Buntings for Tennessee in Memory of Carter

I have been sewing a few Angel Outfitters bereavement buntings, for babies born at 14-19 weeks gestation, too tiny and fragile for clothes or diapers. Two years ago (WHERE does time go?) I wrote about the quilts I made for our identical twin grandsons Carter and Cohen.

I had fabric leftover from those quilts. I kept bringing it down to cut into diapers or quilt pieces or buntings, but could never do it and set it aside. It reminded me too much of making those quilts and how things turned out and I wanted to keep it because it was for Carter. This month I brought it down again. I cut a large piece and put it in my dresser to keep. For me. I was ready to use the rest of the fabric and what better than these little buntings for other special angels and their families. These buntings give grieving families something special for their baby. Made just for them. 

Carter's quilt that he was buried in. 

It is and honor and very humbling  to be able to make these buntings for the tiny angels. It lets their families know that their baby was special, real and very important. Making these buntings helps me honor and remember Carter by giving to others. He is forever in my heart, forever loved, NEVER forgotten.

The card with Carters name on it that goes in every bunting.

Small bunting (14-16 weeks) with Carters fabric! 

60 buntings for Tennessee  

Read all about Angel Outfitters here.

And Teeny Tears here.

Angel blankets

Tiny Angel Blankets

I like to make blankets to go with the Teeny Tears Diapers. 

You can read about the Teeny Tears Diaper Projects here.

Fabric: I use flannel on both sides, minky with Flannel on the inside, regular cotton fabric with flannel on the inside, or fleece with flannel on the inside. 

 Sizes: any size from 12"x12" to 18"x18" are good sizes. 

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1.  Trim the selvages off the edge of the fabric, so it does not end up showing on your finished blanket. 

2.  Then turn the fabric so the RIGHT sides are together. 

     Cut the fabric into a square. Any size from 12"x12" to 18"x18" and a nice size for angel babies. 

3.  Sew all the way around the blanket, stopping to turn the corners. Use a 1/4" seam allowance. Leave a small (4") opening in one side to be able to turn the blanket right side out. 

4.  Trim the corners

5.  Turn the blanket right side out, using a chop stick or wooden spoon to push out the corners. 

6. Topstitch all the way around the blanket. I use zig zag for boys and a curve for girls. 

There is usually enough fabric on the edge of a yard to make a couple sets of diapers to match. 

I also make contrasting diapers to match a lot of the fabric that is donated to us or when the print is too large for the teeny tears diapers. 

More blankets...

The Tie That Binds

This year started out as the last year ended. TeenyTears Diapers. Working on these tiny diapers for special angels has been really healing  for me. . We started getting requests for small hospitals in Washington. I was really touched by this, as we had vacationed twice in Eastern Washington the past summer and as I saw the road signs for all these little hospitals I thought perhaps a few Moms in early labor MUST make it into these hospitals and need diapers. I told Jana that next time we plan vacation, I will phone ahead and see if they have a hospital and need diapers. I would LOVE to make a diaper delivery in person.

Christmas was really hard for me this year. My Grandson Carter passed away in June 2011. I think I was so busy that first year, trying to help my daughter and her family and be sure they were ok, I did not have a lot of time to process what I had been thru.You never stop being a mom! I was elated that my daughter was having a baby and then TWINS! Nothing can take the memories of that JOY away from me. While still struggling with my grief. I am also thankful for the times we shared thru Cohen and Carters birth. I did not have a page in  my “mom advice book” dealing with the loss of a child. I had never been there. I am learning so much watching my daughter walk thru these times with faith, strength, love and hope.

Having these “local” hospitals has been really healing for me to work on. I think of the times I have been to those cities. It made me remember my dear mother in law. I grieve for her, too. She was a nurse in the newborn nursery for 35 years at Stevens Memorial Hospital in Edmonds, WA. She used to come home and say how they had another “tiny” one today and how she wished she had enough time, she would love to design and make preemie clothes. There was no “preemie” section, back at that time. I felt such a close connection with her while sewing these tiny diapers. I had saved some of the fabric from her “stash” and I found some of it to use on tiny swaddlers to ship with the diapers.  I know she would have embraced this project with love!  We enjoyed shopping for fabric together, discussing sewing projects, trading patterns and buying that special piece of fabric we knew the other would love.  Our love of sewing was a strong connection for us. I now share this love of fabric, FLANNEL and the planning and sewing with my daughter. 

My super husband who had flipped HUNDREDS of diapers and his mom, Gramma R. 

Gramma  would have been so delighted at Jana having twins. Never in our families has there ever been twins! As I sewed the diapers I kept thinking of how Gramma Rinehart is up in heaven rocking our precious angel, Carter, until the rest of the family arrives! Until then, I will keep making Teeny diapers with the hope that it will ease another families pain at losing their precious child.

Pullman, Centralia, Omak, Colville

Soap Day

Well, it is FINALLY here. Soap day. I have been pinning recipes, saving containers, and using up the rest of our soap products. It is official, we have NO more laundry soap, dishwasher soap, dish washing soap. So the day is here.

To back up a bit, my dear husband has been working really LONG hours, for a LONG time. He is a turnaround planner at the BP refinery and has been working long and hard since the fire on February 17. They moved his "spring" turnaround up several weeks, which threw it all into high gear. I can count the days off he has had on one hand! They call it "fatigue management". He usually tries to call me at some point in the day to see "what I am doing". today was no different. I said, "making soap!". I usually get the same response to pretty much whatever I say, as he is so tired. Like, "that's nice". Today was "WHAT?". I am sure he pictured me out in the yard with a small fire, stirring a black cauldron of lye and whatever, as in days of old. After that, I'd be slaughtering the chickens... I assured him it was not a big deal and I'd be careful and remember to turn off the stove. He always thanks me for putting up with this crazy schedule and I always say, "don't worry, I am VERY self entertaining." While that is true, I am ready for this to be OVER and have him be around home.

So here we go: All the folks who put up the lovely pictures and directions, and explain it all, are all over Pinterest, so I won't do that here.

I used this for the laundry soap, this for the dish soap, this for the dishwasher soap and this for the room deodorizers. My favorite!

I made my list at went to Walmart, as that is where the blogs said I could find most the ingredients. The blogs also do the cost breakdown and the HUGE savings I will be seeing!

So for a grand total of :$26.95 I got all the ingredients to make all the soaps. 

I was busy mixing all this up in my vat

As the dog was waiting patiently where he always does when I am cooking, hoping I will spill, what I am sure is in HIS mind, is Steak tartar!!

Here is the finished pile of soap and little air fresheners. SO when there is a run on the market for laundry soap, you know where to come! I will trade you for a bag of rice!! 

This is from the laundry soap gal:

"Why would I bother to make laundry detergent when I could just conveniently grab a bottle off the shelf at the store?  Several reasons, the first of which is cold, hard cash.  I have always purchased the large economy bottles of a name brand “he” (high efficiency) laundry detergent.  It’s not the cheapest, nor is it the most common $14-a-bottle brand.  I pay, on average, $8.00 for a 75-load bottle of my old detergent.  I would have been happy to cut that price in half.  Instead, I discovered that by making the recipe I am going to share with you, a 75-load bottle of DIY detergent saved me $7.79¾!!!  That is a little more than a 97% savings!  Hello!  Making my own is no longer JUST an option.  It’s ridiculous not to.  It cost only 20¼¢ for the ingredients to make a 75-load bottle of detergent!  Translate that savings over a year’s worth of laundry and that put’s a tidy sum back into our family’s budget."

Where WAS the internet, Pinterest, and all these great ideas when I had 5 kids at home, doing 5 or 6 loads of laundry a DAY. (out in the yard, over a boiling cauldron, and beating it on a rock!). I could have saved a FORTUNE! With all this savings I figure it will free up  a bit more cashola to spend on my favorite passion....    SEWING!

Please check out my daughters blog to find out what we are up to with all the fabric!

If you need a project, or want to know what all the fabric is about, check this out! 

Happy Sunday!