DIY Crib Bumper Makeover

Okay...so this project was a little more difficult then I liked...mostly just stuffing the old bumper into the bumper case I just created. I started out taking pictures and then I was just kind of over it. I pinned this tutorial from the Dickerson Diaries, please check out that tutorial. For my project I used one fabric (bought 3 yards used almost all) then another solid color for the ties (1/2 yard). Here's how I used just one fabric. I measured the bumper I was planning to cover (bought it at a second hand store, washed it, dried it and then I was ready to cover it) which was 9 1/2 inches tall and 153 inches long. I measured my fabric and cut it to be 12 inches tall and cut the entire 3 yards length. I did this until the entire bumper was covered twice (to cover inside and out). Then I sewed all pieces together to make one VERY long strip. For the rest of the process I would check out Dickerson Diaries.  It's a great tutorial and was easy to follow. The only thing I changed was instead of having both ends meet and both ends have ties, I connected ties to one end and on the other I made holes using my button hole feature on my sewing machine then laced the ties from the other end through those before tying it to the crib. These are pictures from some of the process and the finished bumper.

button holes on one end, ties on the other

Pinspiration Sunday: DIY Adjustable Crib Bed Skirt

So here's a project I found on Pinterest from the blog  View Along the Way. I thought this was going to be ridiculously easy...and well it is...if you have proper tools and know what you're doing...that's not exactly me and I have this belly to contend with...

So I worked on my kitchen floor with the tools I had and the space I had to do it in. And it went something like this...

Supplies:

Fabric of your choice. As Kelly suggested I used a home decor 54" fabric and used about 2 yards

Measuring tools

Scissors

Fabric marker

Pins

Sewing Machine

Iron

Thread to match your fabric

**Be sure to wash, dry and iron your fabric first**

You'll need to measure your crib to get the exact dimensions you need for your project. Mine Measured 51.5 inches wide (across the front) X 27.5 inches deep X 17 inches high. Now Kelly suggested you add a one inch seam allowance and an additional 2 inches for the height. Therefore, I cutout 1 piece of fabric which measured 52.5 inches X 20 inches. TO make it easier on me I actually folded the fabric and measured with a yardstick 26.25 inches to get the length I needed. 

Next I worked on the 2 side panels. For this, I folded the fabric in half, ironed the fold and worked from there so I had less measuring and cutting. I measured, marked and cut to get 2 pieces that measured 28.5 inches X 20 inches.

This is the fold for the 2 side panels. Just cut along the fold and your pieces are done!

Now it's time to measure for those seams. Working with only a half inch on each side was torturous for my arthritis, but I did it. If I were to ever make something like this again I would allow more seam allowance. I measured and marked along the fabric 1/2 inch. Then I folded a section so the raw edge lined up with my marks and then I folded it over again and pinned. You can iron your edges, but I just went ahead a sewed it as they were.

Once all your edges are sewn it's time to attach Velcro if you have a spring bottom (if you have a fiberboard bottom you can just pin your skirt to that. For pics on a fiberboard bottom, check out Kelly's from View Along the Way). I took 5 pieces roughtly 4 inches long and sewed them as evenly as I could without actually measuring along the top of one of the longest panel (your front). I used 3 pieces on the side panels.

Now it's time to attach them! 

Once secured you can put your mattress on top. To find out how I made the crib sheet see my post HERE

All done with your awesome, one-of-a-kind crib skirt! Thanks so much for stopping by!

More Changes Coming My Way

Some of you may have wondered what happened to me. I've been pretty MIA these last few months. Lot's of new changes are coming my way. For one, we are expecting our second child. The first trimester was especially rough this time and with my RA and trying not to take meds, I had the awful pregnancy symptoms that many experience and I had horrible flare-ups with my RA. But as I'm about to approach the half way point of this pregnancy I'm starting to feel pretty good. 

Next area of news is that I also accepted a new job that is close to home and I get to spend more time with my family. This is a great opportunity for my to expand my career and experience another area of ultrasound that I have been missing. I'm very excited. But with this new job comes some study and prepping to sit for another nation board exam. So as much as I would like to say that I will be able to get more posts out to you, I fear that that will not be the case. However, my training for these new credentials will not be starting until the Fall, so I'm hoping to provide you with some great DIY projects this Summer and share how we'll prepare our new nursery. 

I just want to thank everyone who keeps coming back and checking in on me. You guys are great!