The crib is perhaps the most important piece of furniture. It must be super-
sturdy, because a growing baby is super powerful, particularly when she wants to
escape the confinement that the crib represents. The confinement is, of course,
for the protection of the child. A baby on the loose could hurt herself in innu-
merable ways. However, a baby not on the loose could shake a flimsy structure to
pieces in a matter of days. And in all honesty, a baby confined means a measure of
peace for us who are grabbing a few extra winks for the day that faces us and our
little cherub.
On the market are all manner of cribs. Yes, the flimsy, delicate, small crib for
the early days, that must be replaced by the stronger, bigger crib for the stronger,
bigger child. Why bother with two?
Because we require so much strength and protection from the crib, it becomes
perhaps the hardest piece of furniture we will build. (No, Florence, it can't be
slapped together!) However, a crib has a limited usefulness, two or three years a
baby, times the number of babies. You may not know the result of that calculation
yet. You may choose a crib that is a crib that is a crib. On the other hand, you may
want convertibility. I include such an option.
Making the barred side of the crib is tricky. Thus, I have suggested you make
only one side with bars, since the other side usually faces a wall. You might want
to use a panel side similar to the one on the playpen, which can be cut from a
piece of plywood, saving the doweling trip. Other alternatives may be sparks from
your imagination, perhaps, and you will create your own design . . . and that's
what this is all about, isn't it.
The mattress support can sit at three different levels. The highest position,
the height of a desk. can also be an alternative to a cradle. The mattress support
structure is attached with nuts and bolts, which add strength to the overall struc-
ture. The crib front hinges and folds open.
The framework eventually can be converted to a desk, simply by removing
the doweled side. The mattress board is slotted for air circulation, and you would
replace this with a solid piece for the desk. Some rolling cubes could be added
underneath for storage. Boxes similar to the box on top of the changing table