Sunday, December 2, 2012

Sugar and Spice

I like to sew.  


I love to sew for myself.
 
I've always admired those mothers out there in the blogosphere who lovingly craft clothing for their children.  To take precious sewing time (of which there is very little to be had) and spend it creating something for someone else.  Case in point: Kbenco.  Have you seen the formal gown she just made for her daughter?  It has a boned corselet, tulle underskirt, beaded hem and the bodice is made up of lattice smocking done by hand.  It is spectacular.  Absolutely spectacular.


Who knows how many hours she put in to it.  I followed her progress on her blog.  When she wrote her first post about the dress, I was not yet pregnant.  I remember being in awe of the huge task she was taking on of making someone else's dream dress.  I was in awe, but in the "boy, kbenco sure is a sucker for punishment" sort of way.  I mean, the lattice smocking?  Man, I can't get over it.


Ah.  But now I understand.


Ok, so this is no formal ball gown.  But it was definitely made with love.  Can you guess what we are having? :D


I foresee plenty of unselfish sewing in my future.  And it will make no difference to me.  This little baby bathrobe is my go-to baby gift for friends.  I drafted the pattern a while back from Winifred Aldrich's Metric Pattern Cutting for Children's Wear and Babywear.  I've made so many of these in the past.  Only this time I got to make one for my own baby.   Normally it takes me about two hours to make one of these robes start to finish. I spent more than double on this one.  I wanted every stitch to be just right, every seam to be pressed and even and every detail to be perfect.  And I enjoyed every minute of it.


Can't wait to put her in it :)

 


38 comments:

  1. That is so gorgeous! So glad that you finally got to make one for your very own baby. The colours are just divine. Enjoy all that baby sewing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. oooooooh, i LOVE it!!! there is definitely something magical about sewing for your own kids.

    ReplyDelete
  3. And welcome to the world of sewing for babies...you have started off with a brilliant little bathrobe that your little one will snuggle into beautifully. There will be plenty more baby sewing ahead of you now...

    ReplyDelete
  4. How cute! I'm sure she'll look adorable in it. Can't wait to "meet" her. Girls are so much fun!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That looks incredibly soft and wonderful against the skin! You did a fantastic job and it is lovely in every way. I can only think of one way it will be more beautiful....with your little one in it! :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Agggh cute!! Your love and care is so evident, beautiful work.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's absolutely adorable. I love all the little details. Will you make one for me? No?!

    ReplyDelete
  8. oooh how pretty.. i love it, i want one for myself, hehe.. and what a great idea for baby gift (while i was away for excavations, seven (!?) of my friends got babies, so there is plenty of little baby presents for me to make, when i finally get back.. so, thank you for the inspiration)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And so it begins... There are so many babies in my group of friends now. I really have made a LOT of baby robes ;)

      Delete
  9. That robe is so gorgeous. She is going to look beautiful snuggled up inside it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. oh yeah! when I read the first sentences, I totally thought this was an adult size version for yourself. and I thought that it would absolutely wear it myself.
    You should definitively keep it after she has outgrown it. if my mum had made something like that for me when I was little, I would have loved to have it later on as keepsake or to pass it onto my child. It looks very timeless and I'm in love with the lining. What's that stuff again? also I like how you used pompom trim because that's a great adition to everything!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now an adult version would be awesome! The lining is called "minky" fabric- whatever that means. It is the softest nonsense I've ever felt.

      Delete
  11. Congratulations! It's delightful sewing for a baby. A little less so for an outspoken preschooler, but I bet it gets better again once they're old enough to appreciate how much work it is, and how NO ONE ELSE'S MOM MADE THEM A CUSTOM HALLOWEEN COSTUME. Oops, sorry. Had to let that one out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hahaha!! Forget the formal gown, I totally forgot to mention the most fantastic fleece sparkly pony costume EVER. Seriously! I know I'll get back tenfold what I gave my mom at that age. She said at age 2 I refused to wear whatever she picked out for me.

      Delete
  12. So cute, love the embroidery. Hope everything is going well.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Congratulations on your little girl! This robe is adorable and so soft and snugly looking. Eventually, I hope you'll post a photo of her in it :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh Congratulations on your little girl!! The robe is so so lovely - from top to bottom and every little detail in between. I can definitely see that if I had a little girl to sew for (or a big girl, in the case of kbenco) then I might not be such a selfish seamstress! Girls really are fun...

    ReplyDelete
  15. I know you will enjoy the many many hours of unselfish sewing ahead; I did and still do :) and I am so thrilled you are getting to make one of these adorable robes for your own baby!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Adorable! I am besotted with the little embroidery. I actually prefer making things for my daughter and sew things for her all the time - so quick and cute and rewarding (with my own stuff, I always have to tweak, modify, get frustrated). And that prom dress? Ah-mazing.

    ReplyDelete
  17. i love your a-ha! moment. perfectly put! and your perfect little girl is going to be ever so sewing spoiled if this beauty is any indication :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. OMG OMG OMG it's so gorgeous it almost hurts me. I'm super excited for you... because surely sewing for a girl is a bazillion times more fun than for boys? I means... dresses... pretty fabrics... frills... lace... all that goodness.
    I couldn't adore more your stitching on the back :) She's going to be one lucky little lady!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Adorable! I've been sewing for a friend's baby shower and now I can't stop myself. I just want to keep making cute little things.

    ReplyDelete
  20. so cute! all the trim is just darling. i've made "bumpy robes" for my kids and they love them to death. as much as i love sewing for myself, it is satisfying to let someone else enjoy my handiwork. my kids adore receiving a "mommy made" anything! i'm sure your little girl will too. congrats! :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Congratulations on your baby girl! And, what a robe! Minky, poms, rickrack... oh my!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Oh that is so adorable! I was the envy of my mothers' group because I could sew. When one of the other baby girls turned one her mother said to me 'could you please please make her some cute pants and a top like Zoe's?'. :-)
    I imagine that your baby girl is going to be the envy of the town with her gorgeous outfits. I always imagined I would have a football team of boys - but I had two girls instead. Girls are wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm so excited for you! This robe is adobrable, just like your baby will be!

    ReplyDelete
  24. awww,, congratulations! i saw a post today you may enjoy.

    http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com/2012/12/rayon-challis-look-feel.html

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh- that little robe actually made my cynical ovaries ping! Congratulations- I can see that anything you create will be adorable!!!

    ReplyDelete
  26. This is absolutely adorable! I want one, too! Girl clothes really are the best-- I'm so excited to see what else you make for your little one!

    ReplyDelete
  27. yay! a girl! i'm so excited for you. i can't wait to see a little liza jane in the clothes you make. that robe is so sweet. i love all the details - the dotted soft lining, the rick rack, pockets! adorable!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Congratulations on a baby girl! The most beautiful thing in the world is to have a baby :).

    ReplyDelete
  29. This is gorgeous ! Lucky little baby girl !

    ReplyDelete
  30. Sewing for my children always gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. I was making something special for someone I loved to bits. This little robe is wonderful! The minky lining will be so soft on your little girls skin.

    ReplyDelete
  31. What a sweet robe. You've put so much beautiful detailing into it--it'll be an heirloom for sure. I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well and that you enjoy the start of everything with her. I've got 2 more weeks for #3, so I've been making more for the kids, and it is a good feeling to sew for them. My oldest always feels so proud to wear what I've made him, so it's hard not to want to indulge that. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  32. Oh Liza Jane, I am blushing and have a tear in my eye as well. I am glad I am invisibly on the other side of this computer!. The first thing I made for my oldest daughter was self drafted as well, and was nowhere near as lovely as this little gown(although I was very pleased with it). Your rickrack detail, fabric choice and embroidery are giving me warm fuzzies. I enjoy sewing for my girls so much, and when they were tiny, I liked it much better than sewing for myself because, well, ruffles, smocking, hand embroidery, cutsie duckie fabric.....poor innocent victims they were ;) There is so much fun ahead of you!

    ReplyDelete