From shorties to longies - mod'd 2in1

As I've said before shorties and baby legs (leg warmers) are two great clothing pieces for cloth diapered babies.  And in the warmer months when your little one will be in shorties, having a pair of baby legs on hand is great should the temperature dip some.

So I made a matching pair or wool shorties (using monster bunz pattern mod'd to shorties), and baby legs.   To make the baby legs I used parts of the monster bunz pattern.  The leg cuff we know is a good width.  Add length to it if needed. That becomes your leg portion.  Then cut a small cuff for the top and one to fit the bottom (smaller for ankle).  One of the things I like about this is our spring/summer outfits will go from the earliest chilly days of spring till the last days of summer.  

Best part is together this looks like a pair of longies and monkey wore them this way today.

*also made the jacket out of old jeans and wool trim/hood. 

back snapping wool romper with butt circle (tutorial)

This is a tuturial on how to sew this romper (which I just love).  To make the pattern click here.

On to sewing.  I made this in wool interlock so it also doubles as a diaper cover.  But this pattern will work in any knit.

If you followed the other tutorial you now have all your pieces cut.  Next clean your bobbin run and needle plate.  Change your needle and thread your machine.

I like to get the little things taken care of first.  So fold your sleeve cuff over lengthwise and place on right side of sleeve.  Sew.  Open seam up and top stitch.  Repeat on other sleeve.

Take leg cuff, right sides together sew down length.  Trim seam allowance.  Fold over so seams are in inside.

Next we will add the yokes to the necklines.  This is how you get a proper neckline.  Put right aides together.  Line up and pin neckline of front piece to front yoke.  Sew neckline.  Trim seam allowence.  Flip yoke over and pin.  Top stitch.  Repeat with back shirt piece and back yoke.

Hem bottom of back shirt piece and back pant piece.  I used a double line of stitching.  If making out if non-wool knit use a straight stitch and a zig zag or diamond stitch at raw edge.

Now we will place back pant piece right sides together over front leg area.  Pin the inside seams of the legs.  Sew each inside leg seam.

Open pants up. Top. Stitch inside leg seam.

Open pant section (wrong side up).  You will have a circular hole.  Place butt circle (wrong side up) in hole.  Because this one is wool, I am using two circle pieces for added wet zone protection.  Pin the center of the circle at top and bottom, then at leg seams. My pins are on the green side.

Now add the rest of your pins working from current pins inwards.  This helps to fit in even without stretching any area to make it fit.  Next sew your circle and trim seam allowance.

Now lay your back top piece (right sides together) over top of your front piece and pin and sew shoulders.

Lay outfit flat open with shoulder seams facing you wrong side up.  Lay sleeve into arm hole also wrong side up.  Pin sleeve to arm hole.  Pin edges, then center then fill pins in like we did with the butt circle.  Sew and trim seam allowance.  Repeat with second sleeve.

Lay outfit altogether right sides in.  Pin outside edges from sleeve cuff down.  Then bottom of leg up.  When you get to where the bottom of back shirt meets bottom of back pant pin the pant hem over the shirt hem.  Repeat on other side.  Your out fit is all one piece now except for leg cuffs.

With outfit still inside out place leg cuff inside of leg, matching up all the raw edges.  Line up seams.  Pin seam, then across from seam.  Add more pins if needed.  I used 4.  Sew cuff to pants and trim seam allowance.  

Turn outfit out and you are almost done.  Just add two snaps or buttons to the opening at the back.  

Now first time I put an outfit like this on my oldest I was lost.  Sit baby in your lap.  Put head through neck.  Put arms in.  Pull down and put legs in, pull over bum.  Do up snaps or buttons.  When baby can crawl or walk away this is a fast outfit to get on them.  It is also quick for diaper changes.  

Clothing your cloth diapered baby? Are you crazy?

The best outfits for cloth diapered babies is a super cute cloth diaper.  Maybe a sweater or bib.

Cloth moms love showing off their super cute fluff collection.  We really prefer not to distract from our amazing baby fluff with clothes.  And babies prefer to not be dressed so its a win win situation. 

So if you go meet a new mama friend and it's zero degrees out and her house is like 28°C, no her granny isn't visiting.  Her baby is simply dressed in her best fluff.  Be sure to swoon over it a bit, especially if the diaper has ruffles or a dinosaur tail.  Its a small rebellion against clothing companies and her inability yo put their baby jeans on her baby.

There is a possibility our children will  grow up to be nudest.  But I'm on cloth baby #6 and non of my oldest kids are nudest.  In fact they like clothes, and are great at finding the perfect accessories. 

Now if you have to add clothes cuz your going out and it's cold outside, see my posts from earlier this week.