Onesies, Twosies, Threesies, Lotsies!

Who doesn't love a baby in a onesie?  I'll tell you who, nobody!  That's right the whole world loves a baby in a onesie.  Why else would there be hundreds of them in baby stores across the globe in styles and colors to fit everyone's taste?  You bet!  The simple onesie is the no-fail fashion statement for all posh newborns.  They are all crying for a onesie (or lunch, or a diaper change, or entertainment, or whatever).  It is up to us to give it to them! 

I saw a project on Martha Stewart Living for appliqued onesies.  CUTE!  I told myself.  I was pregnant with my daughter at the time (she just turned three).  I knew that I wanted to make some appliqued onesies for her.  However, my ancient sewing machine has a big chunky platform at the bottom so I couldn't applique directly onto the onesie so I had to modify the directions a bit.  Here is what I created:

See...cute huh?

 And these:

Click on the photos to get an enlarged view!



Since I made these onesies so long ago I don't have a tutorial, but I did the same steps to create these onesies as I did the cuddle blanket I made for my daughter found here with a few small changes.

• First, I used clip art to find the shapes.  Simpler designs are the best for making the patterns.  Adjust them to a useable size, and print them out using your computer printer.  

• I transferred the design to the paper side of the fusible webbing with a fine pointed Sharpie marker.  To do this I used a light box, but a bright window works great too.  Make sure you reverse your design or it will come out opposite of the original.  I didn't care which way these pictures went so I didn't bother with this step.  

• I ironed the piece of fusible webbing onto the colored fabric before cutting out the design.  This gives the edge of the applique a crisp, clear line.  

• I sewed the applique onto a piece of white cotton fabric, and used fusible webbing to attach the white fabric to the onesie.  

• After ironing the white fabric onto the onesie I secured it with a decorative blanket stitch. 

• I ironed soft fabric interfacing to the inside of the onesies so that the blanket stitches would not irritate the baby's skin.  (Much like you find on commercially available decorated onesies.)

 Here are some close-up shots of the onesies pictured above.

Fish with bubbles

Sun

Shamrock

Paintbrush with paint.  (Notice the stitching that identifies the bristles.)

Leaf  (There is the extra stitching for the leaf's veins.)

I made some special onesies for my long-time friend and her son.  He is the same one who received a Kids Document Keeper and a Hide and Seek Bag.   You can read about the symbolism and see him wearing his special onesies here. 

Here are some photos of those onesies (except "happiness"  I'm not sure why).

Peace

Love

Happiness is supposed to go here!  :)

Music

Recycling is not one of the original symbols, but my package had an extra onesie so I added this because  thought it was cute.  Cute, right?  (Please tell me you are nodding.)

Recycling

Well there you have it, appliqued onesies for those of us who cannot applique easily onto tiny things because our sewing machines date back to the Roosevelt administration (Franklin not Teddy).  :)  See...

Big and clunky, but totally awesome!

I have made several other styles for lots of other moms, but these are the only onesies of which I have pictures.  Don't think that this is a hard project.  It is totally easy.  You can get a crop done in a day.  The hardest part is finding the pictures you want to use as a pattern.

Send me pictures if you make some of these appliqued onesies!  I would love to see what you have made, AND I' love to show your work of here on my "You Made It" page!

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Fun In a File Folder

*sung to the tune of "Love In an Elevator" by Aerosmith*

Fun in a file folder,
Spreading the pieces on the ground.
Fun in a file folder,
Smiles on faces can be found.

Fun in a file folder,
Learning new stuff makes Mom so proud.
Fun in a file folder,
Just keep your voices not too loud.

I'll stop now, but you get the point...

Back before my son was born I bought a book of file folder games from a local teacher supply store.  I thought it would be useful for my kids.  I bought a book designed by Frank Schaffer.  Inside I found games about seasons, colors, letters, numbers, shapes, opposites, and matching.  All of the pages were white, single-sided black line masters just waiting to be colored, laminated, and mounted in a file folder.  I bought some fun file folders such as these available at Office Max or these at Staples.  Then I got to work coloring, and coloring, and coloring.  The book had 45 games.  Each game had at least 4 sheets to color.  It took a looooooong, looooooong time to finish.  Then there was the cutting, gluing, and cutting again after the lamination was complete.  The finished games are beautiful (if I do say so myself) and my children love them. 

Alright, I know you want to see some photos.  Here they are...

I had the file folders three-hole drilled before I mounted the games inside to make sure none of the pictures would be damaged.  

The finished games filled three large three-ring binders. 

I mounted the game title on the tab and the directions on the front cover.  Some of the games had a title that I mounted on the front cover as well.  You can see one of those in the upper photo. 

On the back cover I mounted the answer key and a clear plastic CD holder to store each game's pieces. 

Number game

Color game

Matching game

Body part matching game (I colored this so long ago that the Diamondbacks were still wearing turquoise and purple.)

Opposites game

Yeah, the pictures are all well and good, but do the kids enjoy them.  That is all that really matters, right?  Right!  Well, they LOVE them as you will see...

Here is the boy.

Here is the girl.

The boy.

The girl's toes.  They were too cute to pass up. 

Both of them playing together.  They trade games back and forth.

She wanted a carrot close-up.

Easy to take the pieces out. 

Easy to play.

It's a match!

Easy to put away. 

These pieces are the only ones in the whole book that are too large to fit in the CD holder.  Still, they stay in just fine. 

This was a massive project, but I have never regretted doing it.  My kids want to play these games nearly every day.  I can't let them have free reign of the folders.  If I did, the pieces would be one big jumble of pieces.  You know how it is!

Nowadays, you can by a book of games with pre-colored pages.  That takes a big bite out of the time commitment needed to complete a project like this.  So there you have it...you can make file folder games for your own children, grandchildren, or students!  I encourage you to!

Greetings From the Asylum has a page on Facebook.  There is a link on my sidebar, or click HERE! I am also on Pinterest HERE!

If you enjoyed this post, you might like these other posts from Greetings From the Asylum:  Kids Document Keeper, Pencil Bouquet Teacher Gift, and Hide and Seek Bag.

Thanks for visiting!