Mei Tai's

If you click the link in the title, you'll come across a budding obsession of mine. I have made my 1 month old a mei tai, a baby carrier, and she loves it. I put her in it, and if she's not looking around checking out the surroundings, she's sleeping soundly. The site in that link is what I have based my pattern off of, though I am going to incorporate some other ideas from other sites into my next one. The first one was a test, which came out much better than I ever could have though it would, was pretty basic. I used some heavy-weight fabric I had lying around (I bought it on clearance for either 50 cents or a dollar, not sure which), and went from there. I didn't have anything big enough for the straps I thought, but found some sturdy woven fabric that I used for a skirt for faire clothing, and had enough to make straps. I cut them long because I really didn't know how long I needed them. I also am making the straps a bit smaller than the directions are saying to, mostly because of comfort, but also because it's much easier to tie a thinner strap than a thicker one.
Next time around, like I said, I'm going to add some elements. I definitely want a pocket on it. How to do it, I'm working on it...though a zipper is not out of the question. I also am going to pad the shoulder area of the straps. There hasn't been much in the way of pressure on that area, but if I wear it for longer periods of time, it might help. It can't hurt any. I also want to pad the head area. My baby has gotten into a habit of working the head area down to she can lay her head back. If I try to put it up, she wiggles it down again, lol...It's a losing battle with her. The last thing I'm trying to work out is a way of putting leg holes in the bottom. I have seen where the bottom was brought in to be narrower, but seeing as she's so little and I'm wide, it still wouldn't work well I think. I'm still working that out. I really need to go and buy some fabric...

Well, I did it...

I've been "online" since 1999, but always looked at blogs as something that I would never do. I just wasn't into it. So, nearly a decade later, here I am, with my first blog. I've decided that I needed somewhere to post my crafty stuff, vent about things that are irritating me, and share good news. Do I honestly think that anyone other than me will read this? Nope, not at all. I'd be shocked if my blog was read by more than 1 or 2 people in a years time. I just hope that I don't ignore it.
Unfortunately, just as I'm ready to add pictures here, my good digital camera gets broken. Stupid me knocked it off the counter and onto the non-carpeted floor. Sooooo......I have 2 other digitals, one of which has no batteries, and the battery door is broken off (thanks to an inquisitive 2 year old) and one that the hubby has lost the battery charger to. Oy vey. This is typical, he never puts things away where it belongs. I really need to go through the desk drawers and look for it tomorrow. Wish me luck, it's a jungle in there.
A little about me. I'm 31, well I'll be 32 in May. I've lived most my life in the Southern Californian High Desert, which I really don't mind. We do have 3 seasons at least. I like the cold, but I'm not too crazy about the heat. Nothing like the heat in Phoenix where I lived for a year. That is just insane. I'm married, and have 2 girls, one that just turned 3 in January, and the other was born in January of this year. Funny thing is, they both had the same due date.
I am learning to belly dance, which I have wanted to learn for as long as I remember. Am I good at it? I think I'm not too bad actually. I'll probably never perform, but it's fun. I also love going to renaissance faires. I worked one year at an ale stand, and with that I could again. It's just not in the cards right now. Too much going on, especially with a new baby. I'm a member of the Wenches Guild, #2524.
While I was pregnant, I really wasn't interested in sewing, which I really do like to do. I wanted to make myself another Victorian corset, but with an ever-expanding belly, that wasn't something that I could do at the time. So, I picked up a hook and learned how to crochet. I had tried before, but those learn to crochet books didn't cut it. I could not learn how from them. I did find a site online, www.nexstitch.com, that had videos on how to do various stitches that I learned from. It's perfect. I'm the type of person that can watch someone do something and then do it myself (I learned to spin with a drop spindle this way). The drawings in the book didn't cut it for me. So I crochet now. Lots. But the sewing bug is coming back big time now.
Right now, the next big project is a tribal/belly dance outfit for faire. I'm making a ghawazee vest, pants, skirt, and dreads for it. Hopefully, I'll have time to do this before faire starts in April. Yeah, it's a long time from now, but with 2 kids, working full time, and a hubby that works graveyard (meaning, I'm basically on my own watching them), it might be tough. If it doesn't work out, I have my wench gear to wear:).
Besides that bit of sewing, I have a corset that I made my aunt to finish. It really only needs to have the boning finished, and have the binding put on. She's not working right now, so I'm using duct ties (think really large, thick zip ties) as the boning instead of steel. When she finds a job and gets a steady check coming in, then I'll have her buy steel and I'll replace it.

Well, the baby is waking up, so I better wrap this up.

G'night