SEWING BABY CLOTHES

by BETTY M. JOHNSTON

Anew baby's first clothes are very simple—a shawl, napkins, vest, and a nightgown, with bootees, mittens, and a jacket for extra warmth. Later he will need pilches, petticoats, dresses, and some bibs. These small garments can be bought ready made, but the mother who takes pride in the appearance of her baby will undoubtedly feel an added sense of satisfaction in making some of the clothes herself. By making the nightgowns, dresses and petticoats the mother will also save money.

Patterns that are simple to make into garments that later may be easily washed and ironed are best. The openings should be big enough to allow them to be slipped over the baby's head with as little fuss as possible. The patterns which can be bought from the Plunket Nurse for a very small sum are excellent for the beginner, as they are very easy to follow, all the directions for cutting out and sewing being included with the patterns.

The most suitable materials for the nightgowns, petticoat, jacket, bootees, mittins and pilches are ones which combine lightness in weight with a considerable proportion of wool to provide warmth. Flannelette which is cotton with a fluffy surface is not suitable, as it does not hold sufficient heat when it is on the baby. White or cream is the best looking as well as being the most serviceable colour for a young baby's clothes, although pastels such as pale pink or pale blue are often used for dresses and jackets especially for the older baby. Summer dresses and petticoats may be made of fine cotton such as batiste, voile, lawn or muslin.

Cutting Out:

Carefully smooth the pattern and pin it on to the uncreased material. Make sure that the pattern pieces lie on the material in the proper direction—the up and down threads in the material must run up and down in the finished dress or petticoat. Cut out the pieces according to the directions which come with the paper patterns. Leave the proper seam allowances.

Making Up:

The next step is to fit the pieces of material together. Tack them together first, leaving the correct amount of material for seam allowances. Then, when every part fits together properly, sew up the seams using matching cotton. The long seams at the sides and round the waists may be machine stitched, but hems, and neck and sleeve finishes look better when sewn by hand. Make small neat stitches and finish the sewing firmly. Double seams may be used for the sides and shoulders,

but waistlines and other raw edges should be either bound with fine cotton or silk material or oversewn by hand. Raw edges would soon fray with the repeated washing that is necessary to keep babies' clothes clean.

Buttonholing, feather stitching or scolloping round the neck and sleeves gives an attractive finish to hand sewn clothes.

Proud will be the mother who has worked hard to make some pretty and practical clothes for her new baby.

*If there is no Plunket Nurse nearby from whom to buy these baby patterns it is suggested that the Public Health Nurse be asked if she could help to obtain them.

Miss Nita Ropata, aged 20, is belived to be the first blind New Zealander to become skilled at working a sewing machine. She learnt at the New Zealand Institute for the Blind, Auckland, and she uses an ordinary sewing machine which has had one or two small adjustments to provide protection for her fingers. Miss Roparta has so far been using the machine for only a short time, but she has already developed remarkable skill.