Book Pocket / Organizer Tutorial

This project just kind of occurred to me to solve a specific problem i had, but I ended up creating something super versatile for a problem that a lot of moms have: where am I going to put all this stuff?

Bibs, diapers, wipes, lotions, burp cloths, socks, headbands, pacifiers. This easy hanging organizer can be customized to hold pretty much any assortment of baby supplies you need to stash.

My particular storage issue was board books, Squiggs loves to 'read' her books at bedtime and they usually end up under her crib somehow.
I needed a place to stash them so their easy to grab for a bedtime story and put up out of the way when not in use, and just as importantly it needed to be cute and match her crib set.

Oh look, i found a book under the bed.

For this project you will need:

- At least one fat quarter each of two coordinating fabrics OR one half yard of a single fabric.

(I bought a half yard of each fabric and had enough to make two organizers)

- Your preferred closure for the hanging straps: KAM Snaps, sew-on snaps, velcro, buttons, etc 

-Basic sewing materials: matching thread, safety and straight pins, measuring tape, ruler, iron.

 Since this project is so versatile it has no pattern but is easy to customize to your particular application using a couple of measurements: First i measured for my width and strap placement, measure for your desired width and add 1" for seam allowance (1/2" on either side).

I decided on 18" wide with straps at either end and one in the middle

 Then measure for strap length and again add 1" for seams

7" + 1" = 8" Straps

Now the tricky part. 

The size is entirely based on where you're hanging the organizer and what you want it to hold so feel free to customize this part based on your needs, just remember to add your seam allowances. 

I decided on a 6" pocket and a 10" finished length, so my dimensions were: 19" long X 17" high.

Draw out your square or rectangle or whatever, and cut one of each fabric.

 

Then draw and cut your straps: Pick your finished width, double it and add seam allowance. 

I wanted 1" wide straps so i should have cut 3 strips that were 8" long and 2.5" wide, but i didn't, i forgot my 1/4" seam allowance *face palm*

This should have been 2.5" x 8"

All pieces cut and soon to be ironed

 Next fold your straps over lengthwise with right sides together and sew your straps closed. 

I didn't want to recut my straps so i sewed them up with a napkin edge serge to close them without losing too much width, but if you remember your seam allowance a regular seam is fine.

Then use a safety pin to turn them right side out.

Press the straps flat with the seam on the under side

Then tuck in about 1/2" on one end of each strap and top stitch them closed.

 Now that the straps are made we're really moving along. 

Lay out your 'inside' fabric and pin your straps in place along the top, seam side down. 

Come in about 1/4" inch more than your seam allowance to prevent the straps from getting caught in the side seams.

Tack your straps on at the top and move your pin to the bottom of the straps to keep them in place while you sew up the rest of the seams.

Another tricky part:

If you are using a single directional print for your outer fabric like i am you will want to place it on top on your inner fabric upside down. When you fold up your pocket at the end the pattern will be right side up!

See?

 Place your two fabrics right sides together with the straps sandwiched in between and sew all around edge leaving a 5"(ish) opening at the bottom. 

Make sure your top edge seam is wider than
the stitching where you tacked down your straps.

 Clip your corners like so for a nice crisp square corner when you turn right side out.

Reach through the opening you left and turn the whole thing right  side out, being careful of the pins left in the straps that can now come out.

Push your corners out nice and square and press the whole thing flat.

Pull the bottom edge nice and straight paying special attention to that opening, fold the raw edges in to make an even edge and top stitch along the entire edge.

Now with your outer fabric side down, fold from the bottom up to create the pocket.

Pin the sides together with edges even and top stitch. Don't be stingy with the backstitch at the top and bottom of the pocket to make a very strong seam.

To create multiple pockets mark where you want the dividers and topstitch them down.

I wanted two 9" pockets so i just sewed a seam right down the middle.

 Lastly fold your straps over and attach your closures. I used KAM snaps (the plastic snaps on cloth diapers), but you can use sew-in snaps, buttons + button holes, magnets, velcro, the list goes on.

Finally hang, fill and enjoy one less thing to worry about finding a home for!

Life By The Nines

Hello Friendlies,

I am returning from baby hiatus after 9 months of hands on motherhood and I feel like I have finally hit my stride, for now. They say it takes 9 months to grow a baby so give yourself 9 months to adjust...okay maybe only I say that but it's true.
Since we last met I have retired from formal employment for the continuously whirling carousel of childrearing. I am still navigating the precarious balance of baby/husband/home/self maintenance that makes up my new job and as a typically(read: previously) organized, type A personality I have had to come to terms with the fact that I can't do everything. But that's never stopped me from trying.
With that on my mind I have decided to refocus this blog from pregnancy (y'know since i'm not anymore and that would be boring) to more of a creative outlet where i can devote a little time to my sanity, without which nothing else would get done.

So I invite you to follow along as I share my experiences in cooking and babying and crafting and sewing and ... probably some other stuff, as a full time mom and part time homemaker.


And to be fair to the original intent of this blog here is a quick little catch up on the Pineapple Squiggs:

Welcome Baby Squiggs!

Actually, it's: Welcome Miriam Patience!

Our squiggly girl finally arrived at 2:36 a.m. on Wednesday July 2nd at 7lbs 9oz and 19" long.

She didn't want to come on her own and was drinking up all her amniotic fluid, so after all the natural tricks we could think of a round of Pitocin was ordered and she made her entrance just a few hours later.
We both came through in good shape considering how much work it is getting born and at 10 seconds old she was calm, alert and a champion nurser.

Squiggs' official name has been an area of mystery and intrigue basically since we discovered she was a 'she'.
A few weeks ago 'Miriam' reappeared on the active name list and quickly rose to first place, but then our favorite middle name choice suddenly seemed inadequate next to it. We had a few back up middle names we were kicking around but nothing fit quite right. 
After spending 36 hours in the Hotel California (read: hospital birthing center), with so little progress i was sure we would have to start forwarding our mail, Jamey turned to me during one of our many laps up and down the hallway and said "how do you feel about Patience?" "It's perfect"

Miriam's Week of Firsts

First Check Up - 2 Hours Old

First Nap with Dad - 2 Days Old

First Dress Up & First Day Home - 3 Days Old

First Outing to the Pediatrician - 4 Days Old

First Bath Time (Not enjoying it) - 4 Days Old

After First Bath (Feeling a little better about it)

39 Weeks - The Official Countdown Post

For the last six weeks I have been working, nesting, cleaning, sorting, shopping and peeing a lot, so I haven't had much time to update. I figured now that i have a little extra time i should go ahead and take care of one big post since it will probably be the last one before we announce Baby Squiggs' debut!

Friday the 13th was my official last day at work, i thought it seemed like a bad omen but then i ended up working 30 minutes late so everything was totally normal.  I had to take a picture because i don't remember my desk ever being this clean.

An empty desk is...weird.

Today we finished our to-do list with the last few items packed in our 'Go Bags', the carseat bases in both cars and the co-sleeper all made up.

Ready to go.

The nursery is also fully stocked and ready:

Changin' Station

Feeding Station

Squiggs has also been doing a lot of getting ready in the last six weeks, mostly by growing much bigger and even kickier.

39 Weeks Oh Snap!

The next time we update here will probably be with an official name (we have a favorite but I don't want to jinx it) and an official arrival announcement!

33 Weeks

So, Life Amirite?

Anyway, our goal for April of getting the apartment downsized/organized was pretty successful!
I even hit a good sale at the grocery store and whipped up 6 crockpot freezer meals as a test run.


Yum.

If only I had a bigger freezer.

Next, May is all about Baby Stuff and even before the shower this weekend we are already off to a good start thanks to some generous friends and the Mom-In-Law/Queen-Of-Craigslist.
I can't wait to get Squiggs' tiny wardrobe set up and show off all the adorable baby clothes we have already been given!

Just s few nursery items from the haul

And speaking of Squiggs, here she is in all of her squiggly 33 week glory:

 

33 Weeks

 

3rd Trimester

Sunday marked the official start of our third trimester and oh boy did those symptoms hit me all at once.
Exhausted, achy, restless legs, weird stretching feelings in my stomach muscles. Fun Stuff.

I also nearly had a panic attack this weekend when i thought i had lost our ultrasound pictures. When i finally gave up looking and decided to just get reprints it dawned on me that i had filed them with our vital records because pregnancy brain said that would be the most logical place and then immediately forgot about it.

It has never been more apparent that we are now in the countdown to baby-time, so it has helped me to set some goals.
The month of April is the get the entire apartment de-cluttered, organized and ready for baby stuff.
May is for getting baby stuff prepped and organized and June is for getting us prepped and organized.
Nesting is a great compulsion for that, keeping up the energy to actually get it done is the trick.

So here's a bump picture from a couple weeks ago:

26 Weeks 2 Days

And today:

28 Weeks 3 Days