Bitty Broke Out

 I am sew glad I released Bitty last night. After trying everything on I have made over the past few weeks I found a few things that just won't fit. This little top was one :(, like skin on bologna. I have 3 more already made up, double :( Along with the top one pair of bloomers are too tight and I think many of the other things could use a bit more tweaking in the width department. Miss Bitty is a bit of a porker around the middle. Lesson learned.

 While I was having my own fashion /fitting show I pulled out the box of hand me down preemie things along with a few gowns I picked up on sale way back when. Here Bitty is in one of the preemie nightgowns I had purchased. Our Toys R Us store has a nice but small selection of preemie clothes. I got in on the buy 2 gowns get 2 free. Worked out to be $5.00 each, pretty good deal.

 A whole heck of a lot of hand me downs

 After doing a lot of pinning last night Kara and I were ready to jump in on the alterations this morning. First up was one of the nightgowns I had purchased. I started with the easy part by chopping off the bottom

 Then I opened up the back with a nice long cut. I know the little girls could never get one of these gowns on by themselves with just using the over the head method. By cutting the back open and adding some Velcro They should be able to dress the babies without help.

 I couldn't find 1/4 inch Velcro at the 50% off sale this morning sew I went with 1/2 inch then cut it in half

 Sewing the Velcro on was a bugger. I STINK at working with Velcro

Before I was done I chopped off the sleaves and did a small hem. I had never sewn with knits on my new machine. Where to begin? I found Vanessa's U Tube video that got me started. All of my seams turned out a little wavy. I need to work on the tension I am thinking. See the bottom of the gown I cut off on the right of this photo?  Gonna hang on to that, might just make a cute little top in the future.

Bitty is now decked out in her new altered gown that Kara was able to dress all by herself.

I learned sew much with my bitty fashion show last night, sure glad I freed her from that box. Some of the patterns I have been using or making up on my own fit her to a "T" but....Fitting to a "T" is not going to be toddler friendly. Everything I have made up has been with scraps/stash cottons I have on hand. I am pleased with how everything has turned out but cottons don't have much if any give to it. The little girls need things with some give as young as they are. Now I know I will have to rethink the gift giving for Bitty's this year.

Altering the preemie clothes that are all knit fabrics might be my best bet. Replacing snaps and buttons with Velcro will be more toddler friendly. I did change the pattern on one little cotton dress leaving the back open and adding Velcro instead of a seam. This is the only way to go for dresses while our grands are so young.

Kara played and played with "Nanny's Doll" her new name for now. She had a blast dressing her in different things all day, Diapers and bibs were the biggest hit by far. Note to self make more of both. I wanted to snap some photo's of Kara's doll play, but as always she stripped down to just a diaper as soon as we got home from our morning playground romp. I don't know what it is that the grands all start shedding clothes when they walk in the door. I know they will eventually out grow this odd habit in time as Tyler now at 7 years old keeps everything other than his shoes and socks on while visiting.

Time for a late afternoon nap as Kara has gone home for the day then a wild Saturday night of altering baby clothes. Do I know how to party or what?