And now for baby boy's pajamas...

I am abso-bloomin-lutely thrilled with how baby boy's pjs have turned out! Now I just need a cozy, cuddly baby boy to put in them... but I can wait a few more weeks for that thanks! (In fact I need to wait a few more weeks for that, because this mommy to be is NO WHERE near ready to have a newborn just yet!)

As mentioned in my last posting, I used a tutorial from Habitual to make the Kimono top. It's a great tutorial - I highly recommend it! The bottoms are straight forward, nothing exciting and are from Simplicity pattern #3582. I've made both top and bottoms in a 3 month-ish size (which if baby boy follows suit with Little Toddler Man it should mean just about newborn in our house!)

I did make a few wee adjustments to the top, just because I figured a squirmy wormy of a baby (again assuming baby boy follows in big brother's footsteps) might come all undone without some extra reinforcements in the closure department.


First off I added an extra set of ties lower down on the front of the top - easy peasy, nothing to it. Just made a quick facing for the front instead of hemming it down the way the tutorial showed and added the opposite tie into the side seam same as the top tie.

That bottom tie should keep it all together!

I got to thinking though (thankfully before sewing the opposite side seam), that all would be well and good on the outside, but what about the inside? I had visions of things slip slidin' away and slight wardrobe malfunctions (or at least discomforts) occuring. So I decided to add some extra reinforcements there by way of some snaps. I sewed two (interfaced and folded over) strips of narrow bias tape into the side seam and added a snap on the end of each of them. I added their corresponding bits on the opposite front - the snap goes through just the top layer of fabric and interfacing on the front. That way I figured no cold metal bits would be touching baby's bare skin as the backs are covered by the facing.

Now it would take the skill of Houdini to extricate himself from the pjs! (I think!)

Did I mention I love these pjs???

A previously undiclosed project now named!

You may have noticed along my side bar under "At the Machine" a project listed as Undisclosed project that shall not be named. It was left un-named simply because the recipient happens to read the blog and I didn't want him knowing what I was up to!


Forever ago, when I was expecting Little Toddler Man, I stumbled across some flannel with cowboys printed on it. What a find it was! I couldn't believe my luck! Now, I suppose, before I go any further, I should explain my excitement over flannel.


When we found out we were expecting, (BF)G and I would talk and dream about our baby to be. (BF)G would often say, "If it's a boy, he can wear cowboy pajamas!" I thought this rather sweet and set to work trying to find baby cowboy jammies. My searches were futile. So then I switched to looking for the perfect fabric for a pair of jammies. I was having such a hard time finding what I wanted and then lo and behold, one day I spotted a new bolt of flannel at my local Fabricland. It was just the thing, so I grabbed it, high-tailed it to the cutting counter and got what seemed like a ridiculous amount of the fabric. I had suddenly decided that not only should baby have cowboy pjs, but so should Daddy!


My next step was to find a pattern for the pjs. I really, really had my heart set on traditional pjs. You know. The kind with the collar, buttons down the front and a little pocket. If a pattern exists for smaller than a toddler size, I never found it. But I did find a great Kwik Sew pattern that would fit the bill. (at least once baby was a bit bigger!).


I had such plans to have the matching pjs made for Christmas. I had the best of intentions, but we all know how those can go, so months passed and then it was getting warm and there seemed no point to flannel pjs at that point. So the fabric lay tucked away. Hidden from view. Then the weather turned cooler about a week ago and my mind went back to the cowboy flannel. The long weekend proved to be a great sewing weekend so when (BF)G went to deliver N to the city, and Little Toddler Man was down for a nap I swung into gear. By the time (BF)G was pulling in the driveway I had Little Toddler Man's pjs done except for the buttonholes and buttons. And the matching pj pants for Daddy were cut out and ready to go.


Sunday, (BF)G had to go to work, so as soon as Little Toddler Man went down for a nap, I scurried down to my machine, finished up the pjs, made the pj pants, and then cut out a pair of pjs from the left over flannel for baby boy. Baby boy's pjs are a combination of a Simplicity pattern for the bottoms and a modification of a fantastic kimono tutorial I found online from Habitual. I ran into some glitches with my machine, "Old Faithful" who, as it turns out is about as fickle as they get, and not faithful at all, so I'm a bit behind on baby boy's pjs. They're almost done now that "Old Fickle" is now on the floor under the sewing table in a time out and my other newer machine, who's always been very up front about being fickle has it's moment to shine up on the table. I hope to be able to show you a picture of my modified Kimono PJs soon!

In the meantime, I would like to leave you with a "still sleepy-eyed, just woke up" picture of Little Toddler Man in his new flannel pajamas...

A few more things to check off the "to-do" list!

I'm very excited about the two projects I've recently finished! One of course is the bloomers and dress that I mentioned a while back, the next is the second baby gift I wanted to get made for another friend. I have made Baby Ruched Cardigan and a pair of ruffled hem leggings to match.

Knitting the cardi was a lot more fun than I figured it would be. I would never attempt to knit a sweater using sock yarn if it weren't a teeny tiny baby sweater, because I'd probably grow old and die before I ever got it finished, but a baby sweater... well that's just fast moving and fun! I am really loving the Stroll Tonal yarn that I bought from Knit Picks too. Such a pretty colour - makes me think of pumpkin pie - I guess that's not a bad thing for a gift for a fall baby! Of course I do have a "thing" for all things orange (or pumpkin for that matter... mmmm... pumkin spice lattes anyone?), so I was immediately drawn to the colourway, Foliage!

I have a few more baby gifts I want to work on - what is in the water these days??? It seems like at least half of everyone I know is expecting right now! One of these days I might actually try to make something for my very own baby boy who is due in five weeks time. So far poor little fellow only has some socks that are Momma made. I have some ideas - just kind of short on time right now. I do want to make some more sheets for the cradle, given the last set that I made for when Little Toddler Man was born were a bit lacking in the size department and if I had all the time in the world I was planning to follow a tutorial to make a mei tai. Funny how I was planning the mei tai back in April when it seemed like I did have all the time in the world. Ooops! I also found an online pattern for a "swaddling" blanket that I'd like to give a try.

I also have some more quilt projects I want to work on. I've got so many ideas up my sleeve. I think I maybe vastly underestimating my time though. I keep thinking, "Oh when I'm on leave I can work on that..." Yep. Because I am clearly delusional. I can't even get a lot done with just Little Toddler Man - to be fair, he is a bit of a busy boy and needs near on constant supervision lest he take a notion into his head to scale a fish tank - oh wait a minute, he's already done that... I'm not sure how my sleep deprived mind thinks that a newborn and Little Toddler Man underfoot will suddenly allow for all sorts of time for crafty persuits! I must be nuts!