Toddler and baby shoes

I am still making shoes for the little guy. He started walking about a month ago and I find the soft sole shoes are great for toddling around. I use them outside also and though they don't last as long as hard soled shoes, they are pretty durable. I made two sizes for the pattern including 6-12 months and 12-18 months. The shoes are pretty forgiving with respect to size and allow for lots of wiggle room. The pattern is pretty simple and based on the slipper style shoes you see in the stores. I also made the sole so there is no left or right shoe. I find it a lot easier to put on a wiggly toddler. I made the following shoes out of denim material I had left over from his recycled jeans. I used scraps of black vinyl to line the bottoms so his feet stay dry. The pattern is in three pdf files that you can download below.

Toddler and baby shoes

Here is the shoe pattern in page1, page2 and page3. Below are the sewing instructions.

Note: A quarter inch seam allowance has been added to the pattern. You can use more if you want the shoes to be a bit smaller.

1. Cut out the pattern pieces. You will need two of each for the inside and outside fabric.



2. Zig-zag all the pieces if you are using material that frays.

3. Sew the front inside and outside fabric pieces together on the shorter curved side. Turn and top stitch.

4. Sew the back inside and outside fabric pieces together along the top edge. Turn and top stitch along the top and about a half an inch down from the top to form a casing.



5. Grab the shoe bottom and pin on the front and back of the shoe. Sew together and turn right side out. You are almost done.

6. Cut a piece of quarter inch elastic and thread it through the casing. Stitch the elastic together and tack it to the shoe front. All done!

Not so lardy cake

I made this sweet bread a few years ago and decided to make it again. It is similar to a raisin bread. It was really easy to make vegan by replacing the "lard" with Earth Balance shortening. I think last time I made it I used Earth Balance margarine and dubbed it the "Margy Cake" so now it is the "Shorty Cake". The recipe is from Bread - the breads of the world and how to bake them at home by Christine Ingram and Jennie Shapter. The description in the book says it is a special rich fruit bread that was made in England for celebrating the harvest. Happy harvest!

Fleece vest to sleep sac

I am definitely getting into recycling mode. I have to say it is really satisfying to find something at a thrift store and give it a new twist. I found a medium size fleece vest with a full zipper and thought it would perfect for a sleep sac. I used the same pattern as the hemp sleep sac. I removed the pockets and cut through the zipper to make room for the neckline. I cut one inch binding strips and finished the neck and arm holes. I have to say the best part was not having to sew in the zipper. Though it is not difficult to do, I find it a bit cumbersome and having it already done was great. I think the whole project only took about a half an hour and cost about $4, so very nice.

Fruity baby sweater

My adorable little niece is turning one this weekend. Very exciting! We are planning a road trip to see her this weekend and celebrate. Little guy is going to love hanging out with his cousin. I made a sweater for her birthday. The pattern is from Natural Knits for Babies and Moms by Louisa Harding. I made the Kai sweater. The yarn is recycled from a white sweater I found at the local thrift store. I took apart the sweater and dyed the yarn in tangerine, cherry and lemon. I am really getting into the recycled yarn and fabric. I found a cool website called Wardrobe Refashion where everything is made from recycled fabric or yarn. I hope to make the pledge soon myself and commit to using only recycled goods. Check out the blog if you haven't seen it before. There are some really great projects posted.