Believe In Design: Oh Baby!

I searched high and higher, low and lower looking for the perfect crib bedding. I spent an extraordinary amount of time trolling the internet for the perfect patch to rest my little Prince's head. I got carpal tunnel searching so hard.

It was a lot of work.

But when I found it, it was worth every numb digit on my hand. I fell in love with the John Robshaw crib bedding set in Lapis. It hand-blocked in India on the softest cotton. There are other amazing crib sets that might be worth having more children for but for now this is the one that caught my eye.

John Robshaw Lapis Crib Bedding Set

It has the right dose of worldliness, style and individualism for my little Prince. This is also a description of a few of my hopes for him! I am starting by working on what I can which at this point is surrounding him with beautiful things. I am a believer in the affect that our environment has on us.

You know clean house = Happiness, I can conquer the world!

Dirty house = Perfect backdrop to pick a fight.

Messy purse = My life is in disarray right now.

Clean purse = I just got myself back in order.

You know what I am talking about. Yeah, you! I see you right now, nodding your head.

So to start off my journey to create this look for the nursery, I found the quilt on eBay for $150.00. I know it may seem like a lot but I can justify it because it normally comes in a set which I have seen from $450.00-$575.00. (Yikes!)

So happy here!

Next priority was to buy the crib sheet. The John Robshaw crib sheet print is called Cinde Coffee. I hummed and hawed at spending that much on a crib sheet that was bound to end up stained. The design gods were watching out for me because I found a Dwell crib sheet that was close enough stand-in for the John Robshaw version.

John Robshaw Cinde Coffee Crib Sheet ($75)

Since it is in the same color family, it worked out perfectly.

Dwell Chevron Crib Sheet ($36)

I soon found out that the crib bumper, a print called Mandu Lapis, is also only sold in the crib set. I spent nearly 2 months scouring fabric resources for the crib bumper which included going to the John Robshaw sample sale and spending enormous amounts of time in the evenings on the internet.

John Robshaw Mandu Lapis Print

Nothing.

My choices were to keep searching Ebay, settle on a similar fabric (yet inferior which would bother me for years) or make the whole thing from scratch. This would include learning how to print textiles, finding a wood block, finding fabric, printing the fabric and then sewing the bumper.

Am I crazy?

My little Prince was growing rapidly and I still did not have a bumper for him. It would soon be obsolete. He would not need it if I delayed any longer. I had visions of finishing it when he turned 10. Yet, I still held out for the perfect bumper.

Uhm, well it turns out that I am a little crazy. So I preceded with making the fabric myself. Well, not actually weave it. I love a challenge but I am not that nuts. (Though I may well be weaving fabric next year.) The universe unfolded for me once I set my mind to this project.

I was shopping (gawking) at ABC Carpet & Home when I came across a bucket of old Indian printing blocks. I found a gorgeous block ($68) that ended up looking nothing like the Mandu Lapis bumper print but it called out to me that it was the one. I found leftover white linen fabric at home from making my living room curtains so I didn't even need to buy fabric for the bumper. (Score!) Now I just needed to learn how to print textiles! Thank goodness for Google!

After finding the best little website for artists called Dharma Trading, a nice box arrived with the ingredients for me to finish my project. I experimented printing a little on silk, linen, paper, and cotton to get the feel for block-printing.

I fell in love with this art. I may start stamping everything in my house that it will look like a souk.

Here are the supplies you will need:

Textile Ink (I used Jacquard inks)
Brayer
Stamp of your choice
Non-porous surface to spread ink (I used a plastic artists palette)
Fabric

I laid out the linen fabric with craft paper underneath it and began printing the layout of my fabric. I didn't want the print too close together because I thought it started to look too feminine. I made one side of the bumper closer together than the other just for some visual interest.

After the fabric dried to the touch, I cut out my pattern and let the pieces dry overnight. I used a water-soluble marker to mark my cut lines. When I wash the fabric the ink will just disappear. It is my favorite tool!

Loading the Brayer with Ink

You will noticed that I optimized my fabric yardage by indicating where my cut lines where going to be and then manipulated the print by not printing over into the other pattern piece. It appears as though part of the print is missing but when it is cut and sewn it will be exactly how I intended. You can achieve this by putting a piece of craft paper under the woodblock where ever you do not want it to print. The photo below is not cut yet.

Turquoise Cut Lines are Water-Soluble Marker

Fabric Marked With Cut Lines

After the fabric is dried, I ironed the reverse side of the fabric to heat set the print. This will prevent the ink from washing away with water. After the print was heat set, I washed the fabric and ironed before I stitched it together. I added invisible zippers on the underside of the crib bumper cover so they can be washed as needed.

Linen Hanging to Dry Overnight

Now you didn't think that I left empty handed from the John Robshaw sample sale? I picked up this great printed tablecloth which is now hanging in the nursery as a curtain. The leftover fabric I cut into fabric ties that I will use for the crib bumper ties. I cut them 1 1/4" wide.

John Robshaw Fabric Ties

John Robshaw Logo

So now it is all coming together nicely! Here is the crib complete and just in time (barely) for my little one to enjoy its comfort and coziness at least for a few months.

My grand total to pull this look together was about $350 so I saved about $100 which is not that much but I took away new knowledge, discovered a craft that I love, and I have a beautiful wood block to use again or display. The nursery feels so special when I walk in it everyday knowing I put my love and attention in it.

P.S. (I love PS's, don't you?) You can buy a crib bumper insert for approximately $90 online. I am a glutton for punishment so I made my bumper inserts myself. I have a bolt of muslin lying around the house so I cut the pattern pieces out of the muslin. I wanted an organic bumper so I order organic cotton stuffing from Near Sea Naturals. It will take approximately 4 lbs. of stuffing to finish the bumper so my total cost for that was $53.00. But I slightly overestimated because I have the cutest stuffed animal on my project list. (shh...don't tell)