I didn't, I won't (Part 2)

Indecisiveness is a trait of mine (such as choosing paint colours), and when it comes to gift selection, I can dither like the best of them.  I know when I have found the perfect gift because I have that feeling of certainty that it fits that particular person's interests and lifestyle and knowing that they will love it makes me happy.  When I feel indecision as strongly as I did with the ripple crochet blanket, it's usually a sign that it's the wrong gift for the intended recipient.

So, while my girls made merry baking mayhem in the kitchen this afternoon...

...I opted to sew my friend's new baby a change mat instead.  I feel happier about this already so I know I'm on the right track.

Using Tea Pea's change mats as my inspiration, I cut a template from an old change mat of mine and curved the edges.  Some of you may recognise the Michael Miller prints I used.

Many store-bought change mats have a layer of wadding for absorbency.  The downfall is that it cannot be machine-washed (if you are inclined to follow the manufacturer's care instructions).  What's the point of a change mat if you can't machine-wash it when it's dirty?  Hand washing items is not my favourite job, and it's not likely to feature highly on a new mother's list of priorities either.  To counter this, I put a double layer of cotton fabric between the outer layers.

I used striped bias binding, mainly because it contrasted with the fabrics and also because it was the only one in my stash that wasn't girly.

Degree of difficulty: Easy
Time taken: 40 minutes
Result: I'll let you know what the new owner says.  It was quite a nice departure for me to sew with boy's prints.