The Artful Parent: The Intersection of Art and Parenting

In preparation for what is usually a hot summer (hard to believe right now when we just had a frost warning Monday night), I made some lightweight pajamas for Maia. We don’t have AC, so cool nightclothes are especially important in our house. I used the rest of this sheet to make the hippo pajamas above thinking it was very apropos using a sheet for pjs. This photo was taken after she slept in them which is why they are so wrinkled.

For the top I followed the instructions for the peasant blouse at Just Tutes, substituting the simplicity of fold over elastic for the regular elastic. I used FOE for the pants too, although otherwise I followed a pattern I had on hand. Next time I’d probably just use a pair of her pants as a pattern or a simple tutorial such as this one.

I also made a nightgown using some lightweight cotton and the same peasant blouse tutorial, just making it longer. The pajama top above was a tad small, so I enlarged the pattern for the nightgown and ended up with one too large at the neck. I added a couple of darts, though, and it fits perfectly now although doesn’t look quite as professional (the darts were added after the FOE).

I have something to confess. With this latest sewing frenzy, I’ve started entertaining thoughts of making my own cloth diapers. Have any of you done this? I used cloth diapers with Maia and thought that was hippie enough at the time. It never occurred to me to sew them myself. But can they really be that difficult? I’ve been obsessing lately about all the patterns out there, including those on this list. And, what about wool soakers? I haven’t used them but keep coming across them on the web. Do they work? I assume so since people use them, but aren’t they itchy?

I’m on a clothing repurposing kick at the moment and finally made something for myself. Here’s a new shirt for me from a  lightweight button-down men’s shirt. I found the tutorial here at Jezze via whip up. Basically you cut off the collar and the sleeves, make a big pleat in the back and some little ones in the front to gather in the material to fit your frame, and add elastic at the sleeves.

I may make some more for this summer of the growing belly –  there’s plenty of room in these large men’s shirts and they’re better for protecting my skin than the tank tops I usually wear all summer. Also, I  love how they look — kind of old fashioned — and can wear them after the pregnancy.

I followed Jesse’s instructions for the most part but used six pleats in the front instead of four, making the pleats shorter because of the pocket. And in the back I sewed the back pleat down the entire way, rather than just at the very bottom. Also I squared off the bottom of the shirt because I like that look better than the tails in the front and back.

Other things I’ve been doing lately — eating yummy chocolate some friends sent me, making carrot cake cookies, trying to eat healthy despite the above two items, and gardening in short spurts (I’m getting tired much quicker than I usually do).