Grey Striped Romper

Aka McCall's M6726, without the crazy eyed sea creature. Also a new photo shoot location. Presenting: The Dresser!

Appropriate since this dresser is stuffed full of patterns and craft supplies.

I was looking for a boys romper with more of a vintage feel. Most of what's out there for boys are pretty sporty, or just onesies with legs and I really wanted something with more of a timeless feel. The sort of baby clothes that don't ever completely go out of style. This one takes a bit of imagination if you see the envelope. The silhouette was perfect but they updated it with crazy colours and giant animal appliques. (Not a criticism, that's the sort of baby clothes they sell in the mall and they need those same consumers buying them. I just wanted fancy things on a shoestring budget, which meant looking past the giant flamingo.)

The bottom of this hangs perfectly on the hanger, just like the drawing. It poofs out on the envelope model and I figured they just put her in the wrong size. Nope. The pattern runs long. Oh well, the way this kid has been eating lately he's probably about to grow again.

Unfortunately it kind of looks like a very short bubble dress at this length. Oh well. Grow child grow!

For the fabric I used some of the remnants I occasionally pick up from Lens Mill. The two pieces were both a dollar and change each and I have most of the grey and a chunk of the striped left. (Extra since I accidentally cut one of the back panels over a small stain.) The zipper was from a local charity fabric sale, I filled a bag with 10 different coloured zippers and 3 spools of good thread for a dollar. The pink zipper from the donut shirt is from the same batch, I've found having a small stash of notions really helpful since I'm such an impatient sewer. I did splurge on the pattern though. And by "splurge" I mean actually went to the fabric store, picked out a pattern and paid full price. Shocking, I know. Between free internet tutorials, my small collection of pattern books and most of a drawer full of pattern envelopes (most of them free or cheap from thrift stores), I rarely end up buying patterns. But I had a vision for this one, and good boy patterns are hard to find.

I do love the grey collar. And little bare baby feet. (He's still my baby. When I tell him he's a big boy he says "No. Bebe." )

What I did not love was finding a cigarette butt in the bottom of the picture. I was planning to plant herbs in that garden but as I was pulling out the weeds I realized the old tenants had been throwing cigarette butts in it. Other than that just being nasty, I'm worried about what that's done to the soil. For this year I probably won't get farther than picking out the garbage and planting some flowers. I'd like to do something to clean out the soil, or plant something that will help. Any suggestions?