Quite a few lovely readers have left comments over the last few months along the lines of 'Can't wait to see what you've been stitching for your little one', and this blog post contains the answer: baby trousers!!!!!! Lots and lots of baby trousers. Pictured above are the completed ones so far, I have a some more pairs awaiting elastic.
A super-lovely reader of my blog called Catherine emailed me in the Spring offering to send me a few maternity patterns that she no longer needed. In her package she also included a couple of baby/toddler patterns that her boys were now too big for, and also leant me a copy of the Finish Ottobre Design magazine (pictured above). I'd seen the women's version of the magazine on a few blogs before, but hadn't really come across the children's edition. OMG. It's flipping awesome. It works in the same way as Burda magazines in that all the patterns are printed on folded up sheets that you have to trace and add seam allowances to. The benefit of the children's version of course it that the pattern pieces are much smaller, therefore much quicker to trace!
The magazine does contain all sorts of uber-cute baby grow and envelop-neck t-shirt patterns for babies, but seeing as those types of garments are so readily available for very little money (as I discussed in my previous baby clothes post), I thought I'd focus my energies on making these fun trousers which are both really quick to make and good for stash bustin' scraps of jersey left over from other, larger projects. Heeding the advice of a whole heap of people, I didn't bother to make the smallest size as everyone has been saying how quickly babies grow out of the tiniest clothes, so I traced the second smallest size and a couple of larger sizes for use further down the line.
I started making these trousers before we knew the gender of our little baby, but I find the concept of gender-specific baby clothing pointless and annoying so I love that she now has a varied selection of garments! My favourites so far are the magpie and fuscia pair pictured above and the leopard and jade pair in the centre of the top image. Disco baby!!!
I loved this magazine so much that I told my mum about it, who very sweetly offered to buy me a subscription for my birthday. Rather than wait until my actual birthday (end of October in case you were planning a whip-round) she went ahead and bought the subscription and I already have three copies of my own now. As soon as she is big enough for a garment to fit her for more than a couple of months, I'll start integrating more of her second-hand clothing selection with me-made garments. I can't wait!
