Baby leggings

Sewing for baby is addictive. It's quick, stash-busting, and oh so rewarding. The project I'm sharing with you today certainly ticks all of these boxes. But make no mistake - it was not all plain sailing.

Because this happened just as I was feeling all smug hemming up the legs of the first pair, in a lovely combed cotton jersey from Girl Charlee (now sold out). Hey, I'm about to complete an entire project during Freya's afternoon nap! Then bang, the sewing machine chewed a big hole in the leg, right at the last step of the whole thing.  

Once I've calmed down and fished the holey leggings out of the bin, I thought of cuffs. And I'm pleased that they worked out really well. 

Now pleased with my ability to think on my feet, I kept up the momentum and made another pair the following afternoon. This time I used a beautiful black merino wool jersey remnant, picked up from The Fabric Store when we were in Melbourne earlier this year. This was my first time working with merino wool jersey, and it was a breeze. I hope that the breathable, soft and thermal qualities of the wool jersey will make the black leggings great for layering and keeping Freya warm over the winter months. 

And this time I did complete the project within one (long) afternoon nap! 

The pattern I used was the Brindille & Twig Leggings, which was well drafted, with easy instructions. This was my first time using a Brindille & Twig pattern, and certainly won't be my last! I made both pairs in size 3-6 months, and they seem to be true to size. 

And that's it for now! Have a wonderful festive period, and I'll be back in the new year with more selfish and newfound selfless sewing. 

Reversible baby dungarees - Poppy & Jazz Dandelion

Having a baby is life changing. Shock horror, it has made me sew for someone other than myself. No, let me reword this -- it has actually made me want to sew for someone other than myself. I mean, look at these chubby cheeks... how can I not shower her with handmade outfits? 

I am partial to a good pair of baby dungarees. So when I saw the Poppy & Jazz Dandelion pattern by the wonderful Lisa at Sew Over It, I knew I had to make a few for Freya. I mean, they are reversible, which means two outfits in one. Bonus! 

And making baby clothes is seriously stash-busting. Remember my nursing sweatshirt? I didn't use up all the the multi-fleck fleece sweatshirt fabric, but what was left was nowhere near enough to make anything meaningful for me. But for baby? It opened up a whole host of opportunities. The fabric is warm and cosy (seriously, wearing the sweatshirt is like a giant hug), ideal for the main side of the dungarees, just as the weather turns colder.  

On the reverse, I used a stripy cotton interlock from my stash (what did I say about stash-busting?), as the orange matches some of the flecks in the sweatshirt fabric perfectly. Although slightly lighter in weight, this interlock is also super soft and cosy. I am confident that this pair of dungarees will keep bubs warm in the winter months without too much additional layering. 

I made these in size 3-6 months, so the dungarees are a little big on Freya right now. But I couldn't wait any longer to share the project with you! With the double poppers, and the rolled up hem, however, I can see these dungarees with decent longevity. 

The construction was straightforward, and only took a couple of evenings. The only thing that was new to me was the application of poppers, but this tutorial made it super easy. They are actually much quicker to insert than bottons/zips/other closures, and so practical for baby clothes. I inserted two rows on the straps (optional in the instructions), in the hope that the dungarees will grow with Freya for a short while. 

I really feel like the "selfless" sewing paid off. I mean, who doesn't love matching outfits? The only problem is that my dear husband is now feeling a bit left out, but sadly for him, my new-found generosity in sewing does not extend further than my offspring... After all, he is already lucky enough to have got not one, but two pairs of PJ bottoms out of me, in my 8 years of sewing ;)