Baby jacket with ears! Adding Bunny Ears to Kids Clothing
What makes baby clothes even more adorable?
Ears! (obviously)
Seriously, I find baby cardigans and coats totally irresistible when they have ears, and I'm pretty sure that I am not the only one. In fact, ears should be obligatory for any baby clothing. And sorry Freya, I don't care if you hate wearing hats or hoods of any kind over your head.
So imagine my excitement when I came across the Ikatee Grand'Ourse pattern. For starters, it's French. But more importantly, has ears! Better still, the pattern includes both bunny and bear ear options, the latter of which could also be inserted in the raglan seams. Swoon!
As soon as I saw Flamingo Fabrics new constellation French Terry, I knew it would be perfect for this project. It's no secret that I love French Terry, but the beautiful powder pink, and the modern, medium sized print, are exactly what I had in mind for the little jacket for my daughter. I picked the spotty cheetah jersey for the lining, as I wanted a small print for the ears (did I mention there were ears?!), and the tiny pink dots matched the French Terry very well.
I'm so pleased to share the finished jacket with you. This may well be my favourite baby project yet, which is no mean feat, especially as I've only recently made these dungarees!
It was such a satisfying project, and I really enjoyed seeing it all come together. Both fabrics were lovely to sew with. Neither my sewing machine nor my overlocker had any complaints!
This was my first time working with an Ikatee pattern, and certainly won't be my last. I love their pattern range -- I want to buy every kids pattern they have! This pattern is well drafted, with clear written instructions (with pictures) as well as a video in English. Unlike some of the kids patterns that I've used, it includes nice technical details like understitching the lining, which I always appreciate.
As a side note, Ikatee offers a free pattern if you sign up to their newsletter, and you can choose from a few options.
The ears. I chose the bunny ears for this project, and to say that I'm smitten by them is an understatement. This was actually also my first time constructing a hood. The pattern and instructions made it a breeze.
Although Freya is only 9 months old, I made the jacket in size 12-18 months, to allow for the time of year. If there's anything that I've learned in the last 9 months, it's that time seriously flies when you have a baby, and they grow up so, so fast! Planning ahead and making her wear stuff that's way too big for her will therefore be inevitable.
I opted for the 6-button option (you could use fewer, and in case of the bear ears in the raglan sleeves, you could make a little bear face with buttons!), and used some wooden buttons from my stash. I machine sewed both the buttons and buttonholes.
The only step I added was that I interfaced the wrong (looped) side of the French Terry behind the buttonholes, to stabilise.
In addition to all the options in terms of length, hood, lining, and ears, this pattern is super versatile in that it can be made with so many types of fabrics. Want a warmer coat? How about this constellation sweatshirt fleece in pale blue? How about a little woven jacket with this bright wool or this floral corduroy? You can even make a raincoat in the longer length. The possibilities are endless.
It got me thinking. With a September baby on my hands, and having truly enjoyed this project, perhaps I could make a jacket/coat for Freya every year, as a birthday present. How sweet would that be as a tradition?
Thanks for reading.
Alice from Queen of Darts.
Love the rabbit ears it really complements the jacket
Tracie Goodchild on