10 May DIY Baby Pantaloons

Melbourne maker, Gemma Patford shows us how to whip up some super cute pantaloons for bub.

You will be surprised and shocked by how many outfits a cute little cherub can go through in one day. When you visit new parents, do their laundry and drop off a few pairs of these…

You’ll need:

Photocopier and paper
1 piece of jersey fabric measuring 1 m (3 ft 3 in) x 1 m (3 ft 3 in)
Water-based acrylic fabric paint
Pencil
Sharp scissors
Sewing pins
Sewing machine
Thread
Hot iron and ironing board
1 m (3 ft 3 in) of thick elastic
Large safety pin

How To

1. Photocopy the pattern provided (see page 164). Depending on the size of your new little friends, enlarge the image on a photocopier. The pattern provided is for newborns from zero to three months if cut to size.

2. Lay the jersey fabric on the table. Using your finger, begin to paint fat polka dots on your fabric. Don’t worry too much if your polka dots are not even in size. This will add to the handmade look. Leave to dry.

3. Fold your fabric in half and lay the pattern on top of both layers. Carefully trace around the pattern and cut out the two pieces. The front and the back are the same pattern piece.

4. Pin your little pants right sides facing each other and sew the fabric together along both sides.

5. Once you have sewn the sides, sew the crotch together. Now flip the pants so they’re the right side out.

6. Hem the cuffs by folding the fabric 1 cm (½ in) inside the legs. Iron and pin down the hem so it sits well, and sew down using a wide zigzag stitch.

7. Similar to the cuff, sew the waistband by double-folding the fabric 3.5 cm (1½ in) inside the waist. Iron down the waistband so it sits well. Sew it down, leaving a 3 cm (1¼ in) gap so you can thread the elastic through it.

8. Cut a piece of elastic to size. Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and thread it through the waistband. Remove the safety pin and then use the sewing machine to sew both ends of the elastic together. Sew the gap closed.

9. Iron the pants flat. Aren’t they cute?

Tip: While you have your fabric and machine out, consider making a few pairs. Little babies can go through four or more outfits a day!

We also had the pleasure of chatting to Gemma Patford recently and got a sneak peek of her studio space.

While you are learning about all things Gemma Patford, how cute is her handcrafted nursery for her daughter Dusty?

This is an edited extract from Roped In by Gemma Patford published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $29.99 and is available in stores nationally.