Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Disney prep sewing...

Our Disney trip is fast approaching (okay so there are still over 100 days to countdown) but I know it's going to fly.  So I got started on some projects I've been thinking about to make our trip easier.  I have read the "Unofficial Guide To Disneyland" and made lists, highlighted, made more lists.... of things we need to prepare for.  One of them is carrying our own water.  Sure we can buy water in the park (too expensive), or look for water fountains (too time consuming), so I wanted to bring our own water.  I have a husband who doesn't want to end up carrying the entire families water bottles or hauling a backpack full of water bottles, so I came up with individual water bottle carriers that even the littlest theme park go-ers can carry.
 I wanted a hands free way to carry them and I didn't want to fuss with getting them in and out of a bag or a stroller.  I bought everyone the same size water bottle that has a thick plastic straw coming out of the top (don't have to unscrew lids every time you want a drink), and measured around the bottle, made a bottom, cinched the top with elastic, made a strap (36" for little kids, 45" for middle kids, 52" for teenager kids), sewed it all together and we have handy water bottle carriers!  I think it'll work!
 I made the straps out of different fabric for everyone so they can distinguish which one is theirs easily.


We are driving on this trip and I wanted to not have 8 pillows cluttering up the already cluttered van.  So I decided to make everyone a neck pillow so they can still nap easily if needed.  I made the little boys slightly different sizes but the same fabric as their water bottle carriers.  The back of the neck pillows are minky fabric so they can use that side if they want a more cuddly feel.  I used this tutorial as a starting point but tweeked it a little for us.  I made the youngest one (age 2) a circumfrence of 10", the next child (age 6) circumference of 14", and all others 16". 


Check back again for more Disney projects to come!  I'm hoping to make 1. pillow bottom lap desks/magnetic boards
2.  Magnetic games
3. Car seat back organizers
4. Pin exchanging lanyards
5. Snack boxes