Things I've Made: Baby Aprons and Baby Bags

Janie correctly guessed that I had made some of Baby C's birthday items, one of which was featured in her birthday post. I'm sure you can guess--here's a picture from that post:

Well, I mean, yes, I made the Ya-Ya-inspired headdress, obviously. (Good eyes, you guys! And if you think about it, you'll realize that one of my children's names, if you know them, is actually taken from the Ya-Ya series. NO WAY. I love me some dysfunctional Southern Lit.) But I also whipped up the kid-sized apron C is sportin', and I must say, it turned out well. I jumped into it without a pattern or even much in the way of measurements (This is how I sew: half-assedly. I'm sorry, it's just how I am. I never had formal lessons. Therefore, I learn and teach myself piecemeal.), and besides a few little bumblies that are easily fixable in future aprons, it turned out great.

I did borrow a few elements from some patterns I found online (borrowing is not the same as following, y'all), including the elastic neckband and velcro waist strap. Instead of needing her mama to tie her strap, Baby C will be able to fasten her apron together all by herself. Isn't that fabulous? She's totally at that I WILL DO IT BY MYSELF, THANK YOU age, so this works well. You can't really see in this picture, but a large, red button on the end of the waist strap sets off the chartreuse pattern perfectly.

I also made Baby C her very own purse/book bag:

What is so fun about this bag (which concealed two different Mo Willems books, bonus birthday gifts) is what I used to put it together. The green material is actually two placemats sewn together. My cousin had brought a set of placemats from Korea, and I never used them for their intended purpose. I loved the color, but they were small, and I couldn't figure out how to use them. They were perfect for this project because they are lined on the back in a faux silk, which provides a wonderful interior for a baby handbag.

The angel graphic came from a beloved t-shirt of mine that had grown too small. I loved the picture too much to get rid of the shirt, so I hung onto it for ages, convinced I would find the perfect use for it someday. It works so well here! The only items I bought were the bright pink handles, which were purchased at Jo-Ann Fabrics. I could have made handles either with fabric or by knitting them, but I wanted something hard and easy for little toddler hands to grab. I simply hand-sewed the handles on with thick, hot pink embroidery floss.

So there you have it! I made almost all of her gifts, and I'm so happy with how they turned out. I'm thinking of (once I actually have a chance to build up my shop again after the summer break) adding toddler-sized aprons to my Etsy shop. What do you think? Do you think there's a market? Please share.