Gnome baby!

Unlike his big brother, Little Bear had no opinion about what he wanted to be for Halloween (he is only 6 months old, after all). So I decided that he would make an excellent little gnome.


I couldn't find a gnome pattern, so I winged it. I started with a pair of overalls made using a pattern in the Kwik Sew book, Sewing for Baby. It's a great book full of baby basics. The pictures are dated, but the patterns are timeless and the directions are easy to use and follow.


I used the overall pattern in size 6-12 months, and shortened them by about 3" (though I probably could have left them a little longer). They were really easy to put together and fit really well. How fun is that plaid corduroy print?


The hat was inspired by some gorgeous hats I saw on Etsy by Swirly Hats. I used McCall's 5253 for the base of the hat, and then drafted my own top. I stuffed the swirl to help it keep its shape. The hat is a little big, but it still looks pretty darn cute.


For the little shoes, I modified the fabulous Cloth Shoe Pattern from Stardust Shoes. It took me a few tries to figure out how to make them work and to get the shape right, but it was worth the trouble. I used a faux suede-backed sherpa for the sole, and a fuzzy fleece for the upper-- so they should also keep his feet nice and warm for trick-or-treating. I'm a little in love with the gnome shoes.


Happy gnome baby!