Ottobre 06/2009-3 and McCalls 6223

I know, more baby sets, but I had to show you this tee!  The pants aren't very exciting.

But first, a brief rant...  I made the pants on a whim. I had totally forgotten about this fabric, and when I saw it, had to make it into pants instantly.  You know how it is...  Anyway, while the background looks white, it is actually a very pale cream, so a white top looks strange with it.  I went looking for a black baby onesie/tee.  It's Halloween!  Surely someone has black baby clothes!!  Nope.  Seriously, are parents who don't sew just doomed to have babies wearing pastels until the age of 2???  So, I needed to make a black tee.
The pattern is Ottobre 06/2009-3, which is actually for a full jumpsuit, but I cut it off to make a tee.  A BLACK tee!!

I added a paw print applique.  I'm so pleased with the neckline binding on this top.  Instead of stitching it to the right side and then flipping it over and stitching it down, I stitched it to the wrong side, folded it to the right side and tucked under the raw edge.  Then I top stitched with a twin needle.  I know black is hard to see, so you'll just have to take my word that it looks amazing!

Oh, and the pants are McCall's 6223, which is a good basic baby layette pattern.  As with all Big 4 baby patterns, it's gigantic, but otherwise fine.  Apparently it has been recently reissued with a new number.  My copy is labelled number 3665.

I hope all who are celebrating have a Happy Halloween!!!

And the winner is...

Buttons!!

Thanks to everyone who chimed in here on the blog and on facebook to help me decide the cutest way to close this little jacket. Although I do think that snaps are really more convenient on baby clothes, I suspect that this little jacket won't be closed much, since it is for a Texan to be born in August. Still, there is a lot of A/C in TX in August and having two summer babies here, I found that layers were key. So, here is a cute little layer for Brody.

I started out looking at dark pewter and black buttons, since I liked Lauren's idea of a metallic button, and Mitch suggested black. I even checked out the snaps to see if there was anything that would be cute, but there isn't much snap selection in this one horse town. Then I met this little guy...and I knew that it was meant to be. I just couldn't say no to that sweet little bear face. I think the jacket with bears is a sweet combo of big boy suit and sweet baby boy bears.And now the cute little baby things I've been sewing all week need to be delivered, so we're off to Houston for the week! And I'm leaving the sewing machine here, so I probably won't be around again until next week. Til then - Happy Sewing!

Help!

I finished another of these cute pant/appliqued onesie combos today.  They work up really quickly.  This time my little princess took a long nap, so I had time to make the jacket, too.  A suit for little Brody, complete with tie!  I'm still working with McCall's 3665, but I didn't do the curved front opening.  I thought it was a little girlie.  I also added ribbed cuffs to the pant, just for fun.

Here is the jacket and onesie, up close.  I am loving the little tie.  I know it's done a lot, but I still think it's pretty adorable.
So, now for the help.  I have no idea what closure I should use for the jacket, or if I should use any at all.  The pattern calls for ring snaps, which is fine.  The only problem is that every time I line them up to hammer them on, I am convinced that buttons would be the cuter option.  Or should I just leave it as it is???  I can't decide.  So, dear reader, if you would please help me in my moment of extreme indecision.  I know there are a few of you.  Leave me a comment.  Buttons?  Snaps?  Nothing at all?  What would you do?

Mostly mending

I had tons of mending to do today and, while that doesn't distinguish this from any other day, I was thinking today how fortunate I am that I have the ability to fix a piece of clothing when needed, and even to change it into something new should mending no longer be an option. Thanks for teaching me to sew, Mom.

Of course, since I really hate mending, I stole a few minutes away from the buttons and hems to make a little outfit for Brody, who is expected to join my brother's family in a few months. He'll be their first child and my first nephew, so I'm excited to sew for him! The pants are McCall's 3665 (but without the butt ruffles - he's a boy!), and the top is a purchased onesie that I appliqued using a coloring page from the 'net as a pattern. Can you tell it is supposed to be a plane?

I also trimmed up a piece of fleece for a blankie. I found this wicked cool motorcycle fleece in the remnant bin at Hobby Lobby even before we knew it was a boy, but I knew it was destined to be for James' son. It is the perfect size to be a crib blanket. No cold cotton sheets for my nephew!

As a point of interest, both the camo fabric for the pants and the motorcycle fleece are made by David Textiles. I find this interesting because my motorcycle-riding ex-Green Beret dad (and therefore Brody's Grandpappy) is named David. See, Kismet. They were clearly meant to be.