Like many expectant parents, my husband and I are most looking forward to having a healthy, happy baby — whether it’s a boy or a girl doesn’t really matter. But when my 20-week sonogram confirmed that we’re in for sugar and spice, not snips and snails, I couldn’t help getting a little excited. I’d finally have a chance to try out the adorable (and free!) baby girl clothes patterns I’d been collecting on Pinterest!
My first, and most ambitious, project was to recreate the teeny, tiny black-and-white striped sweater I first saw displayed at Purl Soho.
Technically, I’ve known how to knit for years, but I’d never actually made anything more complicated than a potholder. Luckily, I found the complete pattern and tutorial posted on the shop’s blog, the Purl Bee. According to Whitney from Purl, the “no-nonsense” design was inspired by the work of knitting revolutionary Elizabeth Zimmerman, who advocated working in the round, simple finishing techniques, and seamless construction. Right on!
The entire sweater is done in a simple garter stitch, which is within my limited skill set. However, I did still manage to “knit” instead of “purl” all the way through — a mistake that didn’t change the look of the finished product, but meant that I was continually on the “wrong” side of my work. Once I figured that out, everything went smoothly, and not to brag (much), my little sweater came out pretty great:
Next up in my project queue were a couple of sweet dresses. I was itching to use the beautiful calico prints I scored at Brooklyn General Store’s summer sale.
The crossover pinafore from Smashed Peas and Carrots came together in just a couple hours. The outer print is from Urban Chiks’ Urban Cowgirl line for Moda Fabrics. I lined the dress in basic muslin and paired it with contrasting bloomers I made following this quick tutorial from Little Pink Monster.
The peasant dress from Sew Much Ado was another quick win. Four seams and some elastic and it’s done! I’m already planning to make a bunch of these for my September baby to wear next summer. For this one, I used a tiny floral print from the Urban Cowgirl collection. I also made another pair of bloomers. This time, rather than sewing a channel to thread elastic through, I used elastic bobbin thread to finish the waist and leg openings — a real time-saver!
Now when I add my contributions to the beautiful, handmade gifts I received from Ashley and Row, baby girl will have quite the custom wardrobe!
What are your favorite things to sew and craft for baby?
My next project will be a simple sling for baby wearing. Any advice on patterns to try would be appreciated!
