This past Christmas Lo received Lilly Anna as a gift. She came with a horse and quite honestly I thought she'd be way more int the horse than the doll. She's never really been a "doll girl." She is more into animals and has a bazillion stuffed animals in her room to prove it. That all changed when she met Lilly Anna. Since she opened her she has rarely left her side. She changes her clothes, takes her when we run errands and she sleeps next to her at night. One thing Lilly Anna was missing was her own bed. Lo was very insistent that she had her own bed. We have plenty of cribs, but as you can see Lilly Anna is a big girl and no longer sleeps in cribs. So the search was on for a bed, but most of the beds were ridiculously expensive! Why would I spend more on a doll bed than I did for my own bedding?!?!? I decided that I needed to make it myself. I started Googling and was beyond excited to find {THIS} tutorial. It was perfect for me. It only required two supplies and neither one was wood or nails. Also it only cost me $17 to make. SCORE! I showed it to Lo and she was just as excited!
How could you not fall in love with this beautiful bed?!?!
Here's what you need:
- A large basket (I got mine at Michael's for $14. Take your doll and metal border with you. It'll save you a return back to the store if the basket isn't big enough.)
(As an added bonus my basket was lined with fabric. This helped keep the metal border in place)
- Metal garden border (I found mine at Lowes for $3. It was in the outdoor section with all the paver bricks and edging. I highly recommend buying the metal piece first and then taking it to the store with you when you buy the basket.)
I started by spray painting the basket and the metal border. It's a good thing that the weather has been unseasonably warm. It make it perfect for spray painting. Once everything was dry I gently pushed the border into the basket. I used twist ties to keep it from moving around.
Then I applied another coat of spray paint and a layer of clear sealer. I didn't take any pictures of assembling the bed so if you have any questions please feel free to email me and I'd be happy to help you any way I can.
Once the bed was made, the real fun began. The making of the bedding. I used {THIS} and {THIS} tutorial for general ideas and measurements. My bed was larger so I just adjusted as needed.
For the mattress I wrapped a piece of foam insulation with fleece and fabric. You could also use foam or batting, but I used what I had on hand and I'm sure Lilly Anna will be just as comfortable on her foam insulation. I attached the "mattress" to the top of the basket with velcro. That way it won't move around easily and I can take it off if needed.
I used scraps of fabric that I had, and like the tutorial, used fleece in the middle. Instead of topstitching on each strip, I stitched in the ditch. It makes the quilt look fluffy and cozy.
It's even reversible.
Lo really loved the pillows and pillow cases. They were super easy to make and I love the coordinating border.
I think my favorite piece is the monogramed pillow.
Lilly Anna loves it too!
She is super comfortable in her new bed.
I have to admit that I had a fab-u-lous time on this project. I'm sure if I had more time Lilly Anna would have a blanket, more pillows, a matching duvet cover and a bed skirt! I'm also thinking she needs some matching PJs too! The best reward was seeing Lo's face when she came home from school and saw it. She gave me the biggest smile and proclaimed, "Lilly Anna LOVES it Mommy!!!"
Nothing better than getting high praise from one of your toughest critics!
Thanks for checking in,
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