Handmade Holiday Update

After much debate and more than a little searching for inspiration, I finally decided to make Bee a baby play set for Christmas. She's really gotten into loving on her dolls and stuffed animals and this gave me a chance to make something really special for her that I hope will grow with her in the next few years.

I used the string-pieced swaddling blanket pattern from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings. She is my sewing crush afterall! She also has an adorable baby pattern in the book, but I wanted a doll that would look a wee bit older.

So I turned to my other sewing crush, Hillary Lang. This is the Tag-A-Long doll from Wee Wonderfuls. I omitted the pigtails and hair in exchange for just a few embroidered curls, but I'm seriously considering going back and adding some wool felt hair (no pigtails though...I want it to look about the same age as Bee).

I also made the dress as a separate entity, so that it could be removed for diapering...Did I mention the SUPER easy diaper pattern in AMH's book??? I'll have to show you pics of those later. It turns out that I am out of Velcro. I could have sworn that I bought a package last week, but apparently not:(

There are still a few more pieces to add to the set...a bib, some diapers, maybe some cloth wipes,

and a sweet, little teddy bear for the doll made of some faux fur I grabbed from the remnant bin this morning. You didn't think that obnoxiously large pocket on Baby's dress was just for decoration did you??? It had to be large enough to hold her tiny teddy:)

Every baby needs a bottle, right? I seriously considered making one of felt, but then remembered that we had three bottles that we bought before Bee was born that had maybe been used once each. It took some searching, but I managed to find one and whipped up a quick cloth cover just for cuteness.

Belle gave the whole set a test drive this afternoon. She promises me that Bee will love it. She also promises to teach Bee how to wrap her baby. I think this translates to stealing the whole kit-n-kaboodle, but we'll see.

To keep the whole set together I made this little bassinet. Belle thinks it is hilarious that we are going to carry the baby in a "bag." I've given up trying to explain the difference.

I really hope Bee loves it! If not, I may take it myself...it's just so cute:)