04 June 2011

Monkey see, monkey do




I made this for a friend's new baby. I STARTED with Simplicity 2428, but the design puts a zipper from baby's neck to crotch in the front of the romper. Are you kidding? I would not want any baby *I* care about to have a zipper there. They'll get pinched during zip-up and irritated by zipper teeth if they lay on the tummy. No way was I going to put a zipper there. This required a complete redesign of the front, with a placket and snaps (snap tape). Ah, now I feel much better about it. Too bad it took me about 5 hours of sewing, ripping, sewing, ripping, recutting the pieces, sewing, ripping, sewing, for it to work out.

(The light tan color fabric is synthetic suede. It looks and feels like suede, but it's washable.)

The blanket design for Simplicity 2428 called for just a binding tape around the outside edge. I couldn't bring myself to do that. I know from experience that babies/kids like a silky binding, so I used satin blanket binding instead.

The monkey appliques required some precision cutting and sewing, as well as some hand embroidery. They were fun. I like the fact that the ears are left unattached and flap out from the romper and blanket.

Have a happy life, Zach. And may your mommy and daddy sleep again one day!

27 February 2011