Cassie Wernli: The benefits of having a sewing machine

Gosh, I've had a lot of sewing projects lately. I think most of it stems from the fact that we have to pay $6000 of our baby bills up front before insurance will pay for any of it- yes, our insurance stinks. We thought it would be $3000, but recently got surprised by the double expense of it. So, I've been trying to 'boyify' our baby stuff myself instead of buying things. So, here's what I've been up to...

We needed boy curtains for the baby room that weren't hot pink. So I bought brown ones, and hemmed them because they were too long. Easy peasy, I know, but there's a point to this...

I have these basket things that go under our bassinet that have pink cloth liners. I used the extra material from the curtains I hemmed and made brown cloth liners.

Then the bassinet needed boy ribbon instead of pink, so here's the finished product. I just bought the ribbon, and then the baskets are on the bottom. Total cost: 3.75

I also think the bassinet it a bit uncomfy with just a teeny tiny pad to go inside, so I made an additional pad. It looks like a body pillow a bit, but it fits perfectly in the bassinet under the original vinyl pad. Cost: $6.00 Joanne's was having a sale...

A few months ago I got a new laptop because my cute little netbook broke. My netbook fit in my purse, my laptop does not. So, I needed something to carry my laptop in. It's essentially a purse, but it fits my laptop perfectly. Total cost: $5.00

I'm a big time swaddler mom, and all my babies have been winter babies. With the girls, I got a hand-me-down travel swaddler where there were little feeties in the blanket so you can buckle the baby into the carseat while still being swaddled. I LOVED it with my girls, but it's pink. I searched all over the internet for a boy swaddler, and this was the best I found. But, I didn't like that the bottom went all the way to the baby's waist. Who wants to spend the time shimmying a baby in up to the waist? So I just seam-ripped the sides and made it a flap instead.

Also, I'm a silky mom. My girls love their little comforts, and I wanted a silky for my boy. BUT, I learned with my girls that I want two identical ones, so I can wash one and the baby can still have another, and I didn't want them huge. I didn't want them teeny tiny either, like the little ones they sell at the stores. So, I made them. A) It was cheaper, and B) They are the perfect size. I know they look exactly like something you'd buy at the store (not quite original), but they are custom fit and cheaper. And yes, I put a tag on the bottom right. I couldn't help myself. My girls love the tags on their silkies. I think the total cost on this one, for two blankets, because of the soft baby fabric on top, was $20. Not great, but that darn baby fabric is expensive!