FO: Owlet Dungarees

This weekend's sewing project was a pair of baby dungarees.


Because someone went and had a BOY when I had only a GIRLY knit "in stock" (tsk! how inconsiderate!), I decided it would be best to sew a little something for the newborn... you know, before he reaches school-age.


The pattern was free from the Kokka website. You can find it here.



It is presented as a diagram with Japanese instructions, but it was easily drafted on squared paper.


These dungarees are supposed to fit an 80cm baby, but I reckon they are a lot smaller than that. The legs seem quite narrow and there isn't much nappy space. It is entirely possible that I was supposed to add a seam allowance before I cut the fabric... um... I didn't. They will fit sooner rather than later!


Rather than bias-binding the edges, I faced them with contrasting fabric and made a pocket out of owl-print cotton.


The prints came from Fabric Rehab as part of a pack of four fat quarters. Overnight delivery!




I widened the underarm slightly and then drew it back in with a tiny elastic insert, just to add a bit of shaping. I used to do this when I made dungarees for my kids.









I rather like the shaping of the straps, which are cut as a continuation of the back piece, and curve round the shoulder to fasten at the front with a couple of buttons.






I added contrast turn-ups to the bottom of the legs. Just because.



Navy buttons and top-stitching.



Stats:
Half the width of 80cm long cotton from Edinburgh Fabrics. 60cm would have been enough.

Perhaps half of a fat quarter of zig-zag and a tiny piece of owlet-print from Fabric Rehab's Scandinavian Owl Bundle. It is really soft!
Navy buttons from Eeeebaaay (again!)
Pattern: Nano Iro 2009/06 (pdf link) .


Would I make them again?


Probably. But I would add an extra centimetre round the edges next time. I am also not sure if they would be better with snap-closures between the legs, for easier nappy changes. I didn't add them to this pair, because I do remember that if trousers were a bit snug round the bum, the poppers used to un-pop when you picked up your baby, which was annoying. It's funny how it all comes flooding back!

These were done in a few short hours, even allowing for pattern-drafting time.