I think that my favorite cross-stitch projects are baby bibs. It is just so fun! I always start them with someone in mind. Now that's not to say plans don't change, but I do always have someone in mind when I start one. When I'm ahead, I usually start either a generic pattern, or both a girl and boy bib. Usually though, I know exactly who I'm going to give the bib to. I just love picturing a friends' baby wearing/using the bib I'm stitching for them! I think one of the other things that makes the bibs my favorite, is that they're so easy and fast. I can start and finish one quickly enough to give at baby showers (or whenever). I like to feel efficient and effective, and these projects are exactly that! I try to take a picture of every bib that I make. I say try because our digital camera is very old and finicky, so sometimes I have to actually use my film camera (*gasp* I know, so old school), so some of my pictures aren't currently developed or on the computer yet.
So of course, I always start with a blank slate. I actually prefer a white bib, because the colors look more vibrant on the white background, but I have done a few colored backgrounds like the one I have here. I also like to try to use a particular brand, because they make their bibs to where I can sew down the part I stitch on to cover the strings on the back so moms can wash them. That brand is harder to find, and does only come in white, so if I don't get my preferred brand, I put a piece of matching fabric over the back of the stitching to make it washable. The bibs and thread themselves are washable anyway, but I cover the back so moms don't have to worry about the strings coming loose.
These first several pictures are all from my first round of bibs that I ever gave out to friends. These kiddos are now all around 3 years old, which absolutely blows my mind! And actually, when I pulled these up, I was having a hard time remembering who I gave what! This one here went to my friend Stacey's little boy. Stacey and I knew each other through church back when I was in high school, and reconnected shortly before she had the baby.
This one went to my good friend Caroline's little boy. I'm pretty sure. I'm second-guessing myself, so Caroline, if I'm wrong, I'm sorry!!! I really liked this particular pattern! :) Caroline and I met at TCC, and clicked immediately. She was actually a bridesmaid in my wedding and made our cakes! I just gave her a second bib, as well as a washcloth, for the little girl that will very soon be joining the family! Unfortunately, that set is one I had to photograph with my film camera, and the roll hasn't been developed yet. :( However, she was just telling me the other day how special these gifts were to her, and seriously, I almost cried! (And before you even start, that had nothing to do with any extra hormones!!)
This set is actually a bib (on the left) and I guess what you'd call like a burp rag (on the right). I don't use these things yet, so I don't know what exactly you'd call it! Anyway, this set went to my friend Stephanie's little girl. Stephanie and I went to high school together.
This one was a more recent round of gifts. This one went to another good friend, and bridesmaid, Cori's little boy who is not quite a year old yet. This one was really fun for me, because I did the pattern myself. When Cori first found out, she nicknamed the baby "jelly bean." I thought it was super cute, and I looked forever and everywhere to find a cute pattern that had jelly beans in it! No such luck though. I found one on the internet that had a jar of jelly beans, and some loose ones, but wouldn't fit on the bib area. Well, about the time I found that and was debating how to alter it to make it work, Cori found out it was a boy and they settled on the name Konner. This solved my problem for me, and I immediately got to work designing this pattern for the little one!
I wish I had more pictures of the past bibs I have done. But for now this is all I have. I do have a few others in the works currently, as it seems these babies like to come in groups! :) I can think of two babies off the top of my head that I could be stitching for right now! But, I don't like to post pictures of ones that I haven't given. I feel like that kind of takes away from the surprise, if the mom I happen to give a bib to had seen the picture on my blog. I also think that when I can I will design more patterns of my own. I've done one other besides the jelly beans, but it's not even finished, so I don't want to share it yet. I really like designing the patterns. If I was a better artist, I probably would've looked for a career designing something! I'm sure most of you don't know that about me!
Anyway, that was a much happier blog post, and I know that several of you had shown some interest last time I posted about my cross-stitch. So, there we go, my favorite thing to cross-stitch! If any of you need to put in order in, I'm sure we could do some negotiating about that!
