Baby Girl Layette – The Ottobre Onesie

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I have 4 kids and a really great group of friends with families too. My unscientific study shows that most parents, especially those of newborns, would like to very much avoid putting garments over-the-head….at least until about 3 months of age. You really want the kimono-wrap style as often as you can get it.

Now, finding the right wrap-style pattern which I found infuriating. I know I’ve had Tea and Zutano baby clothes over the years that were exactly what I was envisioning but the only place I could find the exact styles I wanted were in Ottobre and since I didn’t have the back issue from 3/2011 I wanted, I decided to tell Alma to just hold the baby in for longer so I can get the issue shipped to me.

Can you imagine telling a pregnant Texan to hold a baby in longer? In summer?? HAHAHAHA, that cracks me up.

Anywho, Ottobre is so awesome. I got it just in time – here’s the awesomeness:

Ottebre Pattern
Ottebre Pattern

It’s perfect. Separate snap crotch is essential, no actual real ties because when they’re screaming and you’re trying to get them dressed, crying over cute little ribbon bow ties is HELL. This is snaps all around, a cute wrap skirt so that in the heat of summer, little baby Vivian can just wear this and look completely dressed. Yes. Perfect.

Ottobre patterns are the bazillion color-coded-on-one piece-of-paper kind that include detailed tailor mark, so you have to trace them thoroughly. This little section is the instructions, so you really rely a LOT on those trace marks:

Ottebre Pattern Instructions
Ottebre Pattern Instructions

While this pattern isn’t complicated, you do need to know basic garment construction to feel at ease with Ottobre.

I emphasize transferring the pattern markings again; you will rely on those the most.

Ottebre Pattern Prep
Ottebre Pattern Prep

And you have to add seam allowance anywhere that is being joined, but not having binding…I marked that on the pattern as I traced the paper, then when I cut the pattern, I used a guide to help me. I’m a die-hard rotary cutter user…

Add Seams
Add Seams

I read the instructions a few times, and then even at some point just put them together on my own. Yes, them.

I made one for Vivian

Newborn Size
Newborn Size

and one for Zoe.

Pretty Baby
Pretty Baby

Zoe measured out to the 80cm size, and I made the 86cm size, thinking ‘room to grow’ which I certainly got. I made the 56cm size for Vivian…it seems a bit big. My babies have all been over 22 inches long at birth, which is 56cm, but I’m 5’9″ and tend to make big 8-9 pound babies; Alma may not necessarily do the same. We shall see.

I used simple snaps for the crotch area – pearl snaps in the crotch seemed a bit chunky.

Plain Snaps
Plain Snaps

And pearl snaps from Cowgirl Snaps on the rest, like on the jumper.

Texas Pearl Snaps
Texas Pearl Snaps

Here’s Zoe in action, ‘gardening’ in her kimono-wrap, skirted onesie:

Play Dress
Play Dress

We need to re-pot the oregano mom…

Gardener
Gardener
Water Play
Water Play

The bottom definitely got saggy as she played in the water more. In addition to being a bit big, the thicker, soft knit weighed down as it got wet.

Saggy Bottom Girl
Saggy Bottom Girl

You can see here how soft and thick the knit is in baby hands…even though it’s from Joann’s and I’m really, really not liking Joann’s right now, it turned out great.

So Mad At Joanns
So Mad At Joanns

Baby elbow dimple!!!

Elbow Dimple
Elbow Dimple

Overall, it’s a win. I’m very happy with the Ottobre subscription and patterns. They’re worth every cent.

The customer seems satisfied…

86 cm
86 cm

This was also my first use of a double needle for top-stitching the knit binding. OMG. I am in love. I had to use the 4mm needle; the smaller one did not jive with Ms. Viking, but it is a dream. If you haven’t used one, it does those two parallel top stitches you see at the same time while it hits the bobbin underneath and creates a zig-zag on the bottom. So nice. I’m a convert. It will stay my overlock wanting for awhile.

So, as info, between using the serger on the seams, and the double needle on the binding, they came together pretty quickly. I hand-basted the gathers for the skirt and sleeves – it was just faster than swapping out the double needle for such tiny amounts of basting stitch. I did two in a few days – that included tracing the two patterns for the first time. I imagine future Zoe outfits will be much faster.

You can go online to the Ottobre site, and there’s a page of each issue that shows the patterns and sizes included. You can buy just one if you want, or do a full one year subscription. They also have an Etsy site for one-off purchases, fabric and a few freebies for print. I highly recommend. My friend Rena did the Ottobre free underwear pattern (PDF dropbox link here) and it turned out adorable.