Tutorial: Making a High Chair Pad

In 2003, when our oldest was a baby, we inherited a high chair from my husband's mother.  She was living with us, so we all kind of shared it.  When we all moved on from that place, we took it with us.  She had actually gotten it from my husband's brother, who had the only grandchild for a while, so she could use it at her house.  When we first got it, it was in pretty good condition.

However, three children later, the vinyl pad was pretty torn up.  So, in 2007, when our 3rd was one and we were expecting baby #4, I bought some super cute fabric with the intention of making a whole new pad.  The cushioning of the first pad was also completely shot, so I'd have to start from scratch.  Then I had baby #4 and then we moved twice and it kept getting shoved aside.  In fact, I had to save the high chair a few times from getting tossed out by my husband each time we moved and each time we cleaned out our garage. 

Now, baby #5 is starting solids and ready to start sitting in the high chair.  Since I already had the fabric and the batting, it would cost nothing to make a new pad, whereas buying a new high chair, even used, wouldn't be free.

So, yesterday, I pulled the old vinyl pad out (which we'd also been carting around with us, so I could use it as a guide).  I traced the pad onto some quilt batting (2 layers), then I traced that batting onto the fabric, leaving a 5/8" seam allowance all the way around.  (Materials: about 2 yards of fabric, thread, quilt batting)

Then I started sewing, wrong sides together, around all the sides and top, leaving the bottom open to put the batting in.  Unfortunately, I realized after I had already sewn the pad cover and put the batting in and was getting ready to sew the bottom shut that I'd forgotten to make a slip-cover to pull the top of the pad over the back of the high chair to secure it in place.  So I had to unpick the whole top of the pad cover and then figure out how to sew in that slip-cover.  But I managed to do it.  After I had sewn the pad closed at the bottom (after re-sewing and putting the batting in), I used the custom button hole stitch on my sewing machine to make the hole for the seat belt to come through.  I also stitched a few lines in the fabric to hold the batting in place for when I have to wash it.

And the finished product look pretty great!

Before:

After:

Pretty cute, huh? Now, all I need to do is find some belt fabric and re-do that and the chair will look practically brand-new. Doubt I'll do that, though.

Tutorial: Making a T-shirt Dress

As I have spent quite a chunk of time the last week making twelve of these T-shirt dresses, I thought I'd share my method.

Materials needed:
a T-shirt
3/4 yard of 45" fabric to 1-1/3 yard (depending on shirt size)
thread
sewing machine
scissors
measuring tape
pins
iron & ironing board

Step One:
Measure your fabric. These were all made from children's size T-shirts. Two large, two medium, one small, one extra small, then 4T, (two) 24 M, 12 M and two different sized onesies--3-6 month and 0-3 month. Here are the measurements I used:

Large T-shirts--made from 1-1/3 yard (4 feet). Cut two pieces of 4 feet of fabric that are 10" and 12". If your girl is a little taller, go one or two inches longer on each piece.
Medium T-shirts--made from 1-1/3 yard. 9" and 11" pieces.
Small T-shirt--made from 1 yard. 8" and 10" pieces.
Extra small T-shirt--made from 1 yard. 7" and 9" pieces.
4T Shirt--made from 1 yard. 7" and 9" pieces.
24 M shirts--made from 30 inches, 5/6 yard. 6" and 8" pieces
12 M shirt--made from 30 inches, 5/6 yard. 5" and 7" pieces
3-6 M onesie (the one demonstrated)--made from 27 inches, 3/4 yard. 4" and 6" pieces
0-3 M onesie--same as the 3-6 M onesie


Step Two:
Cut the fabric. I measured all the way down and drew a line to cut along with a pencil. If you have a cutting mat, you won't have to draw the line with a pencil.


Step Three: Fold fabric so right sides are together and sew at the end 5/8" from edge. Then press the seam.


Step Four:
Press hemline by folding over and then folding it under the first fold and pressing.


Step Five:
Sew the hemline.


Step Six:
Layer the two pieces with the shorter piece on the inside. Right sides are both facing the inside. Line up at the seam with raw , unhemmed edges lined up.


Step Seven:
Using a longer stitch selection on your machine, sew 5/8" from edge. It might help to pin these edges together. I did that on some dresses and others I didn't.


Step Eight:
Stitch another gathering stitch with a longer stitch length just 1/4" from the first one, closer to the edge. (1/2" or 4/8" from edge). I find it's easier to gather the fabric if you use two gathering stitches instead of only one.


Step Nine:
With right sides together, pin seam of skirt at seam of shirt. On the onesies, do this right above the leg hole opening. On the T-shirts, do it at the lower edge of shirt. Then gather the skirt until it matches the T-shirt/onesie width.


Step Ten:
Pin the gathered skirt to the T-shirt all the way around. Make your stitch length smaller again on your machine and stitch 5/8" (to match where the 5/8" gathering stitch is) all the way around.


Finally, turn it right side out and you have a T-shirt dress!