Sewing

Patterns, Techniques, Articles, Blogs, and other resources to learn how to sew

From my studio last week: February 28, 2011

by

Evidently it was “panty week” at my house last week.  I needed some new panties, and used that as an excuse to pare down the knit fabric scrap bins.  I used my larger pieces to make panties for myself, and the smaller ones to make them for my daughter’s American Girl doll.  I am soo in love with brightly colored foldover elastic!!!

Here are the panties for the American Girl doll.  The pattern is just a single piece of fabric.  I sew the elastic around the legholes and then stitch the panties together at the sides and finish off the top with unfolded elastic.  Easy, peasy.

.

.

These are the four pairs I made for myself.  I had way too much fun coming up with the color schemes and the little appliques that went on each one. 

I just realized that photos of my undies are now out on the internet.  I’m sure this will come back to haunt me one day.  🙂 

Another project from my studio last week was this top for my daughter.  It was inspired by this t-shirt from Tea Collection.  Theirs is a cute shirt, but $30 for a girl’s t-shirt is waaaay out of my budget.  I made mine for just $1 in materials. 

There are some significant differences between the two shirts.  My fabric was really lightweight and drapey, while theirs seems to have more body.  And on theirs, the shoulder seams are attached with buttons in three places, but I decided to just tack them together at the neck and armhole and let the shoulders stay open.  Little girl LOVES the peek-a-boo shoulders!

The fabric I used what just some random knit I got on discount from the chain store.  I had planned to use it just to test and refine the pattern, but it turned out that my first attempt was good enough to wear.  I used freezer paper stencil and bleach to create the flower design.  At first I was going to do a more details flower silhouette, but my daughter caught wind of my plans and asked if she could draw the flower for her shirt.  How could I say no?

And just to give you a glimpse of what I’m up against in the studio, here’s a photo of my shame.  However cluttered or messy you think your studio is, I think I may have you beat! 

On the happy side, I did get a few square feet cleared out.  Not enough to justify an “after” photo, but enough to make it where I could at least walk into the room and use the cutting table.  (Which I did, and in the process made more mess…)

And if you think that’s bad, check out the really bad side of the room where I literally cannot walk through the piles of fabric.  Baby steps, folks…

I was thinking that I might write up a tutorial for the shirt I made for my girl.  Would that be something you’d want to see?

Comments

  2. LOVE the AG size undies. I need to make those for my girl’s dollies. Your studio looks like mine after a project. You are completely normal. 🙂 Happy Monday.

  4. LOL DD moved out of my craft room so I’m moving back in from an out door shed, my room is crazy at the moment. Just got hubby to move the big drafting table. Now I can try to sort before I start a project or three. 🙂 Loved the panties, I’ve really wanted to try them.

  6. Would love a tutorial for the t-shirt! I just finished clearing away the floor in my office- organizing it is another story. I started four piles; KEEP, THROW, GIVE AWAY, and TO BE ORGANIZED

  7. Oh my goodness your sewing room looks just like mine!!

    The T-shirt is so cute and your little girl looks very cool in it, i bet all her friends are jealous! Love the panties, still haven’t tried stretch fabric on my machine ….. hmm one day!

  8. Yeah, I’d actually be interested in a link to the AG underpants pattern, too. I have a few cousins who would probably appreciate a few pairs for their dolls.

  10. I’ve been saving some of my old underwear with the intention of making some dolly underwear out of it. I would really like to hear more about how you made yours. I like how yours are not boxy looking like some other types I’ve seen online. And I’m not familiar with foldover elastic.

  11. I would love to get the pattern for the AG panties. I am just getting into sewing and would love to try new things.

  16. I understand baby steps. We are like minds in the sewing room.
    I would love to see a tutorial for the panties. I have been sewing 50 years and have never made undies. Mine or the dolls. Love to sew for dolly. Would love to see your directions.

  23. Do you have a pattern available for the AG undies? If so, could you please post or email the link? I absolutely love your site! Thank you for all the awesome inspiration!

    • As of now, I still haven’t made a pattern for the AG undies. I need to do it though!! If I get one made, I’ll be sure to post it here. –Anne

  24. I would love to have the pattern for the AG panties. Did you ever post it?

    • Jean, I still haven’t gotten around to doing that! But, I’ve just finished a course on making PDF patterns and I’m thinking I use what I’ve learned to make this pattern available. 🙂

  26. Oh those doll undies are the BEST !! They look amazing.

    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE post a pdf of the pattern. Or even a jpeg would work… either way, just draw a sample 1″ square inside or right next to the pattern so we all can print it out and resize as needed on our own until that little 1″ square really measures 1″ in our printout.

    Thank you for your post, and for inspiring us all to make more undies for our dolls!

Have you read?

12 Free Baby Booties Sewing Patterns – Easy Fabric Shoes for Newborns & Babies

There is something slightly ridiculous about how satisfying it is to sew baby shoes.

They use barely any fabric, the finished project fits in the palm of your hand, and somehow a pair of tiny handmade booties can completely steal the show at a baby shower.

They are also one of my favourite scrap-basket projects. If your sewing room is anything like mine, there are always those little pieces of beautiful quilting cotton that are far too nice to throw away but not quite big enough for anything sensible. Baby booties are their moment to shine.

If you’ve been searching for a free baby booties sewing pattern, I’ve gathered together a mixture of simple fabric booties, soft baby shoes, Mary Janes, moccasins and even tiny sneakers. Some are wonderfully straightforward beginner sewing projects, while others have a few extra details for anyone who enjoys fiddly little sewing projects.

And when I say fiddly, I mean tiny curved seams where you suddenly find yourself wondering why something measuring four inches across requires quite so much concentration.

Still, they are worth it.

Most of these patterns require only scraps or a couple of fat quarters, making them lovely inexpensive handmade baby gifts too.

Before You Sew Baby Booties

Most fabric baby shoe patterns are designed as soft-soled shoes for babies who are not yet walking outdoors. Once babies begin pulling themselves up or toddling around on smooth floors, consider adding a non-slip sole fabric designed for slippers or children’s footwear.

I also tend to keep embellishments simple on anything made for babies. Decorative buttons, long ribbons and other detachable trims may look adorable in photographs, but anything that could potentially become loose should be avoided or secured extremely carefully. Baby shoes containing ties or embellishments shouldn’t be worn during sleep or without supervision. Several of the designers below make similar safety recommendations with their own patterns.

Now for the tiny shoes.

Free Baby Booties Sewing Pattern – Easy Fabric Booties in 4 Sizes

Free Baby Booties Sewing Pattern – Easy Fabric Booties in 4 Sizes

I’m putting our CraftGossip pattern first because this is exactly the sort of baby booties sewing pattern I think most readers are actually looking for: straightforward fabric shoes without unnecessary complications.

The pattern includes four baby sizes, which makes it much more useful than many older free baby shoe patterns that only include one size. Choose a cute quilting cotton for the outside and something soft for the lining and you have a lovely little handmade baby shower gift.

This is also the pattern I’d suggest starting with if you’ve landed here specifically looking for an easy fabric baby bootie rather than a novelty shoe.

Soft Knit Baby Booties That Stay On

How to Sew Baby Booties & Free Pattern

These booties from Handmade in the Heartland are designed for babies around 0–6 months and use soft knit fabrics with elastic around the ankle.

That’s a particularly practical feature because anyone who has spent time around babies knows they seem to possess a mysterious ability to remove socks and shoes without actually touching them.

The tutorial includes both photographs and video guidance, and the design uses interfacing, elastic and snaps to give the booties more structure while helping them stay in place.

Spoonflower Elastic Baby Shoes – Five Sizes

How to Make Baby Shoes With Spoonflower Fabric and Pattern

This is one of the better options if you’re looking for multiple baby shoe sizes rather than a single newborn pattern.

Spoonflower’s free baby shoe pattern covers sizes from approximately 0–3 months through 12–15 months. They’re soft fabric shoes made using just two fat quarters, so they’re also perfect for raiding that fabric stash.

I particularly like this pattern for matching shoes to a handmade baby outfit because you can use contrasting fabric for the lining and exterior without needing very much of either.

Free Fabric Baby Shoes With Velcro Straps

Free Baby Shoes Sewing Pattern and Tutorial

These little fabric shoes from Welcome to Nana’s have a classic soft shoe shape with a Velcro strap across the foot.

The original pattern is designed around the 9–12 month size and uses two fat quarters, optional interfacing and a small piece of Velcro. There are several small curved seams involved, so I’d put these slightly above absolute beginner level.

They would be especially cute made from lightweight denim on the outside with one of those tiny floral prints hiding inside as the lining.

Free Leather Baby Shoes Pattern

Free Leather Baby Shoes Pattern

If you’d like your handmade baby shoes to look a little less like slippers and a little more like proper shoes, this leather version from Heather Handmade is worth trying.

The pattern works with lightweight real leather or suitable faux leather and uses an elastic casing to help keep the shoe on. Heather estimates that she can sew a pair in about 30 minutes once familiar with the construction.

The free PDF pattern is available through an email signup on the tutorial page.

Upcycled Denim Baby Shoes

Free Baby Shoes Sewing Pattern: Upcycled Denim

Now this one is right up my scrap-hoarding alley.

Instead of cutting into new fabric, Heather uses old jeans or trousers and cleverly reuses the existing hem as part of the elastic casing. The free pattern comes in three baby sizes, and the project can be completed using very small pieces of fabric.

If you’ve been saving the legs from worn-out jeans because you were absolutely certain they would become useful one day, congratulations. Today is apparently that day.

Mary Jane Baby Shoes

Mary Jane Baby Shoes Pattern

These sweet Mary Jane shoes from The Cottage Mama have that classic handmade-baby-gift look that never really dates.

The free pattern is designed for approximately 6–12 months, with guidance for reducing the size for younger babies. They’re made from exterior fabric, lining, fusible fleece and interfacing, with a Velcro strap finished with an optional decorative button.

This would be such a pretty pattern for Liberty-style florals, gingham or tiny vintage reproduction prints.

Little Man Fabric Baby Shoes

Little Man Shoes

Baby sewing patterns can sometimes lean heavily toward frills and florals, so I always like finding a pattern that works beautifully with more neutral fabrics too.

The Little Man Shoes from Shwin & Shwin have a more structured shoe shape and look wonderful sewn in seersucker, cotton, denim or lightweight wool.

They’re also a fun excuse to use those ridiculously small scraps you keep saving because the fabric is too lovely to throw away.

Free Baby Moccasin Sewing Pattern

Baby Moccasins Free Pattern

For something a little more modern, these baby moccasins combine leather or suede with felt and fabric.

There’s a lovely fringe detail around the back, plus several options for securing the shoe including a bow, elastic or tie. The basic pattern is very simple once you understand how the curved heel and toe pieces attach to the sole.

This is a particularly good choice if you already have small leather remnants left over from another project.

Baby Booties With Non-Skid Soles

Free Pattern: Baby Booties With Nonskid Bottoms

I wanted to include this older CraftGossip find because the non-slip sole idea is still extremely useful.

Elastic around the ankles keeps the booties snug, while the sole can be made using a non-slip material for babies who are beginning to spend more time standing.

If you’re making fabric booties for a slightly older baby rather than a newborn, this is the construction detail I’d pay attention to.

Ann Kelle Fabric Baby Booties

Free Pattern: Ann Kelle Baby Booties

These cheerful little fabric booties were originally designed to show off colourful flannel prints, which immediately makes them a winner for me.

The free pattern includes three sizes covering approximately 3–12 months, and ribbon ties at the ankles help keep the shoes secure.

Flannel would make these lovely for winter babies, while lightweight cotton would give the same style a completely different summer feel.

Pleated Mary Jane Baby Shoes

Free Baby Shoe Sewing Pattern – Pleated Mary Jane Shoes

If you want your handmade baby shoes to look suspiciously boutique-like, this is the pattern.

The pleating across the toe gives these Mary Jane-style shoes much more detail than you’d expect from such a tiny sewing project. They’re soft-soled and designed for infants and pre-walkers, with the strap helping to keep the shoe in place.

This is the pair I’d make when the baby shower gift needs to look just a little bit fancy.

Leather and Fur Newborn Booties

Free Pattern: Leather and Fur Baby Booties

These are tiny winter booties with only three main pattern pieces: sole, heel and toe.

The original design combines leather or faux leather with faux fur and is sized for newborn feet. It’s a particularly cute option for a winter baby or for using up those odd scraps of specialty fabric that aren’t large enough for anything else.

Because the original version uses ties, these are best treated as supervised daytime baby shoes rather than something a baby would sleep in.

One Paid Baby Booties Sewing Pattern Worth Considering

Free patterns are wonderful, but sometimes it’s worth paying a few dollars for a professionally prepared PDF when you want more sizes.

Baby Booties Sewing Pattern – Newborn to 24 Months

This Etsy PDF includes sizes from newborn through 24 months and is designed for woven fabrics such as cotton, linen and muslin. It includes seam allowance along with written and photographic instructions.

I’d choose this one if you expect to make baby booties repeatedly because having that wider size range saves a lot of fiddling around resizing free templates.

Fabric Picks for Sewing Baby Booties

A baby shoe is one of those rare sewing projects where buying a fat quarter actually makes perfect sense rather than becoming the beginning of another enormous fabric collection.

For sweet baby prints, take a look at the Guess How Much I Love You 2026 Fat Quarter Bundle from Fat Quarter Shop. It’s a 100% cotton collection with a baby and children’s theme and would give you plenty of coordinating combinations for outer fabrics and linings.

If you prefer solids for linings and contrast pieces, the Color Wheel Solids Collection from Connecting Threads includes 100% cotton options that are easy to mix with printed quilting cottons.

What Fabric Is Best for Baby Booties?

For simple everyday fabric baby booties, quilting cotton is probably the easiest place to start. It’s stable, easy to cut and press, comes in every print imaginable, and you may already have suitable scraps.

Flannel makes wonderfully soft winter booties. Lightweight denim is another good choice when you want a little more structure, while fleece or knit fabrics work particularly well for cozy slipper-style booties.

Leather and faux leather can create a more shoe-like finish, although you’ll want the correct sewing machine needle and clips rather than pins when working with leather.

Are Baby Booties Easy to Sew?

Mostly, yes.

The actual sewing techniques involved in many baby bootie patterns are quite simple. What makes them occasionally challenging is their size. Sewing a straight piece of fabric around a tiny curved sole can require considerably more patience than sewing the same seam on an adult-sized project.

If you’re completely new to sewing, start with a basic cotton bootie before progressing to leather, faux fur or more structured baby shoes.

And don’t panic if the first one looks slightly peculiar.

That’s what the second shoe is for.

Can I Sew Baby Booties From Fabric Scraps?

Absolutely, and that’s one of the best things about them.

Many of these patterns require only a small portion of a fat quarter, and some can be made almost entirely from scraps. Baby shoes are particularly good for those little pieces of designer quilting cotton that you cannot bring yourself to throw away.

Cut several pairs at once and batch sew them and you’ll suddenly have a useful stash of handmade baby shower gifts rather than a drawer full of fabric scraps.

Which feels remarkably productive for something involving shoes smaller than your hand.