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Plucky Poppy Duvet
2007 @ 3:02 pm
A few weeks ago I bought MJ her first comforter. I don’t know if 18 mo old kids are allowed to have them or not, but I think she’s ready. Ikea had an irresistible deal: $15 for a crib size, machine washable comforter. Just the right price to justify spending mad funds on fancy fabric for a duvet! I spent many days pondering patterns at Brooklyn General–I even attempted to justify some Liberty for a day or two. I finally settled on a Kaffe Fassett fabric and a coordinating solid. I bought 1.5 yds of each and didn’t break the bank. The great thing about small duvets is that there is no need to piece together fabric to accommodate width.
I basically sewed a pillowcase for the comforter. I cut it to size and seamed it on three sides (using very narrow seam allowance!). Then I turned down the opening (bottom) by 2″ two times and sewed close to the first fold. The trickiest part was making buttonholes. The machine, once again, performed beautifully! On my machine (Singer CE-200), the buttonhole foot requires that you load your button right into it so it can decide how big your hole should hat was about the right size since my intention was to make my own closures.
There doesn’t seem to be a manual override for this feature, but I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to trick the machine. I placed some tearaway stabilizer under 3 of 4 buttonholes–it definitely helped!
So, the hardest part about buttonholes? Not ripping them to shreds. Oops.
I bought a yo-yo maker a while ago and decided this was the perfect day to try it out. I didn’t have buttons on hand and I wanted to get the duvet done in a day. What the heck is a yo-yo? Well, you may have nauseating Season 2 Project Runway flashbacks (unless you are 12) when you hear the word “rosette”, but that’s what it is. You can’t deny the cuteness on a kid item. I feel compelled to admit that it is pure chance that the flowers lined themselves up at the bottom edge like that. I paid no mind whatsoever. I love happy accidents!
The verdict… YAY! MJ gave it a big thumbs up last night. Well, really she just repeated the word “POPPY!” for a full minute when I showed it to her. She’s been sleeping with it bare for a couple of weeks and “tuck tuck” (both MJ and Elmo) has become part of our ritual. While I have yet to find her under it upon waking, it’s nice to look at when I say goodnight.
Comments
What a cute project! “Poppy” — nice vocabulary for an 18-month-old 
That is so stinking cute =) I never find my kids under the blanket in the morning unless them have wrapped themselves in it like mummies in their sleep. I envy your crib sleeper. My oldest son has been in a toddler bed since he was 19 months (we lost a crib screw in the move) it was a nightmare at first. He was out of the bed 10 times some nights.
that is so delightful, and i’m totally impressed with your workmanship. and i still like rosettes!
Hi pal, your sewing is amazing and inspiring…how are you? missing the general, brooklyn, cal and all of that. kiss gertie for me. xoxoxo amylou
adorable duvet! that little MJ has such sophisticated taste! oh, and i’ve TAGGED you. see my blog for deets…
that is super cute!! the rosettes are the perfect finishing touch!
Oooh, nice colorway on the KF print. I’m partial to that pattern meself! That’s a clever little feature on your buttonhole foot…I inevitably make mine too big.
What a great idea it was to make a duvet cover! I like those poppies too