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!
24 comments:
They are very cute and entirely practical - frankly what more could you ask from a baby pattern. What a great way to use up your scraps too :)
How damn cute are these and I can't wait to see you and bub in matching animal print!!!!!
I am in awe of your baby trouser creativity! So funky and yes I am totally with you on the matter of gender stereotyping for babies and small children - completely unnecessary and rather stupid. My children both get accused of being the other gender, simply because my son loves pink and has a pair of purple glasses (which he chose himself) and my daughter wears lots of his old stuff. I am particularly in love with the magpie trews as I have been after fabric with birds on for ages. I assume it comes from some exotic Brighton boutique fabric seller?
I swear the whole gender-ised baby clothes thing is just there to make more money. My baby boy is 13 months old, and I've been keeping all his clothes (which are all from the op-shop too). Whether the next is a boy or a girl, they'll be wearing these clothes too! I refuse to buy into the whole baby consumerism thing.
But like you said, everybody else does. There's a mentality of "you mustn't care about your baby much because you buy him second hand stuff..."
Brooke.
Your baby will be lots of fun to play with in these trousers.
I was always eying a subscription too but didn't want to Pay the extra postage for just the two womens issues. so i resorted to hunting them down in stores. when i was pregnant with our daughter i subscribed very quickly to the Full 6 issues. i am in love with the childrens patterns - they usually are quite generous in the sizing so my little one ends up wearing the garments a long time. I made her a pair of harem pants when she was about 9 months old - she still wears them and she will turn 3 in october ;-) same is with leggings and tunics.
LG, Susanne
How fun! Plus kid clothes are so little you can get creative with your fabric sources- cut them from thrift store finds or leftovers from your own makes.
How cute are these?? Well done! I adore Ottobre and sew most of my kids' me-mades from their patterns. I seem to recall there's quite a bit of nautical stuff in there; can't wait what you'll make of that!
too cute!!! I love it. (p.s. what is a "baby grow?" is that like a onesie?)
She's going to be such a stylish baby!
These are ridiculously cute! My faves are the grey and black stripes, left hand side middle row - they look like extremely fashionable tiny convict trousers : ) : ) xx
as a long time sewer (and now a grandmother) I can tell you that there is no source for kids clothing out there that beats Ottobre. Everything from fabric diapers to snow suits and everything in between. I can always find exactly what I want in an Ottobre magazine for my little grandkids.
I love Ottobre! I sew almost all of my kids' clothing from Ottobre or (in the case of the girls) Farbenmix patterns. The best part about sewing a child's wardrobe is that you can make it totally mix and match. In my case this is good, since my son tends to go through several outfits a day (dirt, mud and lunch tend to end up on his clothes). That way if his shirt is a mess but his pants are clean, I don't worry that my husband will grab something that doesn't work with the pants. In his case, I pretty much dress him in brown, orange and green with accents of blue - simply because the brown is better for stains and the other colors seem to go well with it. And orange because when he wanders away from me in a store, it's always so much easier to find the 4 year-old with the orange shirt. :)
I have an extra issue of the Ottobre Fall 2009 issue, if you're interested in it - I'd be happy to send it to you. It has some lovely baby and girl patterns in it. It also has a reversible hoodie pattern for babies/toddlers, as well as for larger kids that my children love - you can make it with scraps and it turns out very cute, for boys OR girls. Let me know.
Just wanted to add to my comment above: traced and cut a similar pattern (from the 1/2012 issue) in turqouis Stars interlock with a little Pop of Orange for the bottom in size 56. it's for the little girl of a good friend of mine that was born a week ago - she is quite tiny (47 cm) so I hope it will fit a while through the larger portion of fall ... ;-) this kind of trouser is so comfy but they rarely sell those off the rack...
It's funny that everyone says you won't need the smallest size, I bet you will have jinxed yourself now!
After always measuring a week ahead in ultrasounds and being told by midwives and ob's alike that I would be having a 'nice big baby' I had a full term teenie tiny 6 pounder. Safe to say everything I had packed for re hospital was way too big and my husband had to go home and get the 00000 clothes that we had dismissed as a waste of time when people gave them to us!
These are so cute Zoe! I love the leopard ones....shes going to be one trendy baby :)
These are sooooo cute!!! I was so slack at making baby clothes when I was pregnant. I only made stuff for her nursery. Your the best mummy-to-be!
Wow! They are so cute and lovely! Your baby is going to look very stylish for sure :-)
They are VERY cute! Did you get the pattern from that magazine or just free-style it?
I think our baby's are due the same time. I'm 34 weeks now, due 4th September. I've found maternity clothes quite easy, with TRAID warehouse support, but I finish work next week and am very excited about making things for the baby. I think these trousers will be first on the list!
bestest wishes
Lyla
Oh, cuuuuute. Also good for stamping out any magpie based superstition at an early age...
Ahhhh, cute cute cute!!!!!
I loved Ottobre patterns for my son when he was younger, now he's 15 he's harder to sew for but Ottobre was the best investment I ever made for kids clothes
Those are the coolest baby trousers ever!
Great information that you shared, thanks
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