September Etsy Update

It's been a super busy month or so behind the scenes at Riches and Roses. First up, I've been preparing for Etsy Australia's #makeforgood campaign. I've got two products listed in the campaign this year and will be donating 20% of sales of these to Plan Australia's "Because I Am a Girl" program. You can find out more about this in another post here on my blog.

I have also been sorting through my products in preparation for the pre-Christmas rush and updating fabrics for some products.

I'm currently busy cutting out and putting together a new batch of these little beauties, which will come out with three new cover designs in the coming weeks, stay tuned!

I've just finished some new cases for the Hungry Caterpillar sets in a new design - see the photos in the listing for details. The new case pictures the food on this page of the book.

I've also been updating the fabrics for all of my doll accessories. There are some really sweet prints on offer at the moment.

My two new car mats have been added to the shop and they are really cute. My son especially loves his version of the racing car mat and filling up his racing cars with petrol as they do their rounds of the track. You can see more on the racing car play mat here.

Another product that I've updated is the baby doll carrier. This new one matches in with the other baby doll products in my etsy store.

My newest product, just in time for warmer weather here in Australia is this cute little reversible kids sun hat available in four sizes to fit baby up to pre-school age.

Over the past few months, my best seller has been my cute little balloon covers which are available in two different designs. I've also updated these designs recently to include the bright owl prints and whale prints pictured below.

Busy busy busy, but never finished - stay tuned for a couple more new products that I'm working on!

Baby Doll Swaddle - Pattern and Tutorial - Easy DIY

You will need:

• Approx 0.5 metres/ yards of a print fabric for the main fabric.
• Approx 0.5 metres/ yards of a plain lining fabric for the inside of the swaddle. 
• Approx 0.5 metres/ yards of a light wadding, such as Pellon fleece.
• Velcro
• Small scraps of felt for heart decorations.

1. Start by printing the three pages of the pattern and cutting out the pattern pieces along the solid line. The pattern pieces for the main part of the swaddle will need to be joined together along the dotted line, by matching and then taping the two pieces together.
2. Place pattern pieces with the marked straight edge along the folded edge of the fabric and cut out one piece in each of the two fabrics (main and lining), as well as the wadding.
3. Depending on the wadding used (and following the directions for the wadding type), iron the main fabric over the wadding piece to secure.
4. Begin by sewing the darts into the separate fabrics. Fold over the fabrics along the centre line of each dart and sew along the outer line to create shape in the foot pocket and top part of the swaddle.
5. Then take the two pieces of lining fabric, right sides together, and sew together around the round bottom edge. Repeat for the outer fabric. Snip along the curved seams and turn one of the fabrics out the right way.
6. Place this piece inside the other, so that right sides are together. Now join the two fabric cases together by starting in the middle of the top seam and sewing around all of the edges, leaving a space of about 4cm (1.5in.) as you return to where you started.
7. Trim all corners and curved edges and turn the swaddle out the right way. Iron the seams flat, especially where the opening is at the top seam.
8. Top stitch around all edges, closing up the opening at the top seam.

9. Pin a strip of velcro to the position indicated on the pattern for the foot pocket. Sew this down and sew the matching velcro to the flap that you prefer to fold down first (on the inside). Then sew two small pieces of velcro onto this same flap, but on the upper side and the matching velcro to the underside of the flap that will fold down last (see picture above for velcro placement).

10. Finally, attach your felt shape (be imaginative to match your fabric, or to suit your child's preferences here!) to the top flap.