Results tagged “baby pattern” from Fabric.com Blog

Its spring and that means sprint cleaning. Spring cleaning in my house starts in the closest but before I place any t-shirts in the "donate" pile I give them the once over to see if they are good for projects. My husband's t-shirts are especially good for kids' clothes. His shirts are usually large so they come with a lot of material to work with. My youngest is growing so fast and with warmer weather coming I need some cooler pajamas for her to sleep in. In cold weather she loves the footed PJs but she is hot-natured so I decided on some short-alls. I found this great pattern on Pinterest by Feather's Flight. . It is an excellent pattern for size 6-12 mo. though it is large if your baby is on the wee side (50% or below).

There are a few things I would change before making another (I'm a sucker for short alls so I will be making more). First, the size changes that she outlines in Step 10 I would make them to the pattern before you cut. You know your kid's head so you can adjust the pattern before cutting. This makes it easier later. I didn't and tried to wing it and ended up taken it in too much at the chest. This makes it difficult to get my daughter's arms in but I can just add a strip under the arm if I want her in it longer.

Second, I really recommend a crew neck shirt for this and also it should probably be a man's shirt. Most women's shirts are slim fit so they don't have enough materials for all the extras like facings and crotch pieces. Look for men's shirts with cool graphics, slogans or pictures. My husband was gifted a funny shirt with a graphic that says "I have gas". I thought it would make cute Pjs for my little one given my baby's love of tooting. It looks adorable and quite funny.

Third, next time I will be cutting the sleeves in a bell shape. I had trouble getting her arms in and some of that was because the arms are slightly narrow. I think a slight flare will help with that. I also believe it is because most baby clothes are made from narrow ribbed knit which gives them a lot of stretch where as t-shirt fabric has much less stretch.

Lastly, I recommend 5 snaps instead of 3. There is a good amount of gaping with 3 snaps. I also don't recommend Velcro as a fastener. There is a sleep factor that must be taken into consideration. Whether your baby is asleep when you must check the diaper or almost asleep, ripping Velcro is surprisingly loud and even if you do it super slow the sound doesn't decrease. I used our Babyville Plastic Snaps; they are wonderful and so colorful. You can read more on them here.

I heartily recommend this pattern. Because you are starting with material that already has hemmed and bound edges this outfit goes together so fast. Couple that with using a t-shirt that is already decorated you can create a super delightful get-up for little ones that you still have time for a shower, or even- gasp- making something for yourself.

**Disclaimer- These are my opinions and are by no means a judgment on Moms who choose disposable or any other diaper method. I have been known to employ disposables from time to time. **

I have LONG wanted in on this gig since I love cloth diapers so much. Not only do I love them for their Green value but also their comfort, style and convenience. The brand I choose for my first born were BumGenius One Size. I choose them because I need only buy one size which would grow with my baby. I could pack them up and go. When they were spoiled, I could fold them up and the mess would be contained inside. I could adjust their size as well as adjust their absorbency. The list goes on...

However, as colorful and super cute as they were, I still longed to make my own with prints that would match my daughter's personality, wardrobe or just something with a little funk. But I was intimidated. It just seemed so tricky. Plus I had no idea what materials were involved and where to purchase them all. Well, none of those reasons is much of an issue now. Fabric.com's Diaper Central is a one stop diaper fabric purchasing center and we offer several patterns to make your own diaper, I chose Favorite Things "The Nappies Pattern" and decided to modify them to be One Size just like my beloved BumGenius.

** Prewash your fabric as you would wash your cloth diapers**

First I choose my fabric: for the print outside, I used quilting cotton but you can also use minky, flannel or any decorative material (Note- It must be washable, these are going in the wash at least 1-2/week). Then I added in some PUL- which is the waterproof but breathable layer that gets sandwiched between the decorative outside and the super soft and comfy lining fabric. I went with plain white because I knew I would be using a decorative print on the outside but if you just want a solid color check out our wide PUL color selection. Then I chose my lining fabric which was a diaper flannel but you could also use cotton flannel, terry, cotton or hemp (Hemp is the most absorbent for heavy wetters). Do not use microfiber for the lining. It will irritate baby's skin. Then following the directions I cut out my pattern pieces.

Since I am making my diaper One Size, I choose a size large because it was the size closest to my BumGenius at its largest size. After finishing step 1 I added my rise adjustment snaps (these make the diaper One Size). I added one row of 3 male snaps 1 in. below where the Velcro would sit and 1 row of 3 female snaps 1.5 in. below the male row, and another row of female snaps 1 in. below the first female row. Each snap was spaced 2.25 in. in each row. With the middle snaps centered on the diaper, I used my Babyville Snap Pliers and Snaps in Playful Green/Orange. Then I continued following the directions to complete my diaper.

One important note is to be sure you use the 3/8'' swimwear elastic as instructed by the pattern. This will make your diaper function better but the size is just right to fit in the seam allowance. Also, when stitching on your elastic, I used some binder clips to keep my elastic in place about 2 in. above the pattern mark. I started sewing on the mark but clipping the elastic above the mark really helped me keep my hands free for guiding the fabric and stretching the elastic. Pull your elastic to about 90-95 of its capacity. This will make sure your get the stretch you need but won't make it super difficult to guide. After your elastic is sewn, clip off the excess elastic. A little waste makes for much ease. I also used these same clips to keep all my pieces together as I sewed them up instead of pin because I didn't want any holes in my waterproof PUL which might cause leaks later.

Finally you can see in my pictures the before elastic comparison to my BumGenius Diapers

 And after. Pretty close huh?!

Finally, I would love to show your this cute little diaper on a equally cute little bottom but we will all have to wait for the fall before that happens. Also, I don't know the gender yet but just loved this cowboy print so much that even if I have a girl she will be rocking western style. Have fun with your print choices!

The plan was to post on a Hot Patterns Pattern today but when I was cleaning my kitchen the other night slowly doing my mental list of where I had to go this week and what I needed to make/finish; I noticed that I was at the threshold of Baby Season. Baby Season seems to coincide closely with Awards Season, so while the stars are strutting the red carpet in their fineries, I am making and wrapping bibs, booties, baby carriers and other sundries necessary for raising wee babes. I am quite sure that Baby Season is not a southern-only epidemic so I thought I would share a few of my favorite or most popular hand-made baby gifts. These are easy to make, of course-quick, and a big hit with mothers.

 A nursing cover is a simple gift that works for a multitude of tasks (a great gift even for mothers who aren't nursing). I used mine for the obvious but also as a stroller cover when my little one napped or was over stimulated. My cover served duty as a changing pad/cover so as not to expose the baby in public when a private area can't be found, a quick and light spring blanket, and a sun shade. The list goes on and on. Making one is easier than listing all its useful capacities. You will need 1 yd of 2 different prints or colors of fabric. Picking out the fabric is the most fun (I think). You can go for any of the Premiere Prints that are sale today! For the funky, trendy mom- try our new Ty Pennington Impressions (I am loving the color combos). For a first child (and you know there will be more) make a nursing cover with one side a feminine color/print and a masculine on the other. I made mine from this awesome Kwik Sew pattern which also features a swaddler and sling. All three make a super baby shower gift.

The pattern lived up to the Kwik Sew name and was equally easy to read and assemble. This was just the ticket as the time I set aside to work on it was naptime and this day was particularly trying as naptime was out of favor. The project put me at ease and the satisfaction I received from the completed nursing cover was great enough to leave me ready for the end of naptime. I would recommend cutting and assembling several at one time, since they are so quick, in case you are invited to a party and difficulties leave you without time to make anything. I used 2 pieces of quilting cotton from my stash (working from my stash is my new years resolution) but I think in the future I will choose at least one side to be Home Dec fabric for better sun protection in the hot summers. Psst: You will need some boning.

When I was pregnant and registering, I listed MANY books but the one I wanted the very most was Kwik Sew's Sewing for Baby. Yes, the cover looks antiquated, the overall style screams earlier decades and the book looks like it was put together, illustrated and planned for the 1970/80's but you must look past that to find the best sewing book for babies. I mean no disrespect to all the other baby books out there. They are great and I love sewing from them but this is the Bible/ Farmer's Almanac of sewing for baby books out there. Let's face it baby fashion hasn't really changed that much from when this book was conceived. Onesies, jumpers, dresses, & footed PJs are still the staples of baby closets from coast to coast. The only difference is from year to year the details change. What this book is prepared to offer you are the patterns and simple directions to create your baby wardrobe with customizations that are popular now. Each section shows you some customizations and points out where in the instructions and on the pattern you can make your own. Couple these customizations with choosing your own fabric and you can couture your little bundle to the sky and it will cost you a fraction and because our Wee Ones are so wee, it will take a fraction of your day.

I was lucky enough to be gifted this book at one of my showers by a very lovely neighbor. I spent many happy nap times drawing pattern changes, rummaging through my notions and trim drawers, cutting several patterns at a time and sewing up a new outfit by the time my little bit woke up. I was so excited because my babe was gifted long legs and (because I use cloth diapers) an ample booty, so thanks to this book I was able to make most of her pants to fit her exactly. Pjs were another problem for the same reasons. Dresses were just plain fun simply because they are so lovely and much easier than I imagined. If you are expecting a child, grandchild or know someone who is, Kwik Sew's Sewing for baby is a wonderful gift. It is like teaching a man to fish.