After sewing the Cosy Baby Sleeping Bag last week, I learn how quick it is to sew baby items. So when it comes to sewing the second baby sleeping bag for my friend, I also cut out the fabric required for the baby Peter Pan collar jacket from Kwik Sew 3127.

I planned to use another fleece print which I bought from EBay for the second sleeping bag and to make one jacket. After cutting out everything and started sewing, disaster strikes! I can feel that this fleece has a lot of crosswise stretch but didn’t realise until later that the fabric has no intention to bounce back! Here is a comparison of the paper pattern, the serged piece and the hemmed piece.

Comparing the paper pattern and the stretched out fabric after sewing

The hemmed piece is much longer than the paper pattern. I took the plunge to stretch it by hand a little more and it curled up like a potato crisp…

It’s like deep fried potato crisps…

It took me a while to get over the disappointment but soon I recut all the pieces using another fleece with multi-colour strips. Before cutting, I tested the fabric’s crosswise stretch to make sure it bounces back properly and it didn’t disappoint me. I also used the left over dinosaur print to cut out fabric required for the second jacket.

Having vent about my stretchy fabric disaster, I must refocus this post on the jackets. It is rather easy to make and it didn’t take long to make two with the help of a serger with a 3-thread setting.

The Peter Pan collar jackets, stripy version in the foreground

The jacket bodice ready for serging

The serged underarm and side seam

The pattern’s instructions are very clear but there are a few things which I have done differently. Firstly I didn’t use fusible interfacing for the front bodice facing as the fleece I’m using is quite thick and sturdy. I did a test snap using two layers of fleece and it seems fine.

Secondly I would suggest that a lining fabric (either woven or knit) should be used as the undercollar piece. The dinosaur version has the fleece as undercollar and it has a rather bulky seam allowance which I’m not entirely happy with. Using a thinner fabric for the undercollar will solve the issue. It also gives a nice detail to this tiny jacket.

An Amy Butler woven cotton fabric is used for the undercollar in the stripy version

The finished collar with the contrast lining

The instructions call for a piece of folded bias stripe to finish the collar’s seam allowance. I used remnants from an Amy Butler fabric but I think a contrast colour jersey knit or stretch terry cut on the crosswise grain would work as well.

The same woven fabric is cut on the bias and sewn to cover the collar’s seam allowance

The instruction said the bias tape need to be sewn along the folded edge. I found this to be really important otherwise the folded edge will ride up. (I learn this by unpicking…).

The bias stripe is edge-stitched to the bodice at just about a thread away from the folded edge

Similar to the Cosy Baby Sleeping Bag, I used a few colourful resin Kam snaps in size 20 as closures.

The size 20 Kam snaps

The snaps were installed with the studs facing out

Lastly I should mention that the Clover Wonder Clips are great for folding thick fabric together. These red clips are easy to spot during serging and do not distort the fleece as pins might do.

Finished jacket x 2, one for my nephew and one for my best friend

I’m loving baby sewing. It’s quick, colourful and requires no fitting!