I try to make something handmade for my daughter’s birthdays and this year she is obsessed with babies of all kinds. It takes for.ev.er to get out of the house with all her babies that simply MUST go everywhere with us. There’s an umbrella stroller onto which she’s slung a wooden basket so she can carry up to 6 at a time (several small friends in the storage sling under the actual seat lol) and God help me if I suggest we not take the whole entourage. So I figured a good item to make this year is a handled moses basket for her 8" baby, Feta. (“I wanted to name him after cheese so I named him Feta.”)
I looked at examples online but nothing was quite right for such a wee friend so I winged it. I’m happy enough with how it came out and she loved it when she opened it this morning.
I cut up some cardboard from the recycle bin and used washi tape to cover it over to give the base some shape. It’s not ideal, but I did it at midnight last night (as the prophesy foretold) so it was satisfying enough for now.
(Next I’ll have to make the poor fellow some fitted dipes!)
I have wide fancy lace trim that I was thinking of adding to the hood, but I think she would prefer it less busy so I’ve left it off for now. I’ll show her what it would look like and ask if she’d like it embellished. I also might starch it to shape, it’s a bit wibbly, but I wanted it flexible enough to hang off that infernal stroller. I used nearly a whole skein of Vannas Choice “aquamarine” by Lion Brand.
FETA! In a bed of, well, not quite green but I’m imaging…
You did a brilliant job, it looks great. I’m sure she will jam all the dollies in there for naps & trips too. Funny little bunny
If you do some sort of trim & want to stiffen the hood, I’ve used corset boning for that sort of thing. It’s strong but flexible & not expensive at all.
Yeah, plastic boning is sold by the yard at Joann’s. It’s incredibly cheap. Basically like a piece of plastic zip tie, in a cloth sleeve (kind of like a bias tape, but not cut on the bias). You can take the boning out, cut the edges round with scissors so that they don’t poke through, then fold under the cut edges of the fabric sleeve and stitch it in place.
(I think we all know I’m going to raid the underwear drawer to see if an old underwire is ready to stop stabbing me and renew it’s life as a hood lifter. lol)
This is fantastic These are the kind of gifts our children will remember and cherish.
My 4 yo grand daughter is the same with her dolls inside, somehow her parents have been able to keep them from ever going out, and it’s quite the ordeal finding them all at bedtime.
Glad this thing didn’t take forever like the Thing is
I love love love this entire post!
The action shot is priceless as is the description of the baby entourage – one day this sweet child will be all grown up & you will treasure all of these memories! (take it from a mom of 2 grown daughters)
I love the Moses basket and cannot imagine trying to make something without a pattern, so my hat is off to you!! So glad you posted this, as I am still smiling over it all
Thanks so much! I say all the time that a relationship with a baby/child is the strangest challenge because one of you is different people throughout all the early years and the other of you is essentially the same. Also, only one of you can remember the whole thing. At every stage I say, “This might be hard today but I’m going to miss this [baby] when she’s a [big kid].
This is an adorable addition to your kiddo’s super cute ongoing story! “That Infernal Stroller” sounds like a great name for a book of mediocre poetry.
@TheMistressT She loves to rhyme and make up songs, maybe I’ll transcribe some of them in a file called “That Infernal Stroller” and give them to her on her 18th haha.
)
These are the kind of gifts our children will remember and cherish.
