So people often ask me how I sew and craft when I have a 10-month old and a 4 year old at home. The 4 year old is pretty much self-sufficient. She can play on her own and get to the bathroom, ask for food when she’s hungry and be reasonably sure she’s not getting into some dangerous mischief.
The 10-month old (for whom I’m been sewing with since he was 5 weeks old) however, is a different issue. While he, too, will play happily, if there’s something of interest (say, an open sewing machine workstation) he will be there in a flash. And hubby and I are pretty good at wanting to complete our projects. So he’s downstairs, the sawing is loud as it comes up the vents right next to me. I’m getting the baby down to sleep before I head in to cut another garment (a Kwik-Sew spring jacket in a lemon yellow twill).
The magic of baby carriers is that they go to sleep, and even loud, very loud routing (at least I think that’s the equipment I hear running) is not enough to wake the baby – just as long as he’s attached to me.)
I sewed two slings for gift baskets, made two nursing necklaces (tute coming soon!) and started a third gift sling yesterday, in the two hour on-the-back nap. Today I have some computer work (which I’ll start printing in a minute), the other gift sling (all but the rings, they are all on order) and the jacket. Sewing with a baby on my back.
When he was little, I used to wrap him up on my chest in the Moby wrap. I have him on my chest now, not quite the tucked up little bundle that made me look as if he were still inside my belly, but still pretty cute. Here’s what he looked like when I sewed when he was little:
Tucked in tight, snuggled against my chest as he hears the only thing he loves – my breathing and heartbeat.
Now my bigger baby boy has his head supported by the Ergo sleeping hood and the front strap and his little bare feet are sticking out by my hips. But still, he knows he’s snuggled up with mom. And mom knows she’d better get sewing!