Romper – Costume Closet Couture

My cousin, Rachel, is a beautiful redhead. She married Ted, also a redhead. When they announced that they were expecting a baby girl, it was natural to assume that she would be a towhead blond, right ? Ha ! Not even close…

Facetiousness aside, I had plans to sew something for little Lila, but Rachel had an unusual request in regards to dictates of dress: she did not want anything that was blatantly pink or blue and was planning on keeping things “gender neutral.” The challenge was accepted !

The concept of creating a girl outfit that was devoid of pink was more of a struggle than I imagined. Thankfully, an idea popped into my mind: Rachel and Ted had decorated Lila’s nursery in a nature theme. Yes ! I could easily fashion something that evoked the colors of nature ─ soft greens, creams, and maybe even a splash of burnt sienna. When I came across this printed cotton fabric, I knew I had my answer…

I fondly referred to this material as “peach squirrels” and knew it would be appropriate for Lila’s soon-to-be hair color. It checked all the boxes for my outfit. Now it was time to sew…
Using the same children’s pattern that served as the bedrock for Hope’s baby clothes, I opted to sew a romper since they can be classified as unisex.

The bodice was cut from the peach squirrels fabric while the bottom bloomers fit perfectly onto a tranquil sage green print. Not only was the outfit to be neutral, but also on trend with color blocking.

Sweet details, like bow tie pockets and back closure, made for a fun experience. I especially enjoyed utilizing my serger to finish the seams cleanly.

Here’s what the inside looked like before stitching the bodice and pants together…

And then… voilà ! A nature themed romper !

Was the romper, with its bloomer pants and bow ties, really gender neutral ? That’s debatable. Nevertheless, I was pleased at my attempt and even more thrilled to finally behold Lila wearing the creation. Here she is during her 12-month-old photo shoot:

A one-year-old in a one-of-a-kind… What a cutie !

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Thank you to Rachel and Ted for allowing me to use these pictures of your sweet little girl !

I have a friend. She is very dear to me… Her name is Faith ! In 2010, we met on Twitter and hit it off almost instantly, whereupon we soon became pen pals. In a way, I have lived life’s major milestones through Faith: I’ve watched her marry the love of her life and then have a daughter of her own. When Faith announced she was pregnant, I knew I wanted to make some very special things for her precious daughter, Hope.

Her name is very sentimental. Faith and her husband Tyler had hoped for a baby for a long while. And they also hoped for a girl. See the connection ? No name could be better suited to someone who had so much hope behind her !

One of the patterns that my friend, Gisele, had offered me from her yard sale stash was a children’s pattern from the early 90’s. I thought it was darling and knew it would be adorable for Hope.

As I browsed the scant fabric aisles at Walmart, I fingered over the perfect fabric for the dress: peacock print ! Faith and her family have had peacocks as pets and have an affinity for them. What could be better ? In addition to Hope’s tie back dress, I decided to make a matching one for her cousin, Grace, born two months earlier.

And here are the two baby cousins wearing their matching dresses on Mother’s Day:

Faith, her sister, Angel, with their mother, Angela, and Hope and Grace

Didn’t I tell you they love peacocks ? Look at all the feathers !

But I wasn’t done ! In addition to the matching dresses, I also sewed the romper from the same pattern envelope in pink gingham with a scalloped border of lace… sweet, very sweet !

Rompers (and onesies) are the hallmark of comfort. Hope modeled the style when she visited Grandpa Joe over the summer…

I also wanted Hope to have a fancy outfit so I sewed her a pink dress in crepe back satin and organza leftover from my Manon ballgown. In a craft bin at Walmart, I found a matching flower clip, which could be removed to wash the dress. Baby clothes, regardless of how fancy or frivolous, need to be washable. Very washable.

The pattern in size “0-3 months” was free from the Melly Sews blog. https://mellysews.com/sew-a-baby-dress-with-free-pattern/ Thank you, Melissa ! Hope looked like an uptown girl in her coordinating floral dress…

I couldn’t resist the urge to sew some girly-girl ruffles so I made a diaper cover with layers of pink patterned flounces on the back. Using my Baby Lock serger to both finish and gather the ruffles made the process a bundle of fun. Out of everything I sewed for Hope, this one was my favorite !

And off she goes !

The last item I created for Hope was a pair of knitted booties. As a mainstay of baby showers, I felt this was a genuine way to celebrate Hope’s arrival. And while I was not able to attend the actual baby shower in Idaho, my handmade clothes and booties were unwrapped with greatest appreciation and delight. From Florida, with love…

Having a niece has been a delight ! Faith and I have already been discussing different dress ideas for when Hope grows up. Of these, the most anticipated design is a Cinderella gown─ a character and story that is as cherished to Faith as our friendship is to the both of us.

Very cherished, indeed.

Toi, Toi, Toi,

Mary Martha

Tag: Romper

Lila Turns One !

Baby Clothes for Hope