[Mama_Knowles]

We are expecting a baby boy this July and I am wondering what to sew him. I have a short Tea Party play suit and plan on making a long pant one too. I am wanting to make up a few of the sail boat pants in a woven and some knit tops. But what else should I make? I love sewing for my little girl, It’s so easy to be creative with girly things but what about little baby boys? I want him to be stylish too. Any ideas??

Sharon

[Nicole]

I have given this a lot of thought in the past Sharon.

I would use the newborn Bubble dress on a boy for formal occasions,I find they are generally wrapped up any way so only the neck details would be visible. How handy would it be for nappy time.

The Sketchbook is adorable and the first size shorts are tiny! I would add an elastic casing to the shirt sleeve hem instead of a cuff for baby boys.

The Class Picnic shorts would be very snappy on a tiny boy in ‘little man’ colours. The blouse I am not so sure on…maybe with a mock placket on the yoke it could have a Japanese pattern feel?

The Bed Time story pj’s would make gorgeous out fits in different fabrics for the tops and bottom. My Matilda has a cream linen top and it is one of her most worn garments.

The new pj pattern also has a top that would make a dear little mans shirt.

I have not made the After School pattern up but it would absolutely suit a boy.

I made a Music Class shirt in the City Weekend blue&yellow stripes for a friends little boy and he wears it with navy shorts and looks very bonnie.

I have to go and meet the school bus but there are a few ideas.

[Mama_Knowles]

What wonderful ideas! I’ll have to try them! I really love the idea of the picnic shorts and the bubbble dress. I’ll have to buy the sketch book pattern very soon too.

I am hoping to finish my already cut out tops and shorts for Sweet pea this week, along side a ton of spring cleaning and finshing up the nursery, then start cracking at little man’s to be clothes. The closet is full of Sweet pea things and three things for little man, poor guy. He still doesn’t have a name. This one has been a stumper!

[Tamara]

Sharon, I would definitely do the sketchbook and then you can reuse this all the way through. Sandbox pants also for the cooler months and for around home the bedtime story pj’s, shortened would be simple to pop on and off. The bubble dress in a sailboat print (or something similar in your stash) would be ideal and manly. I wonder if you could lengthen it to make it into a sleeping bag type bottom if you feel conscious about your boy being in a dress ( they were all dressed like that back this time last century). It may inhibit on the easy change theory though.

Not sure about the tea party playsuit, does this have poppers at the crotch at all. Makes it super easy for changes that way too.

Glad you’re thinking outside the square, can’t wait to see what you make.

[Mama_Knowles]

I looked at some of the sketchbook on the flicker and have some ideas running through my head. I was thinking about lentghing the bubble dress, maybe making it more A line with one piece bodice/skirt in white. This will be on the to do list soon. Oh and paired with a white bonnet for his little head for the hot summer days. I think this would be great for around the house.

Yes, I useing snaps for the play suit, I think it will be so much easier for diaper changes. I did this great jumper on The Cottage home bog with buttons that looks alot like the play suit pattern I will be giving a go at too. I not so sure about the buttns though, it looks greatbut I am not so sure about the diaper changes. We’ll see.

[Violaisabelle]

Hi Sharon,

I am tired and swamped, having just arrived home from Sewing Expo. I hope my thoughts come through clearly.

You do lovely work. I am sure you are able to play with a couple of patterns to make ‘different’ garments for your new little man. 🙂

In my sewing room, I have sketched out and traced off, but have no where near gotten cut out or put together, an idea for a boys onesies, using the the sketchbook pattern and the sizing from the Tea Party play suit. Using the shirt pattern from the sketchbook, you could either combine the two patterns, or use the Sketchbook pattern, combining the shirt and shorts for a one piece garment, without waist elastic (my favourite)and the shorts basic pattern for the lower portion. You could lengthen the shorts for a longer version or shorts for the short version. You could also use just the shirt to make a wonderful collared diaper shirt, where you could slip the shorts over it. That way, you have a shirt that stays tucked in, you put your own snaps in it and you have quick changes.

The same could be done for a little girl, too, changing up the colours. 🙂 If you like cowboy things, you could make this a cowboy diaper shirt or onesie.

If you like soccer or those types of sports, you could use knit fabrics and make a lovely knit one piece suit.

If you fee a little uncertain on the sizing, use a ready made garment you have in your stash and trace it off for sizing and portions. I think the Sketchbook pattern is a great patter with all kinds of possibilities. Having had 4 boys, I wish I had this pattern when they were young. I am planning to play with this design, just not right now, but hopefully in the near future. I love to give handmade gifts for newborns.

I think most of the tops from the Oliver + S line would work to combine it with the lower portion of the Tea Party play suit pattern. A few adjustments would need to be made, but I think they would make great garments for newborns. 🙂

Happy Sewing,

Carol

[rastis]

my favourite thing to sew for newborns at the moment(boys and girls) are monkey pants… i made a bunch of them for my little girl when she was born and have also made some boy ones for a friend who had a baby boy… they are so cute and easy in those early days when you don’t want to fuss too much with buttons etc…and soft and cosy (cause they are knits- i love knits for little bubs)…and they fit over cloth nappies!

[Mama_Knowles]

Carol I love, love the idea of the long shirt with snaps at the bottom. It would be nice not to have the little shirts ride on him. (oh how I hated that when my boys where little!) I never sewed for my boys when they where little. I had never gave that much thought that I could sew clothes then but I wish I had of now.

Oh yes I do need to add some knits to his clothes! I seen on Gymboree that oneise on sale are around $8 a piece, my how the price has gone up in 9 years! But I did see some things I am wanting to give a try. Lucky me my newer sewing machine does sew knits well and I do have a serger too so it should be easy peay for the most part.

My other though was when Nicole said about the new pj’s from O+S I am thinking about making all four boys basesball shirts out of the top pattern, complete with names on the back. It is so stuck in head now too,lol. It looks pretty good in there. 🙂

Thank you ladies! I have a lot of wonderful ideas now!! Now I need a trip to the fabric store.

Sharon

[Sarvi]

Looks like you’re sorted for ideas — congratulations on the new baby!

[meleliza]

Dressing boys is really tough. With my oldest I didn’t know where to shop and was a.ways frustrated that I couldn’t find anything that wasted plastered with tacky dogs and football. Yuck! There weren’t any sewing patterns out there either beyond really really basic boring things. When I found o+s, the boys were a bit older and tearing through their clothes and I just couldn’t spending the time making them anything they were bound to destroy. Sad, but the truth of boy sewing is that it really isn’t as much fun. I do make things for special occasions and they really love costumes! Of cour, that doesn’t help much for the baby… The sandbox pants are easy and comfortable.

And what exactly are monkey pants?

[rastis]

these are monkey pants i have made…

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49182185@N02/5921248692/in/set-72157624787068491

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49182185@N02/5920687797/in/set-72157624787068491

and a little set

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49182185@N02/5968484203/in/set-72157624787068491

i just love comfy knits for little bubs… they’re perfect for sleeping in…and i’m about to make some more for my little girl for this winter…

[Mama_Knowles]

They are so cute! I really ove the headge hog print.