my first boots

A few days ago, I was pointed to a pattern on Etsy for some baby boots and I thought I'd give it at try. I plopped down my $4.50 and downloaded my PDF to get cracking. The results seem ok for the first go, but I don't think I could recommend this pattern unless you are very advanced at sewing and have a degree in puzzle solving and broken English. Harsh, but truthful.

I debated not posting about the boots at all for that reason, but I think they show off the versatility new Happy Camper prints quite well. Having no baby around, I grabbed a doxy to model. I just want to make sure I give an honest review before everyone forks over money for the pattern.






About the Pattern:
This pattern was designed by ithinksew.com and per it's policies, things made from this pattern can be sold. I found it to be a very challenging pattern to work with mostly because of grammatical errors and awkward pictures. (I realize I am a tad hypocritical as my blog is full of these problems, but I do not charge fees for viewing my blog.) As you can tell from the photos, I eventually worked out the directions but I think I would definitely tackle things differently next time.

Sizing: The pattern comes with templates for size 1 to 4 (0-12 months) The etsy store lists the size starting at 2, so size 1 is a bonus. I made the size 2 (3-6 months). I can't comment on pattern sizing as there is nothing in my house to compare it to. They look like they should fit a child about that age.

Templates: The pattern has clear non-overlapping templates. You must add seam allowance to them. Since they don't overlap and there's plenty of space, it would have been nice for seam allowance to be shown with a dotted line, but adding allowance is not hard and a tip is given to help.

Directions and Pictures: This is where I struggled. I found the directions unclear and the pictures didn't help much. In particular, I wish the directions were laid out in a more organized way with pictures along side each direction and more detail given instead of "See Pictures 2 & 5,6." Also, the pictures given are clearly from another pattern for shoes which is a bit confusing for the boots. The boot directions are tacked on at the end. The text seems cobbled from other patterns, as well, with a reference to a bag being given. The photos are marked up with directions on where to cut and sew, but I found it a bit like working out an advanced sudoku puzzle.

Modifications: Since this was my first go at baby boots, I tried to stick to the pattern. I used sewn in batting instead of fusible fleece. I think this is ok, but from the tip it was hard to tell. "After quilting, size will always be shrinking." Ummm. Yes. That cleared things up for me. Thanks for that.

I also added topstitching on the boot upper. If I were doing this pattern again, I would make serious modifications to the point that you probably wouldn't recognize my technique as the one given.

Pattern Notes: The boots close with velcro. I would suggest removing the decorative buttons if I were making this for young child.

About the Fabric:
Outer Shell - Happy Camper Plaid in Yellow by American Jane for Moda

Lining - Happy Camper Camp Basics in Navy by American Jane for Moda. Note: the Camp basics print comes with four different patterns on it. I used only a small bit of the checked section for the lining leaving me with three other prints and the typography stripes for another day!


So those are my first boots. I really wouldn't recommend this pattern. I suspect there are other patterns with similar results that are easier to use. I am vaguely happy with the results for the first go. With a few technique changes, I think I would have a tidier result. I don't see myself getting into the bootie business any time soon. You'll just see this same pair appearing again and again on random softies.