homemade baby neck gaiters...

When G was 3, she stayed outside in the snow and cold for a little too long one day, and got frostbite on her cheeks. Since then, her face has been really sensitive to cold, and we often have to bring her in before she really wants to be done playing in the snow. Now that she is outside at school during recess, and I'm not there to check her cheeks, I have been looking for something that she can use around her face and neck. Scarf came to mind first, but G would wind it too tight, and it was just awkward. She did show some interest in getting a face mask stocking cap, which I put on the possibility list. And then I remembered that I bought some Columbia neck gaiters on super winter clearance last year! That was it! Only, where did I put them? I did find them, but they were pretty tight and G thought it was itchy, as it has some wool in it.

But it got me thinking that I should be able to come up with something that she could use like that neck gaiter. And these are the homemade baby neck gaiters that I came up with:

This was seriously so easy. Last Friday I took the kids to the big box craft/fabric store and let them pick out polar fleece - it was 50% off and I only bought 1/4 yard of each, so it was CHEAP! I had a plan in my head and measured the kids' heads and was ready to make them after they went to bed as it was snowing outside and I knew we would be out the next day!

Problem was both S and I fell asleep with the kids. So didn't get them made. Next morning they were SO EXCITED for 10 more inches of snow and were just itching to get out there. S was too as he wanted to get the driveway shoveled out. So in a matter of 5 minutes, I cut out the polar fleece (with a bad kitchen scissors as I couldn't remember the new spot I put my sewing scissors) in approximately a 24" x 6" rectangle. Then I quickly went to the basement where my sewing machine lives and just used the thread in the machine (I believe it was khaki colored), and quickly sewed the short sides of the rectangle together (I did this sitting on the old baby exersaucer since we didn't put the chairs back down in the basement after Thanksgiving yet).

And voila! Easy for the kids to pull over their hoods, soft, keeps those baby cheeks warm, and cute to boot.

(had to adjust G's as it was too big)

Hope you are finding ways to stay warm this winter!