Blogging the Sweet Things in Life

A Plan... for the house

2012-01-11T11:18:00.000-07:00

This goal is easy. One improvement to the house each week. It can big or small, just as long as it's something. That should be easy... right? Is it bad I'm setting the standards fairly low so they are consistently attainable? Knowing that weeks pass speedy quick these days, one improvement is as realistic as I can be and still feel like I'm moving in a forward direction. I put "home decorating/improvements" on hold last summer while we went into summer class/vacation/yard improvement mode and here we are in January still treading water. Keeping up with this goal means I should come out with at least 50-ish improvements of one sort or the other. I'll take that!

Home Improvement #1 The Family China

I never planned on having China. My Midwest, middle class family never had China nor did I ever have a desire to own any. This summer however, we inherited a rather large 8 person set of Noritake Ivory China (I'm a total greenie here, I honestly have no idea what this brand means.). This set was a gift from my husbands Father to his future wife's Mother, my husbands Maternal Grandmother. The set is truly beautiful, understated and with silver accents. Knowing my Father in law had this sent home to what he hoped would be his Mother in Law in the middle of a war he hoped he would return from, makes it an important part of our family history that deserves to be passed on to future generations.

But having China means having a China cabinet right? I don't have space, nor the desire for a China hutch, besides it's rare to find a China hutch in a contemporary style that is not so obtrusive as to take over the entire space. I'm a firm believer that 80% of average American homes are furnished with pieces that are too large for the space, or have too many pieces in a room.

Here's the chosen corner, sparsely occupied by a tree, a light, the wireless dog perimeter-ma-bob and roomba, not exactly appealing.

Then I found it, at Bed, Bath, & Beyond of all places. Not particularly expensive, not overly large and just the style I was looking for! It is not a China hutch at all, but rather a glass front bookshelf and I couldn't be more happy with it.

A Plan... for Dinner

2012-01-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

This week it's all about having a plan! Life runs smoother with a plan. Our day flows better with a plan. We stay on budget better with a plan (and cash envelopes!).

Meal Plans are the same way. I save money when I do a meal plan. I love having a meal plan because I don't have to rack my busy brain at 4:30pm to figure out

A) what the kids will eat and
B) what I have the ingredients for on hand

We participate in the Bountiful Baskets Produce Coop which is a fantastic opportunity to keep myself inline with a meal plan. Every Saturday morning I clean out the refrigerator in preparation for our basket. That evening I sit down and plan the week's meal around the fruits and vegetables in our basket. I'm a supporting member at AllRecipes.com where for a small annual cost I can customize my own menus and edit and print the coordinating grocery list.

This week our basket consisted of Romaine lettuce, spinach, radishes, broccoli, avocados, tomatoes, cucumber, blackberries, grapes bananas, Asian pears, fuji apples, and clementine nectarines. It's a fantastic value for just $15!

I also got an extra vegetable pack with an Italian theme that included; Eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, yellow onions, red onion, garlic, Italian parsley, Rosemary, Thyme, and Basil for an extra $8.50.

And this is how it translates into a Meal Plan for dinner.

Sunday

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast with fresh spinach
Alyson's Broccoli Salad is always a favorite, although steamed broccoli would also be good

Monday

Supreme Calzone

Calzones Cheese and pepperoni for the kiddos, supreme for Mom and Dad

Side Salad

Apple Crisp for Desert

Tuesday
Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini
Sweet Dinner Rolls are a huge hit and a standard in our house
Blackberry Cobbler

Wednesday
Lasagna
Side Salad
Cheesy Garlic Biscuits

Thursday
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Rosemary Au Gratin Potatoes
Apple Cranberry Cobbler

Friday


Italian Topped Garlic Bread and Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan
Side Salad
Italian Topped Garlic Bread

Boondocking the Bighorns Part 2

2011-09-22T03:39:00.002-06:00

The Climb

We rode to Black Mountain for a shorter day ride. The first part of the trail was very straightforward. There was a parking area and a sign about the fire lookout at the end of the trail.

At this point the trail got pretty technical for ATV riding with youngsters, so we parked them. Someone said, "It's only one mile. That's not a bad hike" I'm sure it wasn't me...

What the sign didn't say was that it was one mile and a climb of approximately 657 feet. (Google Earth)

The old outhouse is before the last very steep assent.

Not something I would want to have to do when the call of nature presented.

At this point my Mommy radar is in full alert. Even now I question my parenting choices at this point. Scale is hard to represent in a photograph, but yes that's very narrow and off to the right is very steep.

See the Mommy death grip?

It's a fire lookout for a very good reason, because you can see for miles and miles in every direction.

Only two children are in the photo because I still had the death grip on the little one.

We stopped to watch the cloud shadows for awhile.

Beneath our feet and through the slats it was a long drop to the boulders below.

The picture at the top of this post? It's taken from the road you can see here.

It's a bit more relaxing on the way back down the trail.

Although Big Brother still means business.

Wow! That was definitely an adventure and quite a notable accomplishment for six little legs (and four old ones). You can see the lookout from just about anywhere in this area, so we would often point it out to the kids. "Not everyone can say they've climbed to the very tip top of that mountain!"

The Lake

After a beautiful 30 mile ride from camp, we stopped to play at Park Reservoir. These photos were taken in August at the height of the summer, and you can still see snow on the mountains in the distance.

We've lost the shoes....

We've lost the clothes!

Yes, the water was really that clear as far out as you could see.

The Falls

Shell Falls is along the road heading to Greybull, WY. There's a lovely visitors center and a nicely paved trail to the high points of the Shell Creek waterfalls. This time it was an easy hike.

Along the drive through Shell Canyon you will see the devastation caused by the Douglas Fir Bark Beetle. For miles the mountain sides are brown and dead, tinderboxes ripe for wildfire.

Some areas have been thinned for this very reason.

The Studio

My very awesomesauce husband has rigged our Raptor up with an inverter. One of many excellent RV mods brought on by the RV.net crowd. What does that mean? It means we can run 110V electronics without having to run the generator. It means on a cold, wet day we can stay inside and play board games and watch movies. Yes, I'm well aware that many folks don't consider this "real" camping. That's fine with me if they're the ones shivering in a cold, wet tent. It also means Mommy can do some sewing!

Clear out the toys... and roll out the carpet!

I don't usually have the screen room down, but these trails are multi-use and the horseback riding crowd that had been here just before we arrived left a few too many flying friends for our comfort.

Babylock Imagine serger and Viking 950E sewing machine

I do have backup machines that are supposed to be the mobile units, but it's hard to leave your babies behind. I'm not sure I remember how to adjust the serger tension on the old Brother anymore, or at least I don't want to remember.

Packing up

No one was ready to leave. No one ever is, but eventually the 80 gallons of water are used, the black tank is full, and school is starting in just three more days. That means it's time to go home.

Line 'em up

Hook 'er up

Shiny navigates us down the mountain.

Did you miss Part 1 of our adventure? Check it out here.

Boondocking the Bighorns Part 1

2011-09-21T14:14:00.001-06:00

According to the folks over at RV.net boondocking is (roughly) defined as "wilderness or primitive camping out in the "boondocks." Natural beauty with little or no (noisy) neighbors. This type of camping (usually in Public Lands like State, BLM, and National Forests) is usually FREE. Just find a place and park."

And that's our style of camping! One of our favorite boondocking sites are the Bighorn Mountain range in northern Wyoming. In just a few hours drivewe're on top of the mountain and a world away! There is no cell phone service, no wi fi, no emails, no internet. We didn't look at a watch the entire week. Living without time constraints is odd... and freeing!

The Rig

Love the way the new (to us) F350 pulls! Ba-Bye Duramax.

We love our Raptor!

The Campsite

The campsite at sunset

roasting marshmallows

It's not camping without s'mores!

The propane line on the grill was leaking, so we cooked dinner over the firepit all week. Yum!

Daddy Time!

The Guard Dog that was afraid of all the deer!

Jenna picked a wildflower bouquet when we arrived. It was beautiful all week long!

The Riding...

Ready to ride!

Riding with Dad

Views from the trails...

The Bull Moose

This was only one of three or four moose we saw, but he was easily the closest and the biggest. He was just a stones throw from the parking area at a fishing access.

Don't miss part 2 including, the climb to the top of Lookout Mountain, playing in a mountain top lake, and the mobile sewing studio!

The Jelly Roll Twirl Skirt

2011-08-05T00:17:00.004-06:00

This tutorial is for a straightforward, easy to sew twirl skirt. Be prepared for ultimate twirl!

Supplies:
1 jelly roll for sizes 5-6 and up, 1 honey bun for anything smaller
elastic of your choice

You need a sewing machine or a serger with a ruffle foot and a sewing machine for topstiching. It’s helpful if you know the striaght to ruffle ratio of your foot, but it’s not necessary (I’ll show you how to do that in another tutorial). I will also show you how to do an adjustable waistband with buttonhole elastic.

Before you start you’ll need an idea of the length you want the finished skirt. This is a very forgiving project. I sew the way a chef eyeballs ingredients, by what looks and feels right instead of by strict measurements. It’s easier to sew from the bottom up because you’ll be working with two flat pieces, but you’ll need a good idea of your ruffle ratio and plan your layout ahead of time. Sewing from the top down makes it easy to add length and fluff as you go. For this tutorial the directions are given from the bottom up.

Begin by laying out your strips to get a good variation of color and print. You need at least double your child's waist measurement along the top row. Every two rows you’ll need to add additional strips to account for ruffling. My machine sews an approximate 2:1 ruffle ratio, so for every one yard of flat fabric I’ll get two yards ruffled so I need to increase strips twice with each increase. It’s better to have more length than not enough, so don’t try to skimp here.

Sew or serge the first row of strips together end to end with a regular flat overlock stitch. Now you have one very long strip.

Cut the first print of the second row in half then sew the second row together end to end. This will give you a “subway tile” look when you sew it to the row above.

Sew the first and second rows together. If you are working with a directional print, take care to keep the print direction correct. Press the seam up and topstitch it.

Double the number of strips in your third and fourth rows and sew them together in the same way. Press your seam up and topstitch. I’m using monofilament thread so it is not readily visible over the print.

Double the amount of strips you did in the third/fourth row sets for the fifth/sixth row and sew them together in the same way. By this point you are working with very, very, very long rows!

You may wish to do a final single increased row along the bottom for extra fluffiness.

Serge the bottom of the last row, press under and topstitch. It’s much better to do this now when it’s flat, trust me :)

Get your machine set up for ruffling and don’t forget to adjust the feed dogs so it pushs the ruffled fabric together as much as possible.

Ruffle the bottom row to the ones right above it. The bottom (longest) row will be the ruffled fabric, the shorter strip will be flat.

Press the seam up

Topstitch the seam. This is key, don’t skip this step!

Follow the same steps adding onto the next set of rows above, always pressing the seams up and topstitching them as you go.

Serge or overlock the top of the upper most row. Press the row down in half horizontally. This is going to be your casing for your elastic.

Serge a curved notch out of the top half of the waist casing on both sides.

Serge the sides of the skirt together taking care to chain off at the bottom of the curved notch.

Topstitch the casing down all the way around. The notched edges will remain open for elastic and to allow for future elastic adjustments.

Fold one end of your buttonhole elastic under and stitch to prevent fraying.

Run your elastic through your casing with a safety pin.

Making sure to leave ample elastic length for your child’s growth, fold the remaining side of the elastic under and attach the appropriate size button.

Now you can button it to the current waist width, and have easy access to adjust the elastic as you may need in the future.

Guess what?? You’re done!!! One little girls dream twirly skirt complete with layers of lovely ruffles.

A few final notes. This tutorial is written for a ruffle foot. You can make it old school style by running a long basting stitch and pulling the ruffles together by hand. It is time consuming but can be done.

You can also get an even fuller, more petticoat style skirt by ruffling every single row. Take care to do your math to be sure you’ll have enough strips for the length you desire.

Please consider sharing your Twirl Skirt pictures on our Flicker group here.

Thoughts on Exposing our Children to Breastfeeding

2011-07-20T01:36:00.004-06:00

The first I had heard about the release of The Breast Milk Baby Doll was from this (hilarious) blog post by Mom-101 on the subject. Sure enough the local news posted a facebook comment and here come the crazies. Really, should I be surprised?

What did surprise me was a number of people who were clearly breastfeeding friendly, and yet still concerned about "promoting breastfeeding at such a young age". That my friends is entirely the point.

So long as we whisper about it, scoot our youngsters the opposite way of a nursing Mother, or side step their innocent questions about what she's doing we will never overcome the stigma that surrounds breastfeeding in this country. If we want breastfeeding to become the norm, then we as a society have to treat it as normal!

People need to put aside their personal sexualization of a woman's breast and understand that to young children they are not sexual objects. It is a much easier concept for children to grasp that breasts are made for feeding baby humans then it is for many adults. We don't hide nursing calves or kittens from our children, why should it be any harder to explain that a Mother is giving her baby milk. When we stop being embarrassed to explain breastfeeding to our children we can begin to change the perception that it's naughty, sexual, or inappropriate in public into the understanding that it's normal.

My children are all quite close in age, around 2 years apart from each other. I couldn't have kept my children from seeing me nurse if I had wanted to, and I'm not sure why I would have wanted to. Someone always needs Mom to wipe a bottom, pour a drink, or wipe a nose and they don't really care what you are doing at the time. I'm sure I explained the feeding the baby milk process at some point, but I honestly don't remember specifically how it went down. I'm sure I explained it matter-of-factly in a way they could understand, the way I've explain a thousand and three other things to them. The kids have always just known that is how you feed a baby, because that is the reality they live in. They fed their stuffed animals and baby dolls this way because that's how Mom fed their baby brother or sister. It was never a question and never an issue. There was nothing sexual about it because they had no knowledge or concept of sex to begin with. It is simply their normal.

If more adults treated nursing Mothers as normal we could pass a healthier attitude down to our children and leave all this controversy behind us. Until then, we still have people who think a toilet is an appropriate place to feed an infant.

Growing into my faith

2011-07-17T09:38:00.000-06:00

I have not been without faith and a relationship with our Holy Father all my life. I grew up in a non religious household and really began seeking out a meaningful relationship with God throughout middle and high school. Over the years I've been close at times, and farther away at times. I imagine that is somewhat normal, thus the prodigal son. It is as I continue to grow into my parent skin though, that I feel more able to understand, appreciate, and even relate to God the Father, albeit on a very limited human level.

Today I was having a conversation with our oldest son. Nothing special, just prodding him to help his younger siblings pick up even if he didn't necessarily get said toys out himself. I reminded him of how many times I pick up after him, even though I'm not the one who made the mess. I do it because I love him and it's a nice thing to do. A thank you is always appreciated, and when I ask him to do it himself I expect to see some effort on his part.

I will admit there are often times when I get in a funk feeling overworked and under appreciated. Often it isn't necessarily something big or important that I do. It's typically small, repetitive, mundane tasks that fill my days. I've often found myself wondering how long I would have to be gone before someone else wiped the toilet down or how horrible it would have to get before anyone even noticed. Would anyone ever put the toilet paper on the actual roll if I died? What would this house look like at a week sans Mom? a month? six months? I shutter!

No I don't want to die, nor will I know or care what the house is like if I do but it is all these little things that sometimes get overwhelming when they seem endless and unappreciated. Sometimes I wonder if they even realize it's been done. Do they realize all the toothpaste goop left in the sink last night is gone the next day? Do they notice when there are no scuffs on the freshly mopped floor? Or is it completely overlooked in the midst of daily life? I don't honestly expect a kudo for cleaning the bathroom, it is what I do under our household arrangement. An occasional helping hand is always nice, or just an effort to keep the house looking nice would be stellar.

This brings me to just a wee glimpse of what our Heavenly Father must feel like. There have been many times I have felt his hand in my life, leading me gently and quietly (if I listen carefully) in the direction I should go. I try to be diligent in thanking him for the blessings he has given us. But how many thousands of small little ways has he cared for me that I completely over looked? Have I even paid close enough attention to notice what he does? How many of my messes did he quietly clean up for me?

I don't expect my eight year old to always have a helpful attitude. He is only eight and I try to be realistic, but it's my job to help him grow into a compassionate and helpful person. I want him to learn to recognize and appreciate the things other people do for him, and to realize how he can in turn help others. It is these moments as I ponder the very things I am trying to teach my children, that I can most clearly see how God is trying to teach me.

I think the housework might feel a little different tomorrow...

Blog reviews and such...

2011-04-21T07:02:00.000-06:00

Our products are being featured in another blog review today (thank you Cloth Diaper Addiction!), so I thought it was a good time to post my policy and thoughts on the blog reviews that have become so common.

If you are not in a small wahm business, you may not realize how many requests we get each week to provide a product for "review" on someone's blog. It is not our policy to participate in these types of promotions. First and foremost, I can't bring myself to believe that the author would be 100% objective to review an item she received for free. As much as I like to hear great things about the products I make, it rings hollow if I'm not sure it's sincere. Secondly, there is an obvious cost associated with giving an item away; a cost measured not only in revenue but also in time (which is a precious commodity in our home). There are certainly occasions where we eagerly donate items, but these are usually to benefit a group or cause, not to garner someone's opinion.

When will you see us participate in blog reviews and giveaways? When we are asked by folks who are already customers! Who better to read a review from then someone who purchased and uses our product in their daily lives? The latest write up at Cloth Diaper Addiction is a perfect example. You can see from her photos that her bag is well used, loved, and washed often. She writes honestly about her experience with our product from the perspective of regular use.

Here are some of the blogs we have been on in the past:

EverydayRebel
Jessica has moved over to The Leaky Boob, which is a fabulously fun blog to read. Every so often I will catch a glimpse of one of our kitchen wetbags in the background of a picture. That's always good for an extra smile!

Rated By Mom
A terrific post about choosing a baby carrier as well as a wetbag post here .

Baby Lets Shop
Shares her conversion to a cloth kitchen.

Cloth Diaper Diaries
A nice little post we had no idea about until a google search :)

meremusings
Has a nice mention among the discussion about menstrual cloth.

Please forgive me if I've missed anyone.

A Cloth Easter Tutorial

2011-04-15T06:45:00.001-06:00

I made my first batch of cloth Easter eggs four years ago and was surprised at a number of extra benefits I hadn't expected. Not only do I have a love for things sustainable and made of beautiful fabric, but the kids enjoyed playing with them long after Easter was over. It's also a fabulous way to enjoy those almost too small to keep scraps that may be piling up in a box in the corner!

A quick note; this project is sewn on a serger so the stitching is easy to see in the pictures. I think it's much easier to sew these on a regular sewing machine though.

The template:

Copy the template onto a stiff card stock. I'm not really a major pattern maker and have no idea how to get this to scale. You can enlarge or reduce as you see fit. My eggs are about 6" tall not including the odd pointy bottom you see.

Cut three pieces

Right sides together sew two pieces together on ONE side. Stitch only along the side of the egg, not down into the pointy part like you see here. Instead give it a good forward/backward reinforcement at the bottom of the egg. It will fold better in the last step this way.

Right sides together, sew the third piece to the two "raw" sides of the prior piece.

Turn the egg right side out. A pencil or knitting needle may be helpful here!

Stuff with your choice of fill. Make sure to push the fill into the tip and down the seams to fill out the shape well. When you think you have enough stuffing, you can probably get a few more puffs in! You can also add crinkly things like plastic bags or bells in this step for an interactive toy. If you do this be certain to whip stitch the bottom very well to prevent it from coming out.

Fold the bottom triangles in one at a time, with the last side folding in on itself. If these are for decorative purposes or older children, you can stop here as they won't come out on their own. If you are sewing for young children or you've added something besides standard filling, whip stitch the bottom closed.

Did I mention how much fun these are to play with after the holiday is long past???

Nifty Idea - Linen bags repurposed

2011-01-31T10:15:00.000-07:00

Have you gotten new linens lately? Don't toss those clear zippered bags just yet! We love to use these as flexible toy organizers. Lets face it, Mr. Potato head just isn't the same without his angry eyes and when you are deeply involved in building with Bob, no one wants to stop the fun to search the house for Scoop.

Solution? We use the clear zippered bags from sheets and bedding to keep toys grouped together in the toy box. Smaller underwear bags with snaps are stellar for keeping Barbie's vast collection of shoes and accessories under control!

Reflections on the Dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

2011-01-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

Martin Luther King, Jr day should be a time of reflection, a day that goes well beyond teaching our children a superficial, cliff notes, "happy ending" story about racism in our country. As we take time to reflect on the words and dreams of Dr. King, I think it's imperative to look into our own lives and interactions to be certain we are showing our children that we are living the ideals we teach them.

Some time ago I mentioned to my Mother how much I appreciated her raising me with a colorblind attitude and that I wasn't sure how she had done it. I never remember considering a person's skin color as a means to judge a person, honestly I never remember thinking much of anything about skin color. I grew up in a very small rural community in Kansas and I'm almost certain there wasn't a single black person in our entire K-12 school. From my adult perspective I know that my best friend was Hispanic but at the time it simply didn't occur to me, nor did it matter.

My Mom reminded me that our family had a history confronting racism , and that I had inevitably heard the stories when I was young. You see my Grandparents moved to a small town in Kansas sometime in the 60's. My young Aunt joined the local Bluebird Group (akin to Girl Scouts) until my Grandmother noticed that each time a black girl would ask to join, the group was suddenly "full". So she decided to lead her own Bluebird group open to anyone who wanted to join.

Today this sounds like a quaint story about a Mom doing what she thought was right. But I think about the resolve it must have taken my Grandma who was new to town and undoubtedly had small town social politics and societal pressures of the 60's to deal with. I look to her example of not taking the easy path, but the right path as a reminder and an inspiration.

It's with this lesson in mind that I strive to parent by example. I am certain that living the lessons my husband and I want our children to learn, in both word and action, is the best way to impart the values that are important to us, like racial equality. I'm grateful for the shining example of love my Grandmother was throughout her life, and the way my Mother carried and nurtured these values in my childhood.

Christmas Morning Rolls

2010-12-24T09:23:00.000-07:00

We have a tradition in our family, and I think once you taste these delicious rolls, you may just make this a Christmas morning tradition in your home to. The best part from a Mother's perspective is that it's all prepared the night before, in less then 1o minutes no less! Christmas morning you just pop it in the oven while the gifting excitement is in full force and wallah, your house will soon smell amazing and the entire family will enjoy.

I would love nothing more then to give credit for this recipe wherever it is due, however I simply have a handwritten card passed on by my Mother in Law.

Christmas Morning Rolls

Ingredients

1 bag (24) frozen dinner rolls

1 pkg. butterscotch pudding mix (3-3/4oz)

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts!)

Arrange frozen rolls in greased fluted tube pan (bunt cake pan). Sprinkle pudding mix over the rolls. Cook butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts over low heat until sugar dissolves and mixture bubbles, stirring constantly. Pour over rolls. Cover tightly with foil and let stand on counter overnight.

On Christmas morning, bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Let stand 5 min, invert on a plate and enjoy this yummy Christmas morning dish!

When Fog Freezes

2010-12-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

An Opportunity for Babywearing Education

2010-03-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

By now you have probably heard about the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s impending warning about baby slings. The internet has lit up with blogs and tweets, facebook pages and forum posts about “bag slings” and safe babywearing techniques. We’re even in the process of adding additional safety information on our own website. The increased attention to safe babywearing is fabulous.

I want to take a moment and turn our attention to the opportunity this gives us, as a collective group of babywearing parents. Most of us are used to the occasional odd look, a concerned comment as you put your little one on your back, or even the rare remark that borders between rude and grossly uninformed. With recent news coverage that is often obscure, uses broad terminology and completely unrelated photos, we should expect public comments to increase in both frequency and passion. As babywearers it’s to our advantage to prepare ourselves a bit for what we will say if and when it happens, to think through our “word tracks” if you will.

Acknowledge Their Concern

First of all, the deaths associated with the Slingrider are tragedies to be certain. As far as I’m aware these parents were using a product in accordance with the instructions and lost the life of their precious child. I cannot imagine their heartbreak. And the concern of the public for the safety of babies is to be commended. It’s important to recognize and acknowledge this!

You might start with something like this:

“It is so sad to hear about those babies and I truly appreciate your concern.”

Address the Problem

The second point is to quickly and accurately identify:

1) The potential problem – positional asphyxiation, what it is and how it happens.

2) How your carrier and babywearing position protects against positional asphyxiation.

This may be the only opportunity the concerned party has to see babywearing techniques up close and in person. It’s important that the information is accurate, clear, and not inflammatory. We are all passionate about babywearing and safety, but people will be most receptive to what you have to say if you are clear and professional about it (another great reason for thinking these situations through before they happen).

You might say something like this:

“The slings you are seeing in the news are very poorly designed. They’re often worn too low on the adult and can position the baby so their chin can fall forward into their chest and hinder their ability to breathe properly (this is a good time to show them exactly what you mean with your chin and chest). But you’ll notice that my ring sling is designed differently. I have the ability to adjust the depth and height of the pouch where the baby goes so I can support his neck and back properly. By wearing him high enough to kiss him, I can always be sure his face isn’t covered and his airway is clear. “

Share Resources

Finally, be prepared to share resources if the concerned party wants to learn more about babywearing safety. Perhaps your local babywearing group has business cards or you may want to consider printing up small business cards with online resources yourself. The manufacturer of your carrier may also be a valuable resource to share.

You might say:

“I’ve put together more information about babywearing if you’re interested in learning more. Please feel free to pass this information on to other Mothers you think might be interested as well!”

Here are just a few resources you may wish to share:

www.babywearinginternational.org

www.babyslingsafety.blogspot.com

www.TheBabywearer.com

The death of yet another baby due to poor sling design is a sad and preventable tragedy. While we can all hope for the recall of “bag style slings” we can also recognize the opportunity this presents for public education about babywearing. After years of living an attachment parenting lifestyle, it is very easy to forget just what I didn’t know before I had children. Through classes, personal relationships, groups like Le Leche League and a variety of online communities my parenting experience continues to grow in diversity, knowledge and understanding. Let us as a community of babywearers continue to share the joys and benefits of safe babywearing with the new parents who are just beginning this amazing journey!

No Serger Required Prefitted – The Sequel: The Stay Dry Stuffable

2010-02-18T16:19:00.001-07:00

In the spirit of the Jedi, I’ve decided to start my blog with a sequel first. The “No Serger Required Prefitted” tutorial was published on Diaper swappers craft chat sub forum on March 10, 2008. With 42,112 views it’s quite a long running thread full of questions, answers, modifications and love. As we near the 2^nd anniversary of The “No Serger Required Prefitted” tutorial, I have a bigger and better prefitted to offer you.

No Serger Required Prefitted – The Sequel:

The Stay Dry Stuffable

This is a very quick and easy project suitable for beginner sewers. I’ve included a number of variations and modifications based on feedback from the previous tutorial as well as some new ideas, like a side snapping alternative.

Let me preface these instructions with the recommendation that you make one diaper to start with. You may find you wish to make modifications based on the fit and once you cut your entire stash of prefolds, there’s no going back. So let’s get started!

Lay out your prefold. Be mindful of the rise you wish to end up with. My premium prefolds measure 18” in length and the finished rise of the prefitted is 16” which is consistent with a size large fitted. Using a diaper with the fit you like, lay the diaper on top of your prefold. Here I have a medium Darling Diaper cut I’m using as a guide.

Cut out one leg, turn it over along the other side and cut the second leg. If you are planning on making multiple prefitteds, I suggest making a template.

Put the cutouts to the side to finish later. Lay out your diaper cut on top of your fleece liner.

*note* you don’t have to use fleece as your liner; it’s just a nice stay dry option that most of us have readily available. Microfleece or Suedecloth would also be great stay dry liners and are less bulky. If you don’t wish to have the stay dry feature, you could also use flannel, hemp, bamboo fleece, velour, or a variety of other diaper fabrics.

Cut along both legs. Fold over the back side tab and cut a straight line where you would like your liner to end, allowing for a ¼” seam allowance.

Do the same for the front.

Now fold your liner in half lengthwise, matching the leg cuts. Cut the second side to match the first.

Lay your liner and prefold cut right sides together. I’ve left the front of this line a little long so I’ll have enough room to turn under later.

*Important note* One side of your leg cut will have more layers then the other. Leaving these layers intact will hinder a good leg gather! Cut those puppies out!!! Leave only four layers of fabric, two on the inside, two on the outside.

Mark the beginning and end of the elastic for the legs.

Sew the end of your elastic securely, starting ¼” in from the edge of your liner.

Affix your elastic using a zigzag stitch with the longest stitch length available. I prefer the 3 step zig zag. Stretch your elastic taunt, release just a tiny bit and sew ¼” in from the leg edge. It’s my perhaps unfounded belief that if you completely stretch the elastic as you sew, it will wear prematurely. I’m not a diaper maker by trade, but after doing many an elastic repair I suspect this is the culprit.

Check that you are happy with the leg gathers at this point.

*Useful tip* If you’re not happy with the leg gathers (likely because of the thick layers of the prefold) you can snip away some excess fabric along the outside of the zigzag stitch. Be careful not to get too close though, otherwise it will fray like crazy after a wash. If you do this you may want to go over the cut edges with some fray check just in case.

Here’s a before:

And an after:

Now reach your hand through the middle of the “tunnel” you just sewed. Grab the tabs and pull right side out.

Separate the tab fabric, two layers on each side.

Fold them each inside on themselves.

Sew together, taking care to sew close enough to the edge to catch all the layers.

Complete for all four tabs. This is what it should look like:

Fold the side of the front liner under and start to top stitch it down beginning where the elastic started. As you near the top, fold the top side under and continue topstitching along the top. As you near the second side, fold under again and continue topstitching. *note* fleece will not fray so folding it under is purely aesthetic. You can easily stitch it down flat as well.

Now the front part of your ‘pocket’ is completely enclosed.

Topstitch the sides of the back the same way, but leave the top/backside open for stuffing.

If you are using pins or snappi’s, you are done!!!!!!

If you are adding snaps, mark your snap placement. Take care to put the male sides close to the edge of the tabs so you won’t get fabric sticking up.

Snaps can be placed for either Hip snapping

Or side snapping

Finishing the soaker

Take the cutouts from the leg openings and unfold them. Trim to the size and shape you desire and finish as you wish. You can either use an overlock stitch or hem, turn and top stitch. I cheated and used the serger here because it is fast and easy. I do recommend quilting down the middle in some fashion. These inserts can wash up pretty fluffy and kind of wonky on their own!

Additional Modifications you may want to consider

If you opt for side snapping, you may find the front tabs go quite a ways around the hips. Here’s a mod for shorter tabs. Cut off the excess tab length, leaving ¼” for seam allowance.

Notch a ¼” square from the serged portion of the top of the prefold.

Tuck the 4 layers (2 and 2) inside on themselves as you did in the earlier step and stitch up!

Here’s a mod for elastic across the back:

After you’ve installed the leg elastic and turned and topstitched the tabs, mark the beginning and end of your backside elastic.

Sew in your elastic in the same manner as your legs, zigzag with a long stitch length and be sure to tack each end down very, very well. I chose to sew the liner down across the back and make the pocket opening in the front. You could also leave the elastic exposed to the inside of the pocket since the liner will be touching baby’s back, not the elastic. Keep in mind, there are a lot of layers of Birdseye on this part of prefolds, so don’t expect huge amounts of gathering.

Wasn’t that quick and easy? Here’s some action shots for more inspiration. In case you’re wondering, yes, I do clean my house multiple times a day. No it doesn’t stay that way more than 5 minutes! That’s real life. You’ll see it a lot on my blog ! :)