Thursday, November 16, 2017

The Cowl Neck Pullover


It's getting really cold here in Michigan. And we happen to live in the snowbelt, so it's even colder than normal michigan temperatures. My littles have a plethora of summer clothes in their drawers still, but I needed to get something a bit warmer, for fall and winter wearing.
That's when the Cowl Neck Pullover Pattern was created!


The most exciting thing about this pattern is that it was my first pattern that I have had meticulously tested. It was such a fun process and I learned so much!
In the process of testing, I've been learning about new fabrics that are making their way into sewing rooms, and turning out to be favorites. I'm also finding that many fabrics that I thought were the best options, are just a fraction of what's available! I still think that a favorite option of mine is to recycle t-shirts or sweaters into my baby wear....But mostly because I like to be thrifty. :)

This photo was taken from one of my sweet testers!

Enough about fabric choices, let me tell you about this Baby Shirt Pattern!



When I first started in the designing process, I knew that I wanted something wide enough that you can layer a onesie in, but fitted enough on the sleeves that it didn't hang/drape like a sweatshirt. 
My heart was set on a boy shirt design. You know there aren't enough boy patterns out there!
However, when I originally had my testers on it, they thought it was more of a feminine cut. I was so bummed! It looked great on Elijah, but I could totally see what they were saying.
We decided to do something amazing - and that was when we created a "masculine" AND "feminine" cut to this shirt. That way it is most flattering for boys OR girls. :) 

Masculine cut pullover pattern
Feminine cut pullover pattern
Lets talk about the Cowl. It's Warm. It's cute. It fits perfect over the head. It makes the shirt look so posh and trendy. I love it so.much.
Since I had "BOYS" on my mind when I was creating this shirt, I wanted to make sure that it was a trendy looking cowl that would look great on boys. Nothing floppy that would get in the way while playing legos....but something that would add the warmth and cute factor that this shirt needed. 
I also had the mindset that many boys have larger heads than girls, so I wanted it to easily slip on and off. This design is p.e.r.f.e.c.t. 




 The pocket. Oh the pocket. When I was making my test shirt, I told Elijah what I was doing. I said, "mommy is making you a 'pocket shirt' that you can put things in." He literally stood by me the entire time I sewed this shirt for him. The whole process took me about 20 minutes, and he stood there, using his 2 year old vocabulary to tell me how much he loved pockets, and what kind of things he would be putting in his pocket.
Boys. Love. Pockets. Enough said.

Look how much room Elijah has to put stuff in that pocket!


Look at this great tester photo - He loves his pocket too!

The sizing of this shirt is fantastic. It's sized Newborn to 36 months. Each size fits perfectly. The sleeves are perfectly fitted, but there's room enough in the body to have an under shirt to keep littles extra warm. I have also included an added bonus of a "tiny" size. Look at how tiny the smallest one is! It is perfect for a doll to have a matching shirt!






 Overall, this Cowl Pullover is a new favorite of mine that I am so excited to share with you. It sews up really quick and fits great. I hope that you love it as much as I do.