Little wee things

I am beginning the new year by sewing some very tiny little garments for a new baby who is due within the next month. My family are very excited about her impending arrival. I've already made this baby a cosy red kicking bag, and a flower fairy quilt, but I think she still needs more. 

She now has some little bibs - made from my last remaining scraps of Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric, and a favourite Cath Kidston print.

I've been making bibs like this for years.  The pattern comes from the first sewing book I ever bought: Bend the Rules Sewing by Amy Karol.  The bibs are very satisfying to make because you can sew a whole batch of them easily in an evening, and they look so organised and useful stacked up together.  They are backed with soft brushed cotton and have little snaps at the neck to get them on and off easily.

While I had the sewing machine out, I thought I'd use up another precious but tiny piece of leftover fabric by making a wee little skirt - desgined to fit a newborn baby in those very first few weeks.  Because tiny, newborn babies really need pretty skirts.  They do.

I had to rummage around the internet quite a bit to find waist and skirt length measurements for newborns.  In the end two outrageously cute designs which people had put up on their blogs helped me out - this petal skirt, and this jersey ruffle skirt.  I want to make both of these skirts too now, but I only had the very smallest bit of fabric to work with, so I made a simple ribbon-hem A-line skirt with an elastic waist.

It is hard to tell from the photo just how tiny and adorable this little elephant skirt really is.  But the final skirt length is just 18cm - go and look at how small that is on a ruler!

Having been so impatient to meet this new baby for what feels like the longest time, I am now thinking she can stay where she is for a few more weeks so that her auntie can make her some more of these little skirts.  I have just the right amount of red polka-dot cotton for a baby skirt, neatly folded at the side of my desk.  I have a feeling she might also appreciate some cotton skirts in bright, cheerful Kaffe Fassett prints.