A baby crossover top tutorial and free pattern

Being a super Kiasu mummy, I have sewn up a little chinese style crossover top for my baby A.

 

Baby A is due in mid Jan next yr, just in time for the Chinese New Year celebration on Feb 19 2015. So I sewn this festive top in a newborn to 3 months size. Small and tiny and cute!

Keep reading on for the tutorial and free pattern link below.

I even altered the sleeve pattern and sewn up another casual top with puffed short sleeves for my niece Chloe as well. It's not often you get so many baby girls to sew for and i am really great that my elder sis appreciates my handmade clothings for her baby.

 

 

Fabric used: A red quilting cotton with metallic gold dots from Joann. Price 9.90USD but i used my 50% off coupon. 1 yard=5USD

Gold bias tape from stash and the gold chinese frog closure also from stash.

 

The back of the top is also a crossover so there is no need for 'actual closures'. The chinese frog buttons are mainly 'decorative' and to make the top more chino style.

 

And i also made a matching headband with the remnant fabric.

 

The short puffy sleeves version. With elastic sleeve cuffs for niece Chloe.

 

Fabric used: Pink polka dots cotton from Joann

Crochet lace from stash.

I brought 2 yards of this cotton and already made 1 romper, 1 bloomer, 1 headband and this top from it.

 

Enough of the blabbering, here is the link to the handdrawn pattens: I am not a expert in pattern making, so u r expecting superior quality, pls close the tab and head somewhere else instead.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/20qha2fkxae74dg/AACOmlyEPEnHnywiv-Z-FD0va?dl=0

 

Note: The size of this pattern is only in newborn to 3months. Great to sew them up as baby gifts.

 

And here is the mini quick tutorial on the steps:

 

1) First u got to download the documents from the above link and print them out as 0 scaling. You can use the 4 by 4cm test square to check the scaling. Then cut out 8 bodice pcs and 2 skirt pcs and 2 sleeves pcs. No interfacing is needed in the construction.

 

 

2) Sew the crossover bodice pcs at the shoulder seams using 3/8 inch SA. Press. You should have 4 pcs of what is shown in the above pic.

 

 

3) With the right sides together, sew the curved neck seams together using 3/8 inch SA. Ending with 2 joined bodice pcs.

 

4) Trim and clip the curved seam allowances and press.

 

 

 

5) This is what you should have now for the bodice.

 

6) Add bias tape for emebllishments, or laces as shown in the casual version or you can leave it as it is.

 

 

7) Overlap the bodice pcs, left over right (chinese style) or right over left, whichever you are happy with. Matching the mid bodice notches and raw edges. Pin.

 

8) Stitch at 3/8"inch SA. Repeat for the back bodice as well. Both back and front are actually the same.

 

9) Next, gather the skirt pcs by stitching 2 rows of basting stitches .

 

Pardon my not very good pics but i tried my best.

 

10) Pin the skirt pc to the bodice, matching the edges and the mid notch then pull the basting stitches to fit. Pin the gathers and stitch at 3/8"SA.

 

 11) This will be what you have. Now you can either serge the seam or zigzag the seam or whatever you are happy with.

 

12) Reapeat for the back skirt portion and the end results. Remember to press the seams up towards the bodice after you are done.

 

I used a serger for the seams.

 

13) Next up the sleeves, you need to gather the sleeves in between the side notches for both versions. Then pin the sleeves to the armholes with right sides together matching the shoulder seam to the mid notch and side seams. Adjust the gathers for the puff sleeves version more towards the shoulder seams area. Stitch at 3/8inch. Finish the seams and press it out towards the sleeves.

 

14) Pin the side seams of the top and the sleeves and stitch all the way at 3/8 inch SA. PS: Stitch from the skirt hem upwards to the sleeves hem so the mid bodice seams are sutomatically turned towards the bodice. Finish the seams and press them open.

 

 

Sorry for the lack of pictures from now on cos it got too dark and i just could get clear pics of the remaning steps.

 

15) For the long sleeve version: Press up the sleeves hem 1/4inch and then 3/8 inch to get a narrow hem. Stitch close to the inner edge of the fold.  And for the skirt hem, you can do the same or use a bias tape for extra embellishment.

 

For the puff sleeves version: Press up the sleeves hem by 1/4 inch and then 3/8inch to get a narrow elastic casing. Edge stitch along  the inner fold leaving a opening for elastic insertion. Then cut out a desired length of 1/4inch elastic, (i cant remember the length i used, i just estimated and cut it.) thread the elastic through the narrow casing using a small safety pin and stitch the elastic ends together. Once done, stitch the opening close.

Then hem the skirt portion same as the long sleeved version. 

 

Hope my wordy and pictures insufficient tutorial will help somehow. Any questions, feel free to leave me a comment below or email me at sewashley87@gmail.com. And if you do sew up this little pc, I would be very happy to c your version pics!!!

 

Thank you for staying with me and may you all have a super fun long wkend ahead.

 

XOXO Ashley

 

 

Results of a Crazy nesting mood.

Hi everyone,

Finally back from my long long break. I gotten busy with life and in the midst, a precious new life is growing inside my belly. Yup, I am preggy with my 3rd child, currently at 26 wks, and the baby is a GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay! You can imagine the excitement when we found out her gender after having 2 hyper active boys in our life. The envision of cute dresses and cute hairstyles i can try on her just filled my mind every single day.

I started to revisit my sewing corner and started to churn out lovely and girly clothes for my little girl and not to forget my little niece Chloe that was born in July back in Singapore. Sewing for girls are so addictive! Who can resist the sweet ruffles and girly details compared to straight old plain boys clothings? And i can envision myself sewing cosplay costumes for my darling girl in the near future (if she's interested in being a cosplayer and live on my cosplay dreams. LOL!)

And the following are the results of my crazy nesting mood: (Pardon for the shitty hp pics. I am too lazy to dig out my camera and use it.)

First up is a handsewn newborn booties:



Fabric: Cream flora quilting cotton from stash. Pink satin Bias tapes from stash and white satin ribbon for ties. Cost: $0USD since all from stash.
Pattern: A baby Japanese sewing book from my books collection.

Next up I started 2 sets of Ninja Costume for my boys for coming Halloween. Completed the green one so far and the black pcs are cut out but got churn aside to make way for girly sewing.

 

Fabric: Broadcloth from Joann- Green and black 3 yards each.
Ninja sword and accessories from Target-$6USD
Pattern: Mccall 6184 Karate costume

I used the 2T size for the green version which is meant for little brother but they turned out to be too big! it suits my 4Y Aidan just nice so i have to switch characters for them instead and i modified the pattern pcs and cut a smaller black version for Allen.

This is Allen trying on the costume, i got to fold up the sleeves and pants in order for him to function properly in it.

 

A peplum romper.

Fabric: Light Pink Polka Dots Cotton From Joann. Laces and buttons from stash.

Size: 3M

Pattern: Cute clothes for Kids Book brought from amazon

 

Elegant dress that will be making its way to my niece soon.

Fabric: Light pink Kona cotton from fabric.com

White cotton lace from stash. (I still got 9over yards of it left. Brought them yrs back in bangkok fabric wholesale market.)

Pattern: Simplicity 4711. In the s size for 6months. I added a lace panel in the front bodice and lengthened the skirt.

 

An appliqued Baby bloomer. First trial on applique using wonder under and obviously i haven master my satin stitch yet thus the awkward edge stitching and hand stitching.

 

Leggings and hats using free baby go to leggings patterns and free baby hats pattern from zaaberry.com. Both knits are picked up from Joann remnant bin.

 

A simple hand embroidered itty bitty dress.

 

 

I love this the most: A cross back Jumper dress with matching bloomers.

 

Fabric: Pink seersucker from fabric.com and white broadcloth from stash. Simple and sweet design.

Pattern: One of the big 4 companies.

 

Another quite sew: itty bitty dress with matching headband and ruffled bloomers. I used my plain old bloomer pattern and just added a row of ruffles to the back. But i attached it too high up, will lower th ruffles in future creations.

 

 

The lovely baby patterns from Oliver and S.

Since little A will be due in Jan next yr, i got to prepare some cosy wear for the cold weather.

 

Fabric: Flannel from Joann. Puple bunnies cotton on clearance from Joann too.

Snaps are from babyville.

This set is 0 to 3 months size, tiny and puny cute!

 

This set are gifts for friend who just gave birth.

Fabric: Pink tutti frutti swirls fabric remnant from a hawthorn top i made previously. White broad cloth and huge white satin ribbon from stash.

 

The bunny cotton dress and a super naughty mummy. I just cant resist trying the dresses on my little boy to c how it actually looks even though the dress is sized for 3months but my 2Y little boy is so tiny, he can wear it as a top! LOL.

This dress has already made it to Niece Chloe and I will be expecting a cute pic of her in it soon.

 

Pattern: Cute clothes for kids book

 

A cotton bodysuit this time using O+S pattern. The design is great and the instructions are really clear making the sewing a breeze. I will definately sew up more of this bodysuits in bigger sizes soon.

 

After sewing so many items for Little A, guiltiness overcame me and i pulled out this reindeer flannel from stash which i brought last yr to make into christmas pj for the boys but never got to it.

 Fabric: Flannel from Joann brought last yr.
Pattern: Sewing for boys book. The sweetheart Pajamas.
The pants are super long! so i ended up using the 2T pattern for Aidan pants instead and it fit him just nice. For Allen, i got to fold up the hems twice as usual.

Ok, that's all the craziness for today, coming up next will be a tutorial and free pattern for a baby crossover top with 2 sleeves options. Stay tuned!