Why Handmade: Here Comes Baby

by Bev Feldman of Linkouture
 
Just a little over a week ago the world watched as Prince William and Kate Middleton proudly introduced to the world their little bundle of joy, Prince George. As Jessica showed us in Wednesday's post there's not shortage of handmade goodies for babies out there! I am currently pregnant with my first child (and coincidentally, my mother was pregnant with me the same time Princess Di was pregnant with Prince William). As a maker myself, you can bet this baby of mine will be donning the finest in handmade baby gear that local makers have to offer. 

 A few weeks ago I braved the heat and had attended ArtBeat in Davis Square, one of my all-time favorite local arts festivals. I have been going to the show nearly every year since moving to the Boston area nearly ten years ago. For perhaps the first time this year, I did not buy a single item for myself. Believe me, I was tempted. But I may or may not have gone on a handmade baby gear buying binge. (Shhh, don't tell anyone!) For a variety of reasons, I believe strongly in buying handmade and supporting the local arts. I love the person-to-person connection I have when buying from an artist at a craft show. I get to learn their story: how and why they started their business, what brought them here, and the their process. The love and attention that goes into something that is handmade is incomparable. So it is only logical that I would want this type of love and care to go into what my baby wears. (Plus everything is so darn cute!) Here is a sampling of some of the awesomeness that I was able to score for future Baby Feldman. 

I met Johanna Parker of Kaya's Kloset initially at the Beverly Arts Festival in June. I was immediately smitten with her teeny tiny footwear (but she makes them for adults, too!) and knew I had to come back once I found out if my baby was a boy or a girl. Johanna was inspired to start making these adorable booties years ago when her daughter, Kaya, then a baby, kept kicking off her socks. I'm sure I will be stockpiling more of these adorable little shoes, both for my little one and to give as baby presents.

Several years ago when my husband and I went to ArtBeat he purchased the adult version of this shirt for himself from bit & little bit. I already thought it was a really incredible shirt with a great message, so when I saw the baby version of it I knew we had to have a matching one for our babe. (And really, what dad wouldn't want to wear a matching outfit with his baby?)

At my first Greenway Open Market show this summer I was stationed next to Beth Rosa of Pink Pigeon Creations. Let me tell you, when you're a pregnant woman with a slight obsession with handmade items, it was really hard to resist going on a shopping spree when you're working at a craft show and you're next to someone selling handmade baby gear. I knew I would be back to purchase some of her lovely handmade baby products, which includes wet bags (like the one pictured above), burp cloths, changing pads and the most adorable hooded towels (which will definitely be going on my registry, just in case you were wondering).

 Finally, I stopped Nathalie Therese's booth. I'll admit, I had an eye on her gorgeous handmade bags for myself, but resisted (for now) and purchased a matching bib, diaper bag, and swaddle wrap (not pictured) in my favorite color. What is your favorite handmade baby or children's item? Feel free to share it in the comments below, on Twitter, or on our Facebook page!