Subscriber Exclusive
Weave and Sew a Special Outfit for Your Special Baby
Soft cotton, silky bamboo, and M‘s and O‘s all come together in the sweet Celebration Romper.
Designer Malynda Allen loves to sew. She created this special-occasion baby romper using fabric woven in cotton and bamboo for softness and sheen. Enjoy this subscriber bonus project from Handwoven Winter 2024.—Handwoven editors
Celebration Romper by Malynda Allen
I love to sew, and the idea of sewing a special outfit from handwoven fabric for a new baby appeals to me. I did not know how to weave when my own babies were born, so weaving for a new grandchild is a welcome opportunity.
I didn’t want to use a traditional huck fabric, as huck christening gown examples abound. I felt that although a twill would be pretty, it would make the fabric thicker than I wanted for a sweet, tiny outfit. I chose to use M’s and O’s in an eight-shaft draft from Carol Strickler’s Weaver‘s Book of 8-Shaft Patterns. I adjusted the draft for a slightly more petite, delicate pattern, and I played with the suggested treadling and a few of my own ideas until I came up with a fabric I liked.
This romper features a band of diamonds across the bodice front, while the sleeves and remainder of the outfit have sweet dots of M’s and O’s. Plain-weave cuffs finish things off. A cotton warp is crossed with a bamboo weft. The bamboo gives a subtle contrast and shine to the pattern and a softness to the cloth.
This fabric would also look very nice with a colored weft in bamboo or 16/2 cotton for other special occasions. Whether you choose to make this romper for a christening, wedding, or other event, it is sure to become a treasured heirloom.
A close-up look at the M‘s and O‘s across the bodice front of the Celebration Romper.
Project at a Glance and PDF Link
STRUCTURE
Plain weave and M‘s and O‘s.
EQUIPMENT
8-shaft loom, 18" weaving width; 15- or 10-dent reed; 1 shuttle.
YARNS
Warp: 16/2 cotton (6,720 yd/lb; Maurice Brassard), #101 Blanchi, 1,852 yd.
Weft: 16/2 Bamboo (70% bamboo/30% cotton; 6,720 yd/lb; Maurice Brassard), #BB8000 Naturel, 1,126 yd.
Designer Malynda Allen loves to sew. She created this special-occasion baby romper using fabric woven in cotton and bamboo for softness and sheen. Enjoy this subscriber bonus project from Handwoven Winter 2024.—Handwoven editors
Celebration Romper by Malynda Allen
I love to sew, and the idea of sewing a special outfit from handwoven fabric for a new baby appeals to me. I did not know how to weave when my own babies were born, so weaving for a new grandchild is a welcome opportunity.
I didn’t want to use a traditional huck fabric, as huck christening gown examples abound. I felt that although a twill would be pretty, it would make the fabric thicker than I wanted for a sweet, tiny outfit. I chose to use M’s and O’s in an eight-shaft draft from Carol Strickler’s Weaver‘s Book of 8-Shaft Patterns. I adjusted the draft for a slightly more petite, delicate pattern, and I played with the suggested treadling and a few of my own ideas until I came up with a fabric I liked.
This romper features a band of diamonds across the bodice front, while the sleeves and remainder of the outfit have sweet dots of M’s and O’s. Plain-weave cuffs finish things off. A cotton warp is crossed with a bamboo weft. The bamboo gives a subtle contrast and shine to the pattern and a softness to the cloth.
This fabric would also look very nice with a colored weft in bamboo or 16/2 cotton for other special occasions. Whether you choose to make this romper for a christening, wedding, or other event, it is sure to become a treasured heirloom.
A close-up look at the M‘s and O‘s across the bodice front of the Celebration Romper.
Project at a Glance and PDF Link
STRUCTURE
Plain weave and M‘s and O‘s.
EQUIPMENT
8-shaft loom, 18" weaving width; 15- or 10-dent reed; 1 shuttle.
YARNS
Warp: 16/2 cotton (6,720 yd/lb; Maurice Brassard), #101 Blanchi, 1,852 yd.
Weft: 16/2 Bamboo (70% bamboo/30% cotton; 6,720 yd/lb; Maurice Brassard), #BB8000 Naturel, 1,126 yd. [PAYWALL]
OTHER SUPPLIES
Sewing pattern for a romper (see Resources); 8 sets of size 16 snaps and tool to apply them; four 7/16" buttons; cotton muslin fabric, ¼ yd, washed and pressed, to be used as lining and interfacing.
WARP LENGTH
529 ends 3½ yd long (allows 9" for take-up, 40" for loom waste and sampling). Note: See Resources for information about the romper pattern Malynda used. Your pattern may require different fabric dimensions (see Weaving Tips for more information).
SETTS
Warp: 30 epi (2/dent in a 15-dent reed or 3/dent in a 10-dent reed).
Weft: 27 ppi.
DIMENSIONS
Width in the reed: 1710⁄15" or 177⁄10".
Woven length: (measured under tension on the loom) 77¼".
Finished size: (after wet-finishing and hemming) 145⁄8" × 70"; enough to sew one infant romper, size newborn or small.
Visit the Handwoven library to view the PDF for the Celebration Romper, available to Handwoven magazine subscribers.
