Footie Pajamas

"small change" wrote in message ...

I'd go with footless... you can get a lot more wear out of them when the
legs are growing.

Plus, I was advised by by chiropodist brother not to put DD in footed
all-in-ones, because unless the feet are bid enough AND they stay in
the right place, they make the baby's toes curl up and that's a Bad
Thing.

Sally H

Karen Maslowski wrote:

Tom, you could also make boiled wool fabric from long pieces of knit,
and then cut and sew it as you would any other fabric. Makes great
vests, jackets, etc., especially since you live where it gets pretty
cold in the winter.

Sadly, I can't wear wool. I have hyperhydrosis, which means I sweat
all the time (regardless of weather, year round), so if I wear wool I
rapidly start to smell like a wet sheep. (Not to mention that it also
then feels prickly and unpleasant.) Everything I wear has to be either
absorbant and dry quickly (like cotton or silk) or has to wick away
and evaporate moisture (like polartec).

I was recently given a shopping bag of beautiful wool fabrics, but had
to give it away because I'd never be able to wear it.

And, I never make anything for anyone else with wool, because too many
people I know are allergic to it.

Tom Farrell
http://www.SewingWithTom.com/

Tom Farrell wrote:

All of that said, using a knitting machine is a very interesting idea
really. When I was using my knitting machine, I didn't make a lot of
garments. I didn't care for shaping the collars of sweaters, and I
hated hand-sewing pieces together. Now that I know I was being foolish
and I can just stick them in the sewing machine and stitch them
together with thread, I think when I get the replacement machine I
will make more garments.

I loved making large swaths of cloth with the machine, but any time I
had to take a piece off and then hang it back on was a pain, which
made shaping front shoulders of a pullover sweater (you have to take
one side off, knit the other shoulder, then put the first side back on
and knit that shoulder) a real pain, and the collar (you're supposed
to sew one shoulder seam, then pull the neckline straight and hang it
back on the machine to knit on a collar) was even worse.

And ribbing. I hate making ribbing. I'd rather make a hem, or stitch
on purchased ribbing with the sewing machine, or hand-knit some
ribbing and stitch *that* on with the sewing machine. I can hand-knit
ribbing faster than I can make it with the machine.

Hm, that's a whole area of experimentation, mixing fabrics I make on
the knitting machine with purchased fabrics. I'll have to try that out
sometime... maybe I should make some design sketches...

Sounds like you had bad patterns to work from. When I
make a sweater on my km, I put one side in hold while I
shape the other, then reverse. There are a number of ways
to do a neckline, and I have some favorites, like the one
you make on the machine, then hang the sweater so that
the collar encloses the top of the neckline. I often tend
to use easier patterns, like drop shoulder sweaters,
although I really make a killer cabled sweater with a
saddle shoulder. The pattern was in WKMG and I have made
about four of them, and they attract attention every time
my husband or son wear one.

That said, you can knit yardage, block it, cut and sew. I
think the book The Prolific Knitting Machine deals with
techniques for that and some other time-savers.

--

Joanne @ stitches @ singerlady.reno.nv.us
http://bernardschopen.tripod.com/
Life is about the journey, not about the destination.

Tom,

I've only just caught this thread and I have to thank you for starting it.
My sister is desperately in need of 1-piece pyjamas for her disabled 11-year
old in both summer light-weight and winter heavy-weight. I thought I was
going to have to design my own pattern but everyone here has given
suggestions which I will definitely be following up on.

Thanks to every one.

Cathie

"Tom Farrell" wrote in message
om...
I have two pregnant friends, one of whom is expecting twins. I'm
planning to make some baby clothes for the happy couples' babies, and
one thing I'd like to make is footed pajamas. I'm wondering if anyone
here has made footed pajamas for babies or toddlers, and if so, if you
would recommend a pattern. I know Kwik-Sew makes one or two patterns
for them, and I'm not sure who else. I'd prefer a newborn-size
pattern, but if anyone has any recommendations about a toddler-size
pattern, that's of interest too: I may choose to make a range of sizes
of clothes so the new mothers will have a bit of clothes for the
children to grow into, instead of everything I make getting outgrown
almost immediately.

I'd also like to make *adult* sized footed pajamas as christmas gifts,
preferably the one-piece kind. Any suggestions anyone? I haven't been
able to find any current patterns for them for adults. I know there
are a couple companies producing them commercially, and the prices
aren't bad, but I want these as gifts so I'd like them to be something
I made, not just something purchased. I could design a pattern I
suppose, but I'd rather not have to go to the effort, especially since
I'll probably have to make four or five different sizes...

Tom Farrell
http://www.SewingWithTom.com/

Cathie wrote:

Tom,

I've only just caught this thread and I have to thank you for starting it.
My sister is desperately in need of 1-piece pyjamas for her disabled 11-year
old in both summer light-weight and winter heavy-weight. I thought I was
going to have to design my own pattern but everyone here has given
suggestions which I will definitely be following up on.



I think what would be really great for her is a Couch Cozy -- McCalls
9580 or Stretch and Sew 2007. I also have it in one of my Wild Ginger
programs -- forget which one; I think it's Curves.

--
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean,
But much benefit is derived from the labor of the ox.

"Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply" wrote in
message ...
Cathie wrote:

Tom,

I've only just caught this thread and I have to thank you for starting
it.
My sister is desperately in need of 1-piece pyjamas for her disabled
11-year
old in both summer light-weight and winter heavy-weight. I thought I was
going to have to design my own pattern but everyone here has given
suggestions which I will definitely be following up on.



I think what would be really great for her is a Couch Cozy -- McCalls
9580 or Stretch and Sew 2007. I also have it in one of my Wild Ginger
programs -- forget which one; I think it's Curves.

--
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean,
But much benefit is derived from the labor of the ox.

McCall's has a unisex union suit onesie (3860) and a two-piece ladies'
pajamas with feet (4671). Both are kind of cute, but the footie pajama pants
might be just the thing for the 11yo. I bought it to make pants liners for
when I go up to the mountains.
--
The Vegas Beth P
(STILL missing Georgia)
Remove "removethis" to reply

Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply
wrote:

I think what would be really great for her is a Couch Cozy -- McCalls
9580 or Stretch and Sew 2007. I also have it in one of my Wild Ginger
programs -- forget which one; I think it's Curves.

I think there's also one in one of the Polarfleece Pizzaz books. A
friend and I made one for his mother a few years ago, we thought it's
a great idea. She calls it her "teletubby outfit".

Tom Farrell
http://www.SewingWithTom.com/

The Simplicity one was discontinued when I looked yesterday, but managed to
get some marked down popper tape at Fabricland instead. Then I went to the
sewing store to get bobbins for my Bernina (and went back today when I
realised they sold me the wrong ones) and looked through Kwik-Sew with no
luck. Then lucked upon what I wanted in the discontinued bin! Absolutely
perfect though its for girls so just need to modify slightly. This is
without the feet for him. Oh and found an advert in the sewing store for
someone wanting a home sewer for a few hours a week and have an interview
lined up. So this thread set me in the right direction for a number of
things!!!! Funny how these things happen!

Cathie

"Tom Farrell" wrote in message
om...
Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to reply
wrote:

I think what would be really great for her is a Couch Cozy -- McCalls
9580 or Stretch and Sew 2007. I also have it in one of my Wild Ginger
programs -- forget which one; I think it's Curves.

I think there's also one in one of the Polarfleece Pizzaz books. A
friend and I made one for his mother a few years ago, we thought it's
a great idea. She calls it her "teletubby outfit".

Tom Farrell
http://www.SewingWithTom.com/