Baby Articles Baby Care Altering Baby's Clothes to Last
Altering Baby's Clothes to Last
As the season’s end and you look forward to the next one the thought may cross your mind as to whether to buy all new clothing for your growing baby or see if you can stretch what is already there.
Babies grow very quickly so for new mothers, making the most out of baby clothes is of the utmost importance. So how do you get an extra month out of those onsies that are starting to have a hard time meeting to snap? And those baby jeans that are a little too short for the winter months?
The great thing about onesies, is that they are easier to alter. Cutting off the snap end and hemming them to make shirts is right there at the top of best things to do to stretch 5 months into 8. Simply cut the onsies right at the leg holes straight across. If you have to cut a bit above the leg holes that’s okay. Fold up a tiny bit of the edge and hem with a machine or by hand (machine goes quicker). If you have a rolled hem foot this works well.
You can do something similar with footie pajamas. Simply cut off the feet and hem. You can add stretchy material to the ankle area if you like but you know that IS extra work. Get another month's wear out of these pj’s.
As you can see already from the first few tips perhaps one of the best investments a new mother can make is in a mid-priced sewing machine. This will make doing alterations and additions a breeze, and who knows you may become creative when baby naps
Things like adding extra material as a ruffle to the bottom of a dress or skirt can be done in minutes, as can letting out the hem of a pair of pants or even adding a ruffle or complementing band of color to the hem of an outgrown pair of pants.
Also, even though socks with ducks and elephants are cute, sticking to a plain color can help extend the life of individual socks if one gets lost.
For the most part, making baby clothes last, laundering aside, is about ingenuity and personality. Learn the basics of stitching and hemming and let the designer in you shine through!
Here are some online tutorials for turning old clothes into new for your growing baby.
Styling Alterations for Your Baby
