The year my oldest child was born, 11 other first born babies were born within my circle of friends. Something was clearly in the water.

We were college students, attending a lot of baby showers! I wanted to give a gift that would be useful and practical yet, within our means. For me, this meant relying on a skill my mother taught me as a youth, sewing.

I made baby blanket bundles - three large soft flannel blankets and two coordinating cloth diaper burp clothes, tied with a ribbon - they became my standard baby shower gift. They became such a signature gift that I didn't even attempt to wrap them; just tied them with a ribbon and slipped in a card.

It was fun to watch these little babies grow and latch on to one of their “Kathleen” blankets. Long after all the other ‘baby’ stuff got packed away, one or two of my flannel blankets would remain having become a treasured bedtime lovey, nap time blanket or all-in-one comfort blanket.

As my kids got older, new things got added to my repertoire. I’m always looking for fun, yet functional things I can make for my children to enhance their childhood. There is so much in their environments that is manufactured, that is tainted by consumerism, that I really feel a pull to provide them with a bit of the homemade, the handmade whenever I can.