Little Sprouts!

Happy birthday Jude!! It's Jude's 2nd birthday today (!!) which means Elsa's is just a few weeks away! Mama's got a party to plan! Anyways, I made little Jude a gift thinking of the business Jerod and I have been talking about since they were fetuses. It's called Little Sprouts and they'll be in charge of planting, watering, caring for and loving seeds into seedlings, which they will then cart around in their Radio Flier wagons all around the neighborhoods to sell to all the suckers neighbors. They'll probably spend all of their earnings on Pink Panther popsicles from the ice cream man, but we'll try to encourage them to split their profits into savings, capital for continuing and expanding their business, charity, and mad money for popsicles.

The babes are already showing an interest in gardening (Elsa likes watching us tend to the garden, and enjoys pulling all the jalapenos off the plant as we scream at her not to) so we might be starting this LLC pretty soon. As such, they need little uniforms so I made Jude a little logo'd apron. It's waterproof plaid fabric (a Quiksilver remnant- thanks Mandy!) on one side, and Ikea navy gingham cotton on the other. I printed Little Sprouts and the leaf on printable fabric (kind of the best thing ever) and sewed it up into a pocket for the front and BAM! Baby work apron.

I kind of freestyled this pattern, using one of Elsa's overalls for a sizing guide. I tried to put it on her midway to see if it was working but the little turd threw a fit like I was trying to put acid on her and not a piece of cotton. Sigh. I did pin her down though to make sure the neck strap would fit over their big old baby noggins.

So it's basically just the shape you see here cut out of two fabrics with the right sides facing and the straps pinned in place and sandwiched between the fabrics, pinned, and then sewed along all the edges, leaving a few inches on the bottom open so it could be turned right side out with the straps on the outside. I topstitched the bottom closed and ran the topstitch all along the rest (in neon green thread!), then sewed on the pocket and badda-bing it's done. How's that for a tutorial??

And for more fun, I'm including a few seed packets from the Hudson Valley Seed Library (you can get these cuties at West Elm) to get him started.

Ultimate Salad Bowl, Rainbow Chard, Sparkler Radishes, Kaleidoscope Carrots, and of course, Lemon Cukes! I love the illustrations on the packets.

Hope the little man likes it! I think I'll make Elsie a coordinating apron of her own for her birthday...