A Part of the Whole: I Just Pretend

I like to think I can sew. But really I just pretend. No really. I set out on what seemed like a simple project and I did more ripping out of seams than I did actual sewing I think.

Right now both boys are in cribs still. Yes, think whatever you want of us, but when you got a good thing going, you don't mess with it. Forrest can get in and out as he pleases and we are fine with that. Elliot now gets to camp out every night in his crib tent (and yes, we have laughed about the fact that he is a Kamper and sleeps in a tent next to a Forrest every night. HA!) Anyway, right now they are in cribs, but when we move they will most likely be in regular beds and probably be in the same room (right now we have the luxury of them being in separate spaces.)

All that to explain that they will need new bedding when we move. And from everything that we have read and heard from people who know these sorts of details, we should bring our bedding with us.

So, I began the hunt for something cute, something all boy and something cheap. Oh, and I was given a detailed list of things that it must include by Forrest. It needed to have blue in it. And his next favorite color is green (which is also Elliot's default color most of the time). Next it probably should have white in it, and brown is good too Mom. I showed him a comforter I found online and while it had lots of green and brown in it, it just wasn't right.

Then I found a set of king sized sheets on clearance for $16. And they were striped, with blue, and brown and white. Three out of four ain't bad. The wheels started turning in the aisle at Meijer. Could I turn king sized sheets into a comforter? I called my mom who knows a thing or two about taking something and making it into something else. I decided to go for it.

With our trip to IKEA coming up, I knew I could get a lightweight comforter for the filling for about $8, and the back sheets for $2 each. All totaled, that meant I could get the boys' comforters and pillow cases for $18 each. Not bad. Considering the green ones that Forrest vetoed were $20 for just the duvet. That took care of the cheap part. And the fabric was cute and all boy, but wasn't too little boy, so they could grow into their room.

Well, like I said, in principle, this seems like an easy project. Really all that was required was cutting the sheets to the right size, and sewing 4 straight lines. Right. I managed to cut one of the sheets two inches too short, and I think I ripped out at least 4 seams because they were botched. Goodness. But I got the second one done this morning. And while I don't want anyone to look too closely, they turned out decent enough. Yeah, I photographed a good section of stitching. Oh the wonder of macro photography!

And I do think they are pretty cute for a boys' room. I bought two orange storage boxes and two brown ones that fold up really small to take for toys or clothes or books or who knows what.