Tula Cover Tutorial by guest writer: Brita Denton

All our babywearing mamas wanted a quick tutorial on how to cover a tula with unique, different or stylish fabric. Brita offered to make a quick tutorial, with a few photos along the way, for all of us to enjoy. If you end up using this tutorial, be sure to show off your before and after photos, as we love to see all our other mamas DIY projects. 

Now time to get to that awesome tutorial we promised you... enjoy!

Step 1: Trace out your tula onto a piece of paper. Making sure you mark where the straps come out of.

Step 2: Lay the trace out over one piece of lining and the piece you want on the reverse (so your second choice fabric as this will be reversible). Pin together and cut out leaving enough around room around for the seam and to turn out (what I left seemed perfect)


Step 3: Now do the same for your main fabric and lining but this time you need to add extra for the tabs on the side and bottom where you will apply the Velcro to join the two pieces together. I have folded the tabs over to show the lining so you can see what I mean. I just guessed this bit. Wide enough to put a piece of Velcro and the length of the gaps between where the straps join. 

Step 4: Now sew the pieces together. The main piece with its lining, and the reverse side with its lining. Make sure the right sides are together. Then turn them inside out and stitch around the edge to keep in place.

Step 5: Join the top of your pieces together along the top. Make sure you mark where to stop sewing so it isn't joined where the shoulder straps come out. Put the two right sides facing each other to sew.
Check how the size is before adding anything else.

Step 6: Now line the two pieces together to put the Velcro on. Pin in place and check it over the tula and with a child in if you can. This picture shows where the Velcro is in the lining of the reverse fabric and the Velcro goes on the tabs on the good side of your main fabric and folds in to attach.

Here it is finished.

 
No you can't access the pocket or hood but you could add a hood to go on top. I didn't bother as my toddler never naps.
This covers all parts of the tula except a tiny bit at he buckles on the waist and I also made suck pads, twice the normal length, to cover most of the shoulder straps.

Excuse the 7 year old model. My usual model was out with daddy.

Thank you to Brita for sharing this quick tutorial. I hope all our babywearing mamas love it!

Babywear In Style (or a New Style),
Sarah (and Brita)

June Give Thanks, Week 2

June 8:
     Today I am extremely thankful for my amazing husband and wonderful kids, as well as my amazing friends and family. Its my birthday, and I have been spoiled beyond being spoiled! I got new running shoes (well over due, my old shoes were about 5 years old), I got fabric for our master bedroom, my in-laws sent me a gift card and a fabric piece, and lastly I went out to dinner with my husband and two kiddos at a sushi restaurant! SPOILED!!! It was one of the best birthdays, I loved every second of it!

New shoes!!

Fabric!!!

My little man and I before dinner!

June 9:
     Its been crazy to see how many friends and family members have birthdays this week alone. June is a great month and I am just so blessed and thankful to have such amazing people around me, not only that but Happy Birthday to Matt, my brother-in-law.

June 10:
     So thankful for my oldest son, as he went PEE PEE on the POTTY!!! YAY! Now, it's a lot of asking and questioning about pee or poop, fun fun!

June 11:
     Today I am seriously thankful for the change in my purse! I was able to enjoy a little starbucks because of all the change I carry around (not to mention I needed to drive around because Jared wouldn't nap...) but anyways, still thankful for all the extra quarters, dimes, and nickles! Hey, a mom needs her coffee fix, don't judge me!

June 12:
     Thankful beyond thankful for how great my husband and I are doing on our "budget". Its been tough and extremely challenging, but today we spent HALF of what we usually spend on groceries, yay! Go us!

June 13:
     I am in love with the millions of cuddles my youngest son gives me. Especially today, I am so thankful for each and every one of them. We can never forget these small very mini moments. These are the moments I want to remember forever.

June 14:
     Its a simple moment in each and every day, the moment you wake up to a bright and sunny new day. I am thankful for each and every wonderful day that I wake up and am lucky enough to spend it with my family and friends.

Give Thanks,
Sarah

April Give Thanks, Week 4

April 22:
     My first block is done. I started my Halloween wall quilt. Its all done by hand applique. I am so thankful for the few hours after the kids go to bed, to work on this project. This first block took me a few days. Feels great to have the first one done!

April 23:
     Thankful today for those moments you get to catch, while your child learns/touches the kitty for the first time and really understands what it is. The laughter, the excitement, the puzzled looks, and the overall joy of the experience for him, is just the best feeling and a great experience to see. I love watching my kids grow and learn.

April 24:
     Today I am thankful for a HUGE milestone for myself. I have officially lost 30 pounds! Its an amazing feeling, and I can not weight for the next few pounds to fall off. I am half way to my goal weight. However, this overall life changing experience of putting the weight on and then slowly taking it off has helped me realize what healthy LIVING is all about. Its definitely a lifestyle change.

Left: December 2013, Right: Current weight today.

April 25:
     My youngest, Jared is 10 months old today. I am so thankful for all the wonderful days that he has blessed me with, and the wonderful experiences and life changing moments that have happened in the last 10 months. He is a unique, happy, funny, out"spoken" kind of personality, and a picky eater. I love him to death, and I could not be more thankful for him.

April 26:
     Since we arrived here in California, months ago; we still are going through stuff and trying to "clean up" and "clean out" the items we don't need or we don't use. Today, we spent at least an hour or more going through boxes apon boxes of stuff and posting them for sale, or putting them in the thrift store pile. I am thankful that we can give our unwanted or unused items to people who can use them, and still give back and help out our military community in return. Feels good.

April 27:
     Thankful for each and every second I get with my kids. They are my world, my only world. As a stay at home mom, this is what I eat, breath, and well... clean! Its my life; I never get a day off from it, even when I have strep throat, and I will work harder then I ever thought I would, at any other job. (No other job, can you go to work with strep throat and still have to work, taking care of 2 kiddos who also have strep throat... yeah this job rocks!) In a positive though, us all being sick means we are spending a lot of time cuddling and thats what its all for.

April 28:
     I am thankful for my kids love for one another... just look at this photo. It says it all. This is what life is about.

Holding hands... awwww

 Give Thanks,
Sarah