Made By A Fabricista: Mommy & Me Rompers

Hi! This was supposed to be a pretty and slow-made mommy-and-me outfit. As simple as it seems, it took me over a month to finish it, mostly because I got tangled up with the steps and I wanted to abandon it more than once. So I will use this post as a therapy, catharsis, self-reminder, you name it. If you’ve been in my position, it may help you too!

“A limiting belief is a thought or state of mind that you think is the absolute truth and stops you from doing certain things.” While copying a pattern, cutting, ironing, sewing, and unstitching, I have an ongoing monologue of limiting beliefs. “I will never get this done on time. I probably didn’t copy this correctly. I should just stop and do something else. It’s too late now to fix this.” Etc. Etc. Etc.

Here is a list of my most common limiting beliefs and how I got things done this time!

“I don’t have time to…”. Yes, I do, if I set up a plan and priorities. The baby romper was a fast and easy project, but the mommy outfit took much longer than expected. Copying the Rory Jumpsuit pattern, cutting the fabric, ironing, putting the pieces together… It all took a lot more hours than anticipated. The sewing itself is straightforward, but it took a long time because there are many steps, and I got confused when assembling the pieces: there are eight pieces in total for the front and the back, plus the pockets and facings. Shout out to the daddy who entertained my baby while mommy was sewing!

It is not perfect. Maybe not, but it is done! For once, my measurements were supposed to match exactly with the pattern size 12. I was precise with seam allowances and hem width. I place a paper with the hem widths under my iron to do that, it is simple yet effective. Still, the Rory romper came out too loose for my liking, probably because of my fabric choice. To try and give it a slight shape, I decided last minute to add some elastic in a casing on the front side panel. The pattern does propose other options, though. The baby romper is adjustable since it is tied at the shoulders. She’ll outgrow it faster than I imagine, but I hope we can use it for at least a few months!

“I don’t have the budget to…”. Yes, I do if I research and wait for the best fabrics at the best prices. Materials – especially fabric – can be pricey: any project requires between 2 and 5 yards of fabric, sometimes amounting to $50 or $60. If you invest time in making a garment, you better use good-quality fabric, right? Fabric Mart always has daily deals, so it is just a waiting game until I can fall in love with a fabric and get it! I was super happy to order this beautiful coral challis for less than $7 per yard.

“I don’t have space to…”. Yes, I do if I use space creatively and forgive the mess for a little while. My home is a small and open space. Any sewing project requires me to push the dining table to one side, lay fabric on the floor, and use all surfaces to scatter my supplies: a cutting board on the kitchen island, the ironing board on a side table, pattern pieces on the dining chairs… Everything is a mess until I get the project done! Saying “I am going to sew” means a hurricane is about to hit our living room, and I need to be ok with that. My hubby – a Mary Kondo in disguise - has learned to become blind to this chaos, and he stoically puts up with the mess until I am done.

“I don’t know how to do…”. I don’t know yet, but I can practice and learn! I am self-taught – or online-taught. Every project is a learning experience, and I know I will probably hit a wall at some point. In this case, it was my first time sewing with such a slippery, thin fabric. So I made sure to have more material than needed in case I had to repeat a piece. Also, I had never finished an armhole with bias tape, and I know the fit could be better, but I will try this method again in future projects!

I am so grateful to remain on the Fabricista roster because it keeps me accountable and “forces” me to deliver despite my mental blockages. And really, the result often reminds me that it’s all worth it! Lastly, a big thank you to my friend Jennifer for photographing us! Can you spot her in the shots? Taking photos with a baby is not an easy feat either, but she did an excellent job, didn’t she?

INES | @bynunis

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Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories: CHALLIS.
You can also shop our collection of True Bias Patterns HERE.