INFANT SLEEP SACK FOR EVA

Back when my children were babies, we had bumper pads, blankets, and toys in their crib.  All those things are a no-no today as I'm sure you all know. Sleep Sacks have replaced blankets to keep babies warm over their pajamas.  Eva has a couple but I was intrigued with creating something prettier than the standard fleece sacks without the price tag of the boutique ones.  

I had a hard time finding just the right pattern.  I had seen some pictures on Pinterest that had a two piece front, with the bottom section pleated or gathered a bit and I fell in love with it and bought a similar pattern.  It allowed me to do machine embroidery on the top.  But, the pattern called for shoulders that overlapped with buttons and a bottom zipper which mom didn't see as ideal.  So, using some ideas from the pattern I purchased, I moved on to Butterick and Burda.  But neither were lined, and neither had the separating, upside-down zipper we were looking for.

I began with the top front, doing the machine embroidery I had wanted to include.  I backed the fabric with a lightweight interfacing, and I used cut away stabilizer in the hoop.  The outside fabric is a Kaffe Fasset cotton and the inside is a white flannel.

After joining the top and bottom fronts, I moved on to the zipper.  I chose a 22" lighter weight separating zipper.  I wanted a flap behind the zipper that would keep it away from baby.  I used the same fleece I used as the lining, cutting a 5" width, folded in half, and attached to one side of the zipper.  

 

 After interfacing the seam allowances where the zipper would be inserted, I attached the zipper to each side of center front.  I inserted the zipper upside-down, with the stop near the neck and the sipper tab at the bottom, both tor ease of changing and also to keep the large tab away from baby. 

 

I wanted the lining to be secure in the sack so I wanted to attach the lining to the zipper entirely by machine before attaching any other parts of the lining..  After that I topstitched the zipper.  I didn't like where the tab met the bottom, so I inserted a fabric tab to clean the area up.  

Finally, I wanted the lining to be completely finished on the inside, with no exposed seams so I stitched the lining the back and front at the neck and arms, leaving the shoulders free.  I then pulled the lining and outer fabric apart and stitched right side together (leaving some inches open to turn).  And lastly, after turning right side out, I closed the shoulders by stitching the shoulders of the outer fabric by machine and the lining by hand.

All told, I am pleased.  Hope Eva is too!

Slan!