Today’s National Sewing Month Project is brought to you by Virginia Lindsay from Gingercake.
Hi! I am Virginia Lindsay, sewing pattern designer behind the website Gingercake. I am so happy to have my newborn gowns featured on Seam & Scissors for National Sewing Month! I created this gown before my fourth child, Marion, was born. After having 3 previous infants in the house, I knew exactly what worked best to dress baby those first few precious weeks at home. I wasn’t having luck finding gowns that I really liked at the store, so I decided to take on the project myself. The result was a lovely, simple and useful gown that newborn Marion wore many times! A soft and cozy knit fabric with no more than a 50% stretch works well.
Let’s get our materials together. You will need …
- 1 yard of interlock knit fabric- go for mostly cotton blend or 100% cotton. (1 yard makes 2 gowns).
- a package of pearl snaps or regular snaps- the kind you hammer on!
- coordinating thread
- sewing machine with zig zag foot
- Ball point needle
- scissors (sewing and regular)
- self healing cutting mat and rotary cutter
- Long ruler/ yard stick
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1. Begin by printing out the pattern pieces. There are 2 pieces- the gown/ body piece and the arm piece.
Download Gingercake Newborn Gown Pattern Pieces
Cut out your pieces. The gown width is 14″ so you need to have a folded piece that is 7″ wide to cut with the pattern piece. You will notice that this is wider than the paper pattern piece but you are going to extend the piece to be a total of 24″ long with a long ruler (like in the photo below) or a yard stick. The pattern piece is angled to be a-lined and you will need to just follow that line to the bottom of your fabric. See the photo below.
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2. Cut a second body piece to match the first. On this one, trim the neckline to match the BLUE line on your pattern piece. My photos are of my original rough draft pattern so pay attention to your nice printed pattern pieces instead! This piece is the front of your gown.
3. Next, still working with the front piece, cut a 6″ slit down the center of your neckline. See photos below. This will become your placket where the snaps will go.
4. Cut a 13.5″ x 1.5″ strip of matching knit that goes against the stretch. This means when you give it a pull long ways it does not stretch out. Fold it in half (iron if you would like) longways and pin this strip to the right side of your front gown piece along both edges of that 6″ slit. The strip should be a little longer than the 6″ slit. See photos below.
5. Now using the ball point needle on your sewing machine, sew the strip and the front body together to create your placket with a 1/4 seam allowance. Then trim seam down to 1/8″. See photos below.
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Pin the placket closed and trim off the excess so your neckline is back looking like it’s original shape. The top side of the placket should fold under and the bottom should extend. Imagine a button down/ polo shirt to give you and idea of how it is configured. See photo below.
6. Pin the shoulder seams together of your front and back body pieces. Sew together with a 1/4″ seam allowance and trim down to 1/8″. See photo below.
7. Now cut out your 2 sleeve pieces from the paper patterns. Pay attention to the direction of the stretch. Mark the top center of your sleeves with a pin. See the photo below.
Open up your body pieces and lay them open, right sides up. Pin the sleeve to the seam you sewed in the last step. See the photo below.
8. Now you can either pin the sleeve to the body pieces or just starting in the middle, sew a little, adjust, sew a little and adjust to attach your sleeves to the body piece. Then starting in the middle again, do the other side of the sleeves. I like this method since pinning with knits is kinda a pain! But either way works fine. Now repeat on the other sleeve. Trim your seams down to 1/8″. See the photos below.
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9. Next is the collar. Cut a strip of knit fabric that is 12″ x 1.25″ – this time the length is with the stretch. Switch your machine over to zig zag stitch and while gently pulling your strip of fabric, zig zag along the edge. This should give you a cute lettuce edge. See left picture below. Now attach to wrong side of gown neckline by with pins. Switch back to straight stitch and sew the collar on with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Trim seam down to 1/8″. If you have extra length on the collar, just trim it off to match up with the neckline- don’t worry about fraying. See photo on right below.
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10. Now turn the collar over the neckline and pin again. Stitch the collar down on the right side of the gown with a 1/8″ seam allowance. TIP- I don’t usually back stitch here- instead, i leave longer threads and double knot them together. This eliminates messy backstitching in such a visual spot if you have an older and less precise machine like I do! See photo below.
11. Now that the collar is finished, you can sew up the sides of your gown! Lay your gown sides right sides together and line up the seams at the arm pit first. Pin there first and then down the sides to the bottom. Then pin down the sleeves. I start at the bottom and sew up the side to the arm, then lift up my foot to turn and go down the sleeve. This usually means the seam at the arm folds out toward the sleeve. It doesn’t matter that much since it is trimmed down to 1/8″ but it’s a good habit! Repeat on the other side. See photo below. Trim seams down to 1/8″.
12. Turn your gown right sides out. Doesn’t it look cute? Turn under your little sleeve opening about 3/8″. Iron flat if you would like. Sew down with a 1/4″ seam allowance. I do this from the inside and just slowly make my way around. See photo below on the left. Another option is to lettuce edge the sleeve which would be cute too.
13. Follow the directions on the snaps- you get to use a hammer! Use your ruler to lightly mark where you will install the snaps. The first should be 1/2″ (or a little more if needed) from the top of the neckline, the next down 3″ and the final snap 5.5″ down from neckline. That first snap goes under your collar. See photo on left below. Next, make the same marks on the inside of the placket. See photo below on right. Attach snaps again according to directions on snap packet. Snaps in place!
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14. The bottom can be finished in several different ways. Like I mentioned in the beginning, the 100% cotton print that I pictured for the tutorial shrunk 2 inches in the prewashing so it is only 22″ instead of the 24″ I would have preferred. I should have bought the full yard! Instead of losing more length by making an elastic casing, I just did another pretty lettuce edge on the bottom. See photo below.
For me, with my other babies, I found an gown with an elastic casing on the bottom to be a little more practical. I was able to do this with the pink and white solid gowns I made. Do this by folding under your bottom hem about 1/2″ and sew closed around the hem, but leave an opening of about 1″. Then cut a 14″ length of 1/4″ elastic and attach a safety pin to the end. Insert into the 1″ opening and using the safety pin work your elastic around the hem. When you have it all the way around, sew the elastic ends together with your machine and then sew the hem opening closed.
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Finished! I hope you were able to follow this tutorial successfully and will have a pretty gown for the newborn in your life. I can’t wait to try the gowns on our baby coming in just a few weeks (or days? hopefully not!) Although this tutorial seemed like a bear for me to write (mostly because sitting in front of my computer at 38 and 1/2 weeks PG is getting uncomfortable!), making the gowns is pretty easy so I hope you will try it out. Using nice soft interlock knits is key! I tried making some with thrifted “mystery” knit and it didn’t work out so well. Make sure you read the label for the cotton count if you try out thrifted shirts!
And now for the DAILY GIVEAWAY. Today’s prize is a June Tailor Gift pack that includes T-Shirt Project Interfacing, a T-Shirt Pressing Cloth, and more!
To enter the daily giveaway, leave a comment below telling us:
What colors do you tend to choose when sewing for baby?
Official Rules for Daily Contest
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- Winner will be selected at random from the comments on this blog post below.
- You have until tonight, September 3rd, 2015 at 11:59p EST to leave your comment on this post. Comments posted after that will not be counted.
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Enter daily for your chance to win the National Sewing Month 2015 Grand Prize Giveaway.
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I tend to use mint, pastel yellow and tan. I really hate when everything is pink or blue. I also like primary colors to help stimulate the little ones.
P.S. I really like this tutorial, it seems so easy to do. Congratulations Virginia on your upcoming new addition to the family. God Bless!
I love to make stuff for babies in green, little orange and mixes of blues and pinks
Mostly the traditional pastels of pink, blue, mint green and yellow.
I use to always use pastels when sewing for babies but now I use bright colors. Thanks for the great giveaway.
This is like the stretch and sew method we used to use. I haven’t heard anyone talk of it for a long time. I think this pattern is perfect. We used to call them sacs and they had a drawstring around the bottom. They could be worn until the hem was almost to their knees. I used to do mint green and yellow, but now find I much prefer the bright “happy” colors for children today. Thanks for this pattern. I’ll be using it for others having babies. Nancy Dininger
I use pastels for babies.
I like to use rich, jewel colors or earthy tones.
Great tutorial. Will use new three pencil tip from day one. Color palette of gray and pink to match quilt I’m making for my hair designers nursery which is also blue and gray. Thank you for pattern and tips.
i use pastels unless i know the baby’s gender. cute tutorial
I love to sew with bright colors and happy prints like fish or dinosaurs 🙂
I like to use soft browns and greens with an appropriate focus fabric that keeps the quilt from being too dark.
I have 4 girls so I lean towards pink and purple.
I tend to choose pastel pinks and purples for girls and pastel blues and pale grays for boys.
I am new to the sewing world and would love to have a starting project, your tutorial was very well layer out and one that caught my attention enough to leave a comment. Either way thank you for your time in leaving such great information.
My first pick would be yellow then green for people who want to be surprised at the sex of their baby.
Soft purple and deep pink for girls.
Leaf green and sky blue for boys.
It may be boring and old to some, but still adore the traditional sweet baby blue for boys and delicate pink for girls.
Pastel greens and yellows.
I love bright colors and tend to use them in all things.
I love bright colors and tend to use them in all things
I make burial gowns for neonatal units in hospitals. I use white a lot but also pale pastels.
I choose to use soft pastels for the girls and light primary for the boys. I use variegated yarn when knitting items for them.
It depends on what I’m making, and who it is for. If the mother has a color scheme she wants to use, I go with her choice.
Any soft baby color, from pink to blue, we sew lots of baby clothes in our house so we try to include all colors, soft blue, pink, green, yellow, browns,
I try to use gender neutral colors – yellow and mint green, but love to make pinks if I know it is a girl!
I normally use pastels.
When choosing a color to sew for a baby, I usually tend to stick with light colors, such as green, blue, yellow or white. I believe by using these colors they could be for either a girl or boy.
love using yellow – so cheerful and light. am going to save your wonderful pattern for future, i made similar gowns out of flannel for friends and myself 40 years ago!
I’m a traditionalist. I like to use pastels and small prints for baby things.
When I was sewing dresses for my friend’s baby last year, I did a patterned grey, a bright orange, a greyish green, and a lilac. I love to use bold colors, but sometimes I’ll use pastels, depending on the pattern. 🙂 cute tutorial!
I use mostly pastels and whites for baby clothes, but I also love to use bright prints.
My go-to colors when sewing for a baby are the traditional ones – pink, blue, green, yellow and mauve. Thanks!
1 love pastel colors in shade of the rainbow. Blues, pinks and flower patterns are used for edgings only.
i like pastels for babies.
would love to sew babies wear in pink b
,blue,mint green,lemon.
I have been looking for just this pattern. I’m a new grandmother with a beautiful granddaughter. Can’t wait to start sewing for her. My sewing machine and serger are as old as my son (27 yrs.), I made all of his clothes as a baby and toddler.
I love to use tiny patterned fabric of brights and whites!
I have always made them in prints of green,blue,pink and yellow if i don’t know the gender. Soft pastels with baby animals is my favorite and is always enjoyed by the recipients.
I like to combine pastel pink, lavender, blue, teal, & green with neutrals like beige, taupe, brown, grey & white.
I’m open to anything, though usually I sew for girls and it’s often in pink. Kind of ironic since I vowed to never dress my girls in pink when I was a teenager lol.
Definitely has to have some yellow in it. crystalbluern at onlineok dot com
Lots of pink!
Honestly, I use whatever colors are on sale or in the remnant rack.
I tend to lean towards more neutral colors, unless the child likes a particular color
I use Pink & Yellow for my 1st Granddaughter 🙂
lavenders + mint greens
Love Yellow, it’s so cheerful.
White or lemon always looks so fresh x
I love yellow and greens and purples and teals- I try to avoid straight up pink and blue but it’s tough!
Super tutorial…thank you! I like to use bright, clear colors when sewing for babies. I like lime green, hot pink, sky blue, bright yellow…anything that catches my eye. I think these colors seems more modern.
I love green and yellow and mix it up with a bit of purple.
I prefer neutral and pattern with animals.
I tend to LOVE babies in whites and soft pastels… But my DILs love the bright colors that are now such a rage in baby clothes and stuff. So… guess what I’ll use!
I would love this pattern in larger sizes… guess I just need to add width and armhole size differentiation. My GRANDbabies tend to love the little sacs to sleep in even up to 1 year and older.
When a baby’s young I like to go with pink or blue just to avoid stupid questions. As they get older the brighter the colors get.
I tend to pick primary colors because I don’t like pastels unless, of course, the mother prefers pastels, in which case I’ll use the pastel color of her choice.
I LOVE to sew with pastel greens and yellows! That way the pieces can go for either gender.
I have a tendencies to use pastel colors like greens, yellows, pinks and pale blues.
I will be making some of there for twin girls, so I will look for coordinating, but different fabrics, perhaps the same print but in two different colors, for these little girls
Since I have been “guaranteed” my grand daughter is my very LAST grand child I seem to sew in pinks and purples.☺
I tend to use pastels of all colors for spring babies,(pink green blue yellow peach) then for summer babies I like to use rich primary colors (red blues greens yellows, for fall they get earthy colors (Brown rust orange reds and yellows), and plaids ,yes for babies. For winter babies get white red black and greys, sometimes furry trims. I don’t think we should keep babies in the standard “baby” colors, when they look so good in every color!
The BRIGHTER the BETTER !!!!!
I like to use bright, primary colors when making quilts for a baby, pastels just don’t do it for me!
I love primary colors, or variations of them for boys. Oranges, greens, mustard, maroon, navy blue are all fun. And for girls, turquoise and purple are fun. I just love colors.
I tend to use colors the parents have selected. Otherwise, my plans are to gear the items towards what the personality of the family is like. I used a bold print for a couple who are both reporters but for another family I used pastels as they are soft spoken and quiet. Thank you.
I like to use soft yellows and greens.
I will make these lovelies in shades of orange and yellow! My daughter prefers something other than pink for her little one and I agree! She has loads of dark hair so bright colours look awesome on her!
Thank-you for the chance to win!
Soft shades that are easy on the eye. Yellows, lavenders, greens work if you don’t know the sex. Gray is the new neutral and goes with all.
yellow
I have a 7 week old grandson, and I use blue, green, red, brown and yellow. I like the little pops of brighter colors – it seems to draw his eyes around his clothes. I love watching that.
I like to use cute prints in bright primary colors for babies, like robots, zoo animals and little monsters.
I like bright pastels for baby stuff, w/cute prints that are small in size.
Pastels and nursery prints.
I like bright colors, especially red. Babies love bright colors!
I tend to choose greens or yellow when sewing for a baby.
If i don,t know if it,s a boy or girl i tend to do pastel greens and yellows if i do know the sex then use more vibrant colors.
I tend to use unusual colors like gray or brown or bold colors, though people think they aren’t “baby colors”. The babies look nice and the garments don’t show spots or stains as easily.
I love the bright primary colors, when using for gifts. They tend to be less gender specific for finding cute prints. I also like mint, yellow and orange, these colors can be easily adapted to gender by use of trims and/ or simple appliques.
I really like mint blue, green, some bold colors and neon colors. It really just depends on my mood and what I feel of colors I want to make an outfit out of.
Thank you for so generously sharing this pattern. I loved the ease & convenience of dressing my 4 children in gowns when they were newborns. Nowadays, the gowns are so hard to find. My daughter is due to give birth to my grandson in 5 weeks. I can’t wait to make these for her.
i love strong, happy colours as well as jewel and earth tones.
If sewing for a newborn & unsure if it’s a boy or girl, I like neutral colors like green, purple, yellow or occasionally I find a mixture of colors suitable for either sex.
I like using bright colors for daytime clothes, and soft pastels for sleeping.
Mint green and yellow (solids or prints).
This Great-grandma was thrilled to find the tutorial! With two babies due soon I will be sewing up gowns in baby prints with matching receiving blankets! I love seeing something new that is tried and true! Thank You for sharing with us!!!!! 🙂
I like pastel colors
I like to use novelty prints with little animals that are gender neutral. There are so many cute ones out there, and you can’t really use them for much else! 🙂
I like to use soft greys and blues
I use light shades..pale orange, green, blues, yellows, etc Use pinks, purples if know is a girl….
I use the traditional pink or blue,unless someone asks me to use a specific color.
Dmac5958ataoldotcom
pink, blue and yellow. Thanks.
I like using pastel and primary colors, sometimes solids and othertimes cute prints. If gender of child is unknown, I use light yellows and greens or something with primary colors. If gender is known I may use pinks or blues. So much fun looking at the different prints available for blankets.
I love yellow!
orange and yellow
I use primary colors for babies. Cheerful and bright.
I have not worked with t-shirt or the cotton knit that you wrote about in your project. I have not in the past had much luck with it coming out very well. I don’t find a very good selection at the fabric s tore that I shop at. I do need to look at another fabric store in Baton Rouge that has a larger supply of this baby knit so I can try myself at sewing your wonderful tutorial of this sweet baby gown. I am really impressed at how good they came out too. Thanks so much for all the work that you did in getting this tutorial all finished up before you had this new baby . I hope that you have a healthy, happy and wonderful baby to use all these sweet baby gowns on. Congratulations and thanks again.
light and pastel colors and patterns
This is the cutest baby gown. Your tutorial really is very informative. I hope to try one soon.
I use pastels for baby most.Pinks ,blues, lavender, greens..When I do for older than newborn then i switch to primary colors..Red, med blue
Etc.
I like the neutral colors; pale green, pink, blue, and off white.
wow this will be so easy for your directions are wonderful and so easy to follow …thank you for doing a great job on showing everything so well….
I like to use a variety of prints and plains in colours suitable for either sex.
We’re expecting a new granddaughter in August. Mom likes whimsical fabric patterns, i.e., fairies, butterflies, unicorns, etc. so most of the fabric I’ll use will have a variety of bright and pastel colors.
I like to use fun prints.
Generally soft pastels for babies.
This is my first time making baby items, and for the baby shower I used the ubiquitous “gender neutral” pastels (mint green, light yellow, tan & so forth). For “Round 2” I’ve gone much bolder in my fabric choices: teal, purple, bright primaries – even one set of very “spacey” fabrics for a solar system wall hanging! However, when I make these gowns I’ll probably go back to calmer, pastel colors; after all, we do want the baby to sleep!
yellow or light green
I like to use lilac, pastel green and pale yellows if I don’t know the sex of the precious baby!
Thank you so much for the pattern and tutorial. I thought the tutorial was easier and better explained than others, I have found. This is great and the savings really helps!!
I will be using an offwhite with a pattern with bicycles.