Disneyland Trip Means KP Customization!

We just got back from an amazingly awesome week in Disneyland. I knew before we left that I wanted to do something to customize the Kinderpack that my son would be riding in. His older sister got to dress up in all sorts of princess dresses so it's only fair that he got a costume too, right? I started with the drool pads. I used my embroidery machine to make a set of Mickey hands where my little guy's hands usually end up.

The reach straps were next. I also did these on my embroidery machine. I used glitter canvas sheets for the applique and used it on the front and back with matching bobbin thread with the strap sandwiched in between. I love how they turned out.

Then I made the hood. I had a little bit of a hard time with figuring out the ears since they are SO big and I really wanted to keep the round shape and large size and keep them upright. I got some advice from Alexis at Awe Baby Boutique and ended up cutting some slits into the hood to slide in an edge of the ears and then stay-stitching in the front and back of the ear to keep them upright.

 

The last thing to be made was the cover. I worked on a pattern for the longest time and thought for sure that I was getting the shape all wrong. I ended up getting a pattern someone else drafted and learned that I had done great all on my own. :) I went back to my pattern and cut across the middle to make the black/red split and then added back in a seam allowance. Then I got all three panels put together and sewn to the back which is a black and white Mickey and Minnie licensed fabric. Finally, I sewed on the big yellow buttons with a layer of fusible fleece in the back to prevent them from pulling out and voila!

The last thing that I made was a coordinating belt bag to carry the diapers and wipes and the myriad of other things that babies and toddlers need. I completely drafted my own pattern after I saw another person's that I really liked. It has velcro straps on the back so that it can easily be attached and removed without taking off the carrier. This was a lifesaver in the airport!

This project took me several weeks to get through since there was a lot of pattern drafting and sewing, undoing and resewing, but I'm really happy with the way everything turned out. And at the end of the day, this made it all worthwhile. Happy wearing everyone!