll-play is really very important for small children - although the problem I now have is that my younger children do get a bit over-excited with wanting to dress their baby sister (and will argue over who gets to hold her *sigh*)