Tutorial: How to make a toddler sleeper sack with foot holes - 2 sizes!

Even though my son is 15 months old and considered out of the direct line of fire for SIDS, I'm still nervous about having thick blankets in his crib. Also, he kicks them right off. Last year, we used regular sleeper sacks, but he outgrew them for this year. Plus, this active toddler needed his feet free.













Unfortunately, I do not have $20 a pop for the store-bought ones. I whipped up this pattern and tutorial, did some smart shopping at Joann Fabrics and made these for very little. I got my fleece on sale for $3.99 a yard, bought a zipper and some black ribbed knit. Since the ribbing for the knit runs crosswise, you end up with a length of it. So I bought black and made sure all of my three fleece fabrics would go with that one piece of ribbed knit.

  


 



Here is just one example of my fantastic photography skills. You'll be treated to many more throughout this tutorial.


I have added a size large to this tutorial and suggested a few changes throughout. If I get around to sewing another one, I'll put some photos. I whipped this up and sewed one quickly, so I apologize if it's not a perfect pattern, but I promise it will do the job. I'm just very overwhelmed with work right now.




Supplies, 1 sleeper sack:

• 1 yard of fleece (either size)

• 1 18" zipper (size small) or 22" zipper (size large) that coordinates

• 2 pieces of ribbed knit that are at least 7" wide (size small) or 9" wide (size large) and 4" tall

• Obvious things like pins, thread, sewing machine, scissors
  
• Matching fold-over elastic - 1/2 yard plus a few inches just to be safe. This is totally optional and used for the armholes. Alternatively, fold over the edge of the armhole and stitch.

Tips: 

• Use a 1/2" seam allowance, except where noted.

• Fleece is easier to sew with a longer stitch length. My machine goes from 0-4 and I found that 3 worked nicely. Normally I sew on 2.

• One thing I forgot to mark on the small pattern was the grainline. Grainline is parallel to the straight edges (front edge and center back).

Finished measurements for size SMALL (I made this for a 15-month-old of average size. ETA: My son is going on 22 months and still fits in these just fine.):

• Center front length, neckline to crotch - 21"
• Center back length, neckline to crotch - 23"
• Length in front from bottom of leg band to shoulder - 27"
• Width from shoulder edge to shoulder edge - 15"

Finished measurements for size LARGE - I'm sorry, but I don't have these. My son is now 5, so I won't be making another of these. If someone wants to send me the measurements after making one to share with others, that would be wonderful!

Pattern:

Like many downloadable, print-yourself patterns, you will print this on several (12-size small, 16-size large) pieces of regular paper and then tape them together according to the markings. I am not very high-tech at making the pattern -- I just drew it, no computer. To make it print correctly, the pages have a border. You'll cut off at each of the border lines and tape the pattern together at the letters and marks. I have also numbered the pages. Here is a layout of the pages taped together:

After taping your pages together to form the entire pattern pieces, cut them out.

NOTE ON SIZE SMALL: WAIT. Don't cut them out yet. I have edited this to add that throughout using the ones I made, I have often wished the leg holes were a little wider. I do not have time to redo the pattern, so you might want to simply draw the leg openings a little wider and also cut your ankle ribbing a little bigger. I would just do this on the inside of the leg and adjust the curve to meet with your new line. Ours functioned fine and I have continued to use them, but I just think they'd be better with a little more room there. After deciding if you want to adjust this portion of the pattern, cut out your pieces.
Size LARGE is already adjusted with wider leg holes.

I know I'm not an expert pattern maker. I just did the best I could to throw something together. No doubt many of you can come up with a better way to put it together or improve the pattern, so feel free to make changes as you go!

Print these PDF pattern pieces. Sorry that they are all separate. Let me know if you have trouble with any of them. There is a 1" square gauge on one of the pieces so you can be sure they printed correctly.

For some time, I've had trouble with PDFs on here and asked people to email me to get them. However, I'm hoping I've solved that problem now, so hopefully you can access the patterns below.

Pattern, size SMALL
Pattern, size LARGE


Cutting layout:

This is the cutting layout. It's pretty basic. The back is cut on the fold and you cut two of the front piece.
For the ribbing, you need two pieces 4"x7" NOTE: 4"x9" for size LARGE. I had trouble using words to describe how the ribbing should be oriented, so I made you a really helpful drawing. I'm not kidding when I say that the only things I can do in Photoshop are draw lines and add text.

Instructions:

Take one of your front pieces and your zipper. You might like to press your zipper a little to smooth it out. Lay your zipper next to your front edge, lining the top of the zipper tape with the top of the straight edge. Make a mark just above the zipper stop (I also made a mark on the pattern piece that you can use). That's where the arrow pointing up is. From that point down, sew the two front pieces together, right-sides together. You will add the zipper in the next step.

 Pin your zipper right-sides together with one of your front pieces. Since it's face-down in the picture below, I'm working with the side of the zipper tape that's closest to the edge of the fabric.

Here is a zoomed-out view.

 Using your zipper foot, sew your zipper to the fabric. I realized later that I was doing this sort of the way you'd insert an invisible zipper, even though this is a regular zipper. It worked just fine. I'm not sure why I did it this way. If you prefer the standard way, that's just fine.

Flip your zipper around so that you can see how pretty it will look.

Now lay this piece right-sides together on your other front piece and align the other side of your zipper tape to the front edge of that piece. It's hard to see in the picture below. Sorry about that.

Sew the other side of the zipper tape to the second front piece. Turn your whole front piece over and press. It will look like the picture below. In this picture, I'm top-stitching to secure the area around the zipper and prettify it.

 Now you'll sew your shoulder seams. Place this newly finished front piece right-sides together with the back piece and sew along the top of the shoulders.

 I chose to trim my seams with pinking shears. Most fleeces won't really ravel or shed, but some do. This one doesn't, but I thought it would be nice to reduce bulk and make the seams look neater.

 Next, sew along either side of the sack. With right-sides together, pin and sew from bottom of the armhole to the foot opening. Use a 1/2" seam allowance, but as you round the curve to the edge of the foot opening, reduce your seam allowance to 3/8". I should have done a better job on this part of the pattern, but this will allow for a roomier foot opening. It's probably no big deal if you go ahead and use a 1/2" allowance, though.
In the photo below, the flat area on the right is the foot opening. The pinned area is the side of the sack.
NOTE: Size LARGE is already adjusted, so use a 1/2" seam allowance and disregard the part above.

 Now sew the area between the foot openings, shown pinned together below. (In other words, you are not looking at the neck opening below. The sack is upside down in this picture.) Sew between the openings as described above, 3/8" right by the openings, merging into 1/2" in the rest of the seam. Sorry if that's confusing. If it is, then just do 1/2" from start to finish. I'm sure the leg holes will still be roomy enough.

 I'm switching fabrics on you now. For the neck opening and the armholes, simply turn under a little bit of fabric and stitch. Like I said, fleece doesn't ravel and usually doesn't shed, so you shouldn't need to hide the edge of it inside a seam or anything. Just one turn and stitch is sufficient.
If you want to use fold-over elastic for a nicer finish, simply cut out a piece the size of the armhole (measure after sewing -- I'm sorry but I'll have to find the measurements and add later) plus a seam allowance on either end. Sew ends together, right side together, forming a circle. Lining the seams up, fold over the raw edge of the armhole and stitch in place.

Now we'll add the cuffs to the foot holes. First step is on the right in the picture below. Fold your cuff in half with right-sides together and sew along the 4" side. Leave it this way and then fold in half with wrong-sides together so you get the object on the left in the photo below. The raw edges are at the bottom and the top is a folded edge.

 Make sure your sleep sack is right-side out. Place the cuff over the foot opening, aligning all raw edges. Pin and stitch. You can do smaller than a 1/2" seam allowance if you like. Maybe 3/8".

Flip the cuff down and repeat on the other side.

If you're lucky, you'll have a cute little helper to get in your way. If you don't have a cute little helper, this project can probably be whipped up in an hour or so. 

Nursing cover tutorial

This is easily the most simple thing you'll ever sew. Even if you don't know how to sew, if you can get your hands on a machine, you can do this.

I have a similar nursing cover that costs $32 and is sewn sloppily. This will cost you a couple of dollars. And, uh, I must say that mine is done much more nicely.



You'll need:
1 yard of fabric
15" long piece of boning
two D-rings

I usually prefer things lined, but in this case, I wanted something lightweight. That's because my poor baby can get awfully sweaty and warm under a cover. I want this to be lightweight and breathable.

This cover utilizes boning to keep the top popped away from your chest slightly. This is a major help in allowing you to see and position baby. I'm making this one to use while pumping at work.


First, you need a 25"x35" rectangle. It is wider than it is tall, so if your fabric is directional, like mine, then keep that in mind.



You also need two pieces for the straps, along with two D-rings for the buckle. The strap pieces measure 4"x25" and 4"x7".



Finish the sides of your cover by folding over 1/4" and pressing. Then fold over another 1/4" and sew.





Finish the bottom by doing the same, but with 1/2" folds.


Make the straps. On the long strap, fold over one edge about 1/4" and press.



Then fold the whole strap in half lengthwise and press.



Open it up and press each raw edge toward the middle, all the way down.



Now, fold it back in half where you first pressed it. Your raw edges are encased.



Sew along the open edge.



Then top stitch on the other edge, for prettiness.



Make the other strap (the short one) in the same manner, except don't worry about folding over one short end (the first step).
After sewing, thread the strap through the D-rings and place raw ends together. Sew close to D-rings to secure them.



Start making your casing for the boning at the top by folding over a large hem of about 1", then another 1". Press.
Measure 7" from either edge of the cover and mark. This is your strap placement. Stick the raw edge of each strap under the folded hem so that the straps are on the wrong side of the fabric, pointing down.
Insert the boning in the casing between the straps. Pin and then sew all the way across. Make sure the boning curves such that the nursing cover will push away from your chest.





After sewing across, turn your straps upward and sew close to the edge to secure them in that position.



Then thread long strap through buckle. You're finished!

How to hem a pair of pants -- blind hem tutorial

Click here for a pdf version of this tutorial

Apparently all those super-tall supermodels have the fashion industry convinced that the average height of women is 6 feet tall. I am 5'4", and a few inches taller with heels. So why do pants look like this when I buy them? Seriously. Just answer me that. I know, the answer is that some women are 6 feet tall. But not that many, right? So is the fashion industry in cahoots with some seamstress union or something?



Never fear, you can hem them yourself. It's quite easy. Here is how you hem a pair of slacks with a blind hem, which is a hem that is invisible from the outside.

First, turn your pants inside out and examine the hem they came with. Write down the distance from hem to edge inside. You may or may not use this later, depending on a few things, but it's best to get in the habit.



Next, try on your pants and make a rough pinning for length. It's hard to do on yourself, so do the best you can. I just put a few pins.



Take off the pants and turn them inside out (watch out for the pins). Measure the length that you turned up and get it even all the way around. NOTE: According to my alterations book, it's best to have the hem a quarter-inch longer in the back, so you may want to do this. That's what I did here. DAMN! Five inches!



Pin all the way around to really hold them in place. If you turned up a huge cuff, you may want to put extra pins so it doesn't flop down. Do the other leg, too. DO NOT PRESS AT THIS POINT. YOU MAY WANT TO ADJUST THE HEM.



Try the pants on (careful of the pins) and make sure you like the length with whatever shoes you are planning to wear them with. I wanted these pants to be a little shorter so I could wear them with lower heels or flats. I tried them on with both.






I also hate when you try to wear pants with backless shoes and the bottom catches between your shoe and heel, so I made sure they wouldn't do that.



I wish I could also wear my boots with these, but I think hems need to be longer with boots, so it won't look good. They look bad from the front.



If you're satisfied with the length, go ahead and take them off again. Press the hem to crease it.



Next, you'll want to make a line to mark where you will cut off the excess fabric. My alterations book says that most commercial hems are about 1.5", to save fabric. A better length is 2.25-2.5 inches. My ruler is 2 inches wide, so I marked with chalk around. Then I added another quarter-inch. Really, I could have been lazy and stuck with the 2 inches and saved my self the trouble.



Next I cut along the line. I don't cut straight across both thicknesses. I cut in from the edge and cut around one layer at a time.



Now I need to finish the raw edge. I have a serger, and lucky me! it has black thread on it now. If you don't have a serger, never fear. You can use your sewing machine's overedge function or just a simple zigzag stitch to keep it from unraveling.




Now you've not a nice finished edge. You just need to secure it to the leg of the pants. This is where the blind stitch comes in. You want to use your blind stitch foot and stitch function.
First, you need to fold and pin. This part is a little weird at first, but it's not hard once you see what it is you're trying to do. You want to fold the cuff like so, turning the bottom of the pant underneath. DO NOT PRESS -- YOU DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A CREASE.

Keep in mind that you should line up the side seams and creases, so the leg doesn't sit funny.







Choose a color of thread that matches the pants as closely as possible. I have gray and black here, but the black matches the gray pants a little better. Plus, the gray thread is quilting thread, which I bought accidentally. It's too thick.



What the blind stitch is all about is barely tacking the bottom edge of the pant to the pant leg. You are going to be doing a zigzag stitch on the little edge where the serger stitches are, then every so many stitches, the needle will hop out and tack the pant leg fold. Your stitch function does all this for you; you just need to adjust the width and length of the stitches. Test it a bit by turning the crank with your hand and seeing if the needle enters where you want it to. You should do a practice run on scrap material.


I am pointing with the needle tip to where you want your small zigzag to be (turns out to be a bit hard to see, sorry).


Here I am pointing to where you want it to hop over and tack the leg.



Go very slowly. Keep in mind that when I say "tack," I mean that you want it to barely hit the edge of this fold. If it goes in too far, it will show on the other side. For me, this is inevitable, so I don't fret too much.



As you can see, some of my stitches are visible from the other side. Even on professionally done blind hems, a wee, tiny tack is visible. Mine are much worse, but oh well. A pin is pointing to one of the visible stitches. Again, you can't see it very well. If I were nice, I'd have used a different thread color, but I was in a hurry.



Now I'll do the real thing. GO VERY SLOWLY. You may want to remove the under part of your machine so the leg can fit around easily.



There! All done. Press your hem. Some of my stitches are visible, but unless you're my cat rubbing on my ankles, you probably would never notice, so if you can't get it perfect, who cares? At least your pants are the right length.