Final Baby Booties

O.K....If you read the previous saga of the baby booties...here's the rest of the story. (Click here for the previous saga...http://peacefulcottagecreations.blogspot.com/2009/03/baby-booties.html.)

I made these blue booties to match a summer outfit I gave my neighbor when she had her baby. She had suggested on the previous pair I gave her that ties would be cute...what a great idea! So, I noodled this one and this is what I came up with...
I used grommets from my scrapbooking supplies...they were the perfect size.The grommet went through both layers of cloth on the booties, but laid very flat and won't cut the baby's foot. This is a picture of my scrapbooking tool kit...This is a picture of the specific tools I used from the kit for this project...From left to right-1. A poking needle tool, to poke the first holes in the fabric for the grommet. 2. Rounded nose pliers, to enlarge the hole for the grommet. 3. The grommet set, this is what you place on the top of the grommet and hit to make the back flatten out and install the grommet. 4. The ball ping hammer, to tap the grommet set.You can find these tools at any scrapbooking or craft store...you can buy them seperately too.
The booties are a cotton outer and muslin lining. The ties are thin satin ribbon.I stitched a zigzag on the bottoms to resemble treads.The stitching around the top was done with a fine, wide zigzag. Start stitching at the little triangular stabilizer at the bottom of the opening and work toward the outer edge. This is done after adding interfacing to the cut out piece and before its stitched together.
Again, this pattern is from http://www.heatherbaileydesign.com/BittyBooties.pdf.

Flannel Baby Blanket

I LOVE these blankets. My mom made me a couple when I had Miss H. They're large enough for throwing over your shoulder and baby when nursing in public, laying on the floor with baby and toys, covering the baby car seat when the car is hot, or covering the baby when the weather is cold and/or raining, covering baby in the crib, or snuggling with baby on the couch. The size is good for toddlers too. This blanket is extremely long lasting and versatile. Don't be afraid to use these in the summer too.

Supplies
*2 5/8 yards of good quality flannel in a baby print (The actual measurement is two and a half yards, but my fabric store has notoriously bad cutters...they always cut my fabric crooked and I have to trim off at least a couple of inches.)
*thread to coordinate with the flannel
*embroidery hoop (optional)
*embroidery floss to coordinate with the flannel (optional)
*monograms embroidery pattern (optional)

1. Wash, dry, and iron the fabric. (Don't use fabric softener when washing fabric to be sewn.) Fold fabric in half with right sides together and smooth out. Cut the raw edges if necessary to straighten up the end.

1B. (optional) If you wish to embroider the baby's initials on the blanket, choose a corner...making sure any pattern in the fabric is right side up. Iron the monogram onto one side of the blanket and embroider.

2. Pin the fabric together at the corners and a couple of times on each side. Mark the center of one side with double pins, leaving enough room in between to fit your hand in. I leave about 3", but I have a small hand.

3. Starting on one side of the double pins, using a 5/8" seam allowance, sew about 2" and back stitch, then continue sewing all the way around the blanket until you come to the opposite double pins. Back stitch 2". Remove pins. In this picture, you can see where I've left the opening and the backstitching on each side...You can also see where I've already trimmed the excess fabric, leaving it long at the opening.

4. Trim off the excess fabric all the way around, except at the opening.Reach your hand inside and turn right side out. Use a crochet hook, or my favorite tool...a chopstick to press the seams out and straighten out the corners.

5. Iron the edges flat all the way around. Turn the fabric under at the opening until its flush with the seams and iron flat.

6. Choose a decorative stitch on your sewing machine. Make sure your coordinating thread is in the top and bobbin. Stitch all the way around the blanket using the right edge of the presser foot as the guide. In this picture, you can see the small scalloped stitches close to the edges.

7. Wash the blanket again, this time using fabric softener. Flannel gets softer with repeated washings.