I’m back with another project from the new Oliver + S Lullaby Layette Pattern Set!  This time I made the bodysuit (View A) and went in a totally different direction from the cozy jacket in modern colors.  I really wanted to make something sweet, vintage-inspired and summery for the upcoming months.  Before you ask, no, the ruffle sleeves are not part of the pattern, BUT I have a tutorial for those coming up next week!  They are really quite simple and can be added to pretty much any bodice pattern.

But back to this sweet number . . . the bodysuit features a snap placket at the neckline and also at the bottom for easy diaper changes.  It has a cute pleat in the front and back and elasticized leg openings.

The bodysuit is really cute alone because it is quite roomy at the bottom.  But you can easily pull pants over it as well and let the extra fabric hang over the pants like a top.  Or, if you prefer it, this same pattern can be made as a top.  And it has short and long sleeve options.  Before I made this bodysuit, I actually made the shirt version (View B), but because of a poor fabric choice on my part, it didn’t come out that great.  More on that later . . .

I don’t think I really need to say much about the quality of the pattern, do I?  You all already know how awesome Oliver + S patterns are, right?  Ok, good.  I’ll just leave it at that.

Besides the ruffle sleeves that I added, there were a few other changes I made.  Remember how I mentioned I had some difficulty attaching the snaps to the jacket?  Well, this pattern called for snaps at the neck and bottom and while it would have been totally doable, I wanted to test out some other options for those who prefer to avoid snaps.

For the front closure, I decided to add buttons instead of snaps.  My machine makes pretty neat buttonholes, so this was an easy option for me.  Another option, which I tried for the first shirt I made, was to simply sew the bottom portion of the placket closed.  I wanted to leave enough room for baby’s head to fit through, but not leave the shirt hanging wide open.  So I measured how far up the placket I should sew shut (by testing it on my baby) and left just a few inches open at the top.  Easy to do and easy to put on – nothing to open or close!

 

For the bottom of the bodysuit, snaps are really a must.  So I sewed on a strip of this twill tape that already has snaps attached to it.  You can find it at most fabric stores – I bought mine at Jo-Ann.  If I remember correctly, it’s a bit expensive, but definitely comes in handy when you don’t want to attach your own snaps.  I also think it was a good choice for this particular fabric, which even with interfacing, is very thin and delicate.

 

The fabric is a very lightweight swiss dot cotton that I bought at Discount Fabrics.  I originally bought it to make myself a Staple Dress, which I almost finished, but abandoned because I didn’t think it was very flattering on me.  I found the unfinished dress recently and I think with a few modifications, it might work, so maybe I’ll try and work on that for the spring.  But I had enough left in my stash for this little number.  And I think it’s perfect!

The fabric is so thin that it is a little sheer.  Perfect for hot weather and appropriate for babies, since they don’t really have to worry much about modesty.  Because it’s so thin, it’s very comfortable.  The problem with the first shirt that I made was that I had used a quilting cotton that was a bit too stiff for a baby’s shirt.  I would recommend sticking with lightweight fabrics and knits, especially for the wee littlest ones.  I also chose a crazy print that ended up looking kind of like a miniature bad Hawaiian shirt.  😛

 

This is pretty much how Kaya felt about the photo shoot.

The only thing I would do differently next time is add a little length to the elastic for the leg openings.  It’s hugging Kaya’s chubby thigh already and otherwise she’d be able to fit into this for awhile.  And she’s not even a particularly chubby baby!  Oh, I made the 3-6 mo. size again and it’s perfect.

Oh, I can’t wait to hit the beach and park with this cutie in her new bodysuit!  And us lucky ducks in California don’t really have to wait any longer.  Today was gorgeous and in the mid-70s!

Ok, so next week I’ll have the tutorial for the ruffle sleeve, so look out for that!  And until then, have you seen the other two new Oliver + S patterns?  There’s the Garden Party Dress + Blouse which three of my bloggy buddies all made – check out Kristin’s, Gail’s and Jessica’s.  And then, my favorite of the new patterns, is the Hide-and-Seek Dress + Tunic.  Can’t wait to sew that one up!  What’s your favorite?

*This pattern was generously given to me for this review, but all opinions are, as always, 100% my own.*