A couple of months ago, I was lucky enough to get to test the Sleepy Sleeper sewing pattern from Stitch Upon a Time. This is a great little sleeper, and it is super cute. While I was making it, though, I found myself having interesting issues with it – mostly because I did things that made the process unnecessarily complicated! (Yes, I’m only just now getting to putting this up on the blog. September and the first half of October were filled with the cold that didn’t go away and a reaction to a medication that made things worse instead of better.)
I started the project on the wrong foot. You see, it was my first time using a downloaded pattern. The first time I cut out the pattern, it was waaaay too big. I was really glad that I caught that before cutting out the fabric. The second problem was the fabric I used – I didn’t realize it didn’t have enough stretch until I cut it out. When making this pattern up, you want a fabric with a lot of good stretch. When I make it again, I have a couple of great knits I found while thrifting that I will use for it (one is an orange stretch terry, and one is a grey jersey with bunnies).
My plan kind of went like this: I would use fabric paint and rubber stamps to decorate the sleeper. Let’s just say, I didn’t start out liking it. In fact, I really didn’t like it. So, I did what any sane person would do. I kept stamping with the fabric dye, until it looked like it was purposely smudged and faded. I was quite a bit more pleased with the result then.
Finally, it was stitching time. It didn’t take me too long to realize that I really would have been better off with a stretchier fabric, and that even though I’d decided by the time I was pinning the sleeves in place that I’d be using the “sleeper” as a romper instead, the fabric was just not going to be very practical.
I kept with it, though, and made the pattern as it stood with three adjustments – I cut the sleeves off at the elbows. Because there wasn’t enough stretch in the fabric, the sleeves would have been entirely too tight for Baby Girl (as you can see in the picture to the left, which doesn’t have the feet added yet). I also didn’t add the collar or the cuffs (again, because the fabric just would NOT cooperate with me). Instead, I did a narrow hem on the sleeves and the neck.
Around then is when I also decided that I would add some ribbon and a shabby chic flower from Sunshine Shoppe to the romper. Again, I only did this because it was clear that Baby Girl would not be sleeping in this.
I wrestled the feet into place, and then, once that was done, I began working on the snaps. Now, again, enter user error: I put the snaps on, holding the ribbon in place, before I sewed down the ribbon. That’s right – I have no reason for this, either. So, after I put on the snaps, when I tried to sew the ribbon into place…well it just didn’t happen, because the whole thing would have had a weird gather on one side – that’s what seam rippers are for, though, isn’t it?
In all, I was mostly happy with how the romper came out. When I do it again, there are definitely things I will change (uh stretchy fabric, anyone?). I was provided with the pattern for free in compensation for giving honest feedback for how the pattern tested. I think in all, Baby Girl looks very cute wearing it, don’t you?
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