2016 DIY Christmas Gift #2

STOP

You are about to embark upon top secret Christmas information.

Family members, move along.

Ya like how I threw those pictures of Baby in there for the header photo?

Oh my gosh, she was SO stinkin' cute!!!!!

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Okay, on with the next project that I was able to cross off my list.

Actually, two of them.

So I had come to terms with the fact that my nephew was not going to receive a handmade gift this year.

He's a boy, he's getting older, and I couldn't think of ANYthing that he would like.

But then, as I was digging through my fabric stash for the apron stuff, I came across some old t-shirts that I had saved.

Enter, the Memory Blanket.

Now, there are a ton of tutorials online, so I'll let you peruse through those if you're wanting detailed instructions with photos.

I determined how big my squares would be, based on the sizes of the shirts and jammies I had.

I just went from there.

I cut squares for what felt like HOURS.

I sewed them into horizontal rows, then I sewed the rows together, working my way from top to bottom.

I had an old, ripped, flannel sheet that I cut up for the backing.

I was just going to sew the two together, but then decided it needed a little more umph, so I cut up an old mattress cover and used that as a filler.

I sewed it to the pieced together top, then sewed those to the flannel backing, right sides together.

I was then able to turn it right side out, and close it all up by running a stitch all around the outside edge on the sewing machine.

I know, that's a lot of info, but just in case you were wanting a different option from what most of the tutorials out there are giving.

For those of you just here for the pictures, here ya go.

Not every square is from clothing.

The baseball fabric, navy and white deer, and a few of the solids were just pieces of fabric I had.

Now here's the kicker.

Anytime I had it out working on it, The Kid kept oohing and ahhing over it, saying he wished it was for him.

Kicker number two, all of the shirts were his before they were handed down to my nephew, so it quite literally became a memory blanket for this mama.

I was officially emotionally attached.

Sooooooo, I'm wrapping it up and giving it to The Kid.

BUT, do not despair.

I'm not a total ass of an auntie.

I made my nephew a memory pillow instead.

And actually, more friggin' time went into it because of all the oddball sizes I used.

That sucker stretched my sewing skills, for sure.

I used the baseball fabric again, and some red from my stash, for the back.

Jammies, t-shirts, and button up shirts for the front, with some ticking stripe, again from my stash.

Cute, no?

And  it's all clothes that I remember him wearing, too.

So there ya have it, two birds with one stone.

A handmade gift for my nephew, after all, and a blanket for my boy who is going to be sooooo excited and surprised when he opens it Christmas morning.

Win win.