Make Room for Baby

The Greatest Show on Earth!

 

 

 

Ladies and gentlemen . . .and big brother, meet Baby Cade! 

 

 

I had so much fun planning this cradle for my friend June.  The creative wheels were spinning.  

My favorite place to check out the latest trends is Macy's Bedding Department.  This is where I found the small print for the main fabric. Sheet fabric has a high thread count and a king or queen set can give you plenty of fabric for a crib bumper, crib skirt, 2 fitted sheets and a baby quilt and pillow.

 

 

To add some whimsy I made small triangles for the 'flags', holding them in place with masking tape. 

I had been saving the large circus theme print for that special project which turned out to be Cade's cradle.  I decided use the print as an applique, using iron-on fusible web. Cutting out each print with a quarter of an inch edge for a small zig zag stitch to secure the iron-on applique. 

 

 

Masking tape also makes a perfect guide line when using trim or topstitching.  I then secured the 'flags' with a straight stitch, using a wide zig zag stitch to secure the chenille cord. It is best if you don't iron over the tape.  I finished the top edge with a bright orange ric rac.

 

Yes, Punky . . .Cades' a keeper!

 
 

 

 

Across the Pond and All-Around

 

 

        This is a story about the Stokke Sleepi Crib and the pretty bumper set that's in it.  

Once upon a time there was a lovely lady in England named Pamela.  She was going to have a baby and wanted to choose her own fabric and make her own bumper for her baby's crib.  She contacted Make Room for Baby about a pattern for the oval crib.  Now, 'Make Room for Baby' had been asked this question many times before, so they had been working on a solution and were just about ready to announce their newest addition.  

Even better, the lovely lady Pamela was coming to visit her lovely mom, soon to be grandmother, on the West Coast. Rather than shipping 'over the Pond', we could ship over the land.   So the delivery of the first 'All-Around Euro Slim' bumper Kit went to grandma's house and from there with Pamela to England to turn into a beautifully made crib set with a matching Patchwork Quilt, just in time for baby.

If you have that round or oval crib or cradle, this DIY baby bumper kit is a one size works for all. It's made extra long, and easy to cut to the length you need.  The simple instructions come with the zipper that runs the full length of the bumper with the specially bonded fiber inside the poly cover.  By specifying your crib being oval or round a paper pattern is included for the fitted sheet.

So, in England right now, there is a happy mommy, looking at her own beautifully designed crib set with her favorite fabric stitched with hugs and kisses surrounding the most precious baby. 

 

 

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little STAR

 

It started with a phone call one morning from a designer I had never worked with.

 She had heard I could do a bumper.

 "Yes, I do bumpers, what do you have in mind?"   

Round Crib, not available, the job's in California.

"What fabric do you have in mind?"

White Linen, Wedding Lace, trimmed with Lavender Satin.

"Sounds pretty, how much time do I have?"

We need it now!

"Do you have the fabric?"

NO, you need to find it.

"Who are the clients?"

Melanie & Antonio.

As in, "Melanie Griffith and Antonio Bandares?!"

Yes.

{True Story}

A Closer Look at the Make Room for Baby Kit

The Make Room for Baby "KIT" includes the following items:

• 6 Bumper Pillow inserts
• 1 Full Length Zipper
• Instructional Booklet - includes the measurements, yardage, drawings and instructions: 

• Bumper
• Crib skirt
• Fitted Sheet

There are no messy pattern pieces because you are only cutting straight lines for the bumper, skirt and sheet, ties and bows.

With a scissors and ruler/yardstick you will be able to cut the pieces out.  If you are a quilter and have a rotary cutter and mat, it is even easier. Also, check out Jo Ann’s Fabric for these items, they often have a 50% sale going on.  If you have never used a rotary cutter and plan to learn sewing, it is a must, and will amaze you how quickly and STRAIGHT you can cut.  

I will get into each step on another entry, but for now, the best way I can explain how the bumper works would be to ask you to pick up a throw pillow on your bed or sofa. If you unzip it, take out the pillow insert, you now have the cover with a zipper on the bottom. The bumper cover will be the same idea of a zippered cover.  The cover will be cut in 12”  high and the lengths depending on the width of the fabric and direction it is cut.  All of this is shown in the instructional booklet.  When this long zippered cover is sewn together, the last thing you do is sew in the divisions creating the 6 pockets, giving you easy access to remove the pillows for laundering or dry cleaning.

THE  ZIPPER

I realized my dread and lothing of zippers came from having to sew the flap which covered the zipper, and never feeling it looked right.  However, for the bumper cover, the zipper is on the bottom of the bumper, it actually is sitting on the zipper.  So, forget about the flap, you are going to simply stitch right along the teeth of the zipper and leave it exposed.

FITTED SHEET

The fitted sheet is a rectangle with the corners cut out and stitched together, finishing it by sewing a pocket along the edge for a quarter inch elastic.

CRIB SKIRT

The crib skirt, gathered or tailored has four sides stitched onto the "decking" (the fabric that lays on top of the bed spring.  Hem the sides and bottom edges.

These are the basic ideas behind the design.  Adding your creativity to each step is where the real pleasure and reward comes in.

More Good News!

“Baby’s first comb & brush set”  is now available in kit form.  You just add the fabric, and stick it on.  The little tie tray can be sewn around the outside edges, or you can trim the fabric down, and just iron on the fusible side, and add the ribbons.  I call it “CBQT” which stands for Comb, Brush, Q-tip bottle, and Tie-Tray.  It makes an adorable gift and adds that special touch to the changing table.

The show in Springfield, MA was great.  I found out it is the home of Dr. Seuss!  Check out the pictures of the baby room for Horton the Who! 

Several designers were invited to design a vignette tied in with a Dr. Seuss book.  Sandra with  Country Chic Windows  did a wonderful one with a valance and shade, But check out her website for more on her beautiful work.  

I also have good news for designers and workrooms.  I now offer wholesale pricing. Please contact me.

Showtime!

Make Room for Baby arrived in Knoxville and was the darling of the show. Who doesn't like a pretty baby....or pretty crib set!

The Drapery & Window Covering Show is where workrooms and designers come to see what's new, re-connect with some of their suppliers, and get in on some great classes and forums. They even had a race to make slipcovers! It was fun for all.

Designers and workrooms rarely venture into cribsets because of the "headache"in constructing the bumper. There was the immediate, no thank you, "been there, done that", and I don't wish to do it again! "One minute of your time, pleease!"

...as I held up a finished bumper, unzipped the cover, pulled out the pillow insert from each "pocket", the light bulb went on, the "AHA Moment" happened. Then, the "why didn't I think of that" look .

We started talking design ideas, unlimited designer fabrics and embellishments that could now be done, even embroidery, fabric paint, or patchwork, just for starters, special bows, and finally having the ties in the right places to line up with the new crib designs, for that custom fit.

OUR COMMON THREAD
Whether a professional designer, workroom, or the arts and crafter... talking about creating something unique and special for someone special, got us all jazzed to add a new twist to the same old, same old.

While flying home, my head was flying, with ideas and a long list of "to do's. But, the Country Living Magazine was just around the corner!

WHAT'S TO COME...
I will catch up as quickly as I can. Fill you in on the incredible experience and speakers at the the “Country Living Magazine” event in Chicago, and the Window Fashion Show in Atlanta.

I can't wait to catch up with the past, and start posting fresh ideas and pictures of where I find them. And, looking forward to hearing from you sharing your finds and ideas with the rest of us.

Now you have an idea where and why I disappeared after just getting started! :)

Time to Deliver

Make a "to do" list, remember where I put my "to do" list, and how many "to do lists did I do?

Nothing like having a deadline to really get things pulled together...from business cards, to signs made, buying a crib, I had to make this a one stop shop in a box...actually 10 boxes!

And, don't forget my suitcase....Knoxville, Weather channel says... 50 degree days, no problem!

Being from Florida this will feel wonderful. The taxi driver assured me, it was cold for the evenings, but it may be an early spring.

Next morning, I look out the hotel window, expecting "brown", (Florida is green, all year, no spring colors, no fall colors, just lots of green) and what did I see?

WHITE as in Winter in Wyoming white! Good thing I took the hotel across the street! MAKE IT. . .PACK IT. . . SHIP IT. . . . “HELLOOO" FEDEX Where are my boxes?

Very hard to showcase crib bumpers WITHOUT THE CRIB!”

Do not fret, nor worry......God's got his own way of doing things, and his reasons are always better than mine! As the boxes came in, I had no choice but to work with what arrived, when it arrived, and everything was in the perfect order of setting up a booth. First things first, which is not the crib....that is the last thing, it is the best part, the fun part, but not the thing to start with.