sleeping sack

Another, larger sleep sack from Burda pattern 9640; the ones I made when I was pregnant are outgrown now. The sleep sacks are a key element in my campaign to encourage more consistent sleeping from Ali, so I think I'll make a couple more. I totally recommend this pattern - it's so easy to put together, and it means that the sleeping bags cost almost nothing, whereas if you buy the Grobag ones they're about $60 each. I do like feeling thrifty (it doesn't happen very often).

The fabrics are from Sprout Design and Ikea, and it's lined with an old shirt of Mark's. The shirt was one he had made in KL when we were there on a stop-over years ago, and I think it's Zegna fabric... anyway, it's very soft and feels lovely. And there is a flannelette layer, cut out of an old sheet and sandwiched inside for added cosiness.

I used Amy's bias tape method, which is great, although I made it hard for myself by accidentally buying the super-thin bias tape... not ideal when you are trying to trap 3 layers together. And I had a breakthrough with the zipper... I have always had a phobia of zips, and this was the first one I'd done on the new sewing machine. I followed the instructions in the Janome manual exactly and even though the diagrams are really confusing it all made sense and turned out much tidier than any zip I had done previously. Very exciting! If I do a few more to practice I may actually stop avoiding zips and getting stressed by them. And then maybe I'll finally get around to making myself some clothes. 

Comments

[Anna Y]

i love that sleeping bag pattern too. i nearly chocked when i saw how expensive grobags were. looked at it and was going to make my own without a pattern until i happened by spotlight (and 3 patterns for $10 deal day). so that day i came home with six patterns and that was one of them. boy they were really useful with ct and her sleeping.

congratulations on the bias tape and the zipper. they both look perfect. there's nothing like success to inspire more zips and bias tap. another good zip tutorial is this one http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=87 . looooong but lots of pictures and simple instructions.

[leslie]

i love it! i have a vintage pattern for a sleep sack that i've been meaning to try out, thanks for reminding me : )

[kat]

So cute! A friend made a sleep sack for Jake and we have gotten A LOT of use out of it (and the other four that we own). The only time J has slept without a sack was during the summer in Australia. I'm not really sure that it has improved his sleep, but I use them to restrict him crawling around in the middle of the night.

[Nanette]

This is absolutely gorgeous.

[justine]

looks so good!

[Allison]

Suzy, I love it! A friend has loaned me a Grobag and I've been meaning to copy it to make another one for Feather.
Yours is very inspiring.

[kelly]

wow, this looks great. I've wanted to try this before but was not sure how they would work!-kb

[Marina]

I love the sack Suzy. I spent so much on grobags over the first couple of baby years and didn't even think to make one. (Wonderful to think your little one will sleeping in Zegna as well!).

[Gabrielle]

Beautiful sleep sack and it sounds very warm - you are so clever! I have been thinking about them too as Thomas kicks his blankets off every night and it gets very cold here in Canberra now. I love the bias tape method you linked to, I wish I'd known about it before I made the little wrap top, I just sandwiched the lot together and stitched through all the layers, not such a great method!

[Jade]

I love the way you cut the giraffe print fabric for the shoulder panels. Very swish sleeping bag! We, too, have been forking out on those grobags. You've inspired me to copy the bub's summer grobag and make a winter version.