You may have heard about a cute baby suite of patterns releasing tomorrow. If you haven’t then I will give you the lo-down! Stitchwerx Designs is releasing the Ainsley & Aiden Suite tomorrow that consists of 4 patterns (but feels like more) ranging in sizes preemie-12M. Now when the Sew and Tell group on Facebook asked me to do a little review, how could I say no? I tested all the patterns in the suite but today we are going to take a closer look at the Bitty Beetle pattern!

The Bitty Beetle is bursting with options. This is a lap shoulder neckline top, but not just a top. Included are the patterns for a tee, bodysuit, and gown! See what I mean when it seems like more than just 1 pattern? First let me tell you about the detail Kim puts into her patterns. Firstly the pattern pieces are digitally drawn and nested, which helps save on paper. My favorite feature is the cutting chart right on the pattern pieces! No need to keep looking at the computer while cutting!

The actual tutorial doesn’t start till page 17. Why, might you ask? Well from the beginning she walks you through every step to help you prepare before you start sewing. There is the normal fabric layouts and cutting charts, but there is also much more! She goes over several mitten options (yes you can put mittens on these!) so you can pick the best for your needs. There is also a review on binding with different ways to sew it in place. There is glossary for different terms, hints for sewing knits, and even websites to buy knits. Now at the end of the tutorial is another quick tutorial on how to do a faux coverstitch. This turned out to be pretty handy for me as I was able to sew my first faux coverstitch on this project using a twin needle!

Once you start sewing, the instructions and photos take you step by step to create your beautiful garment! This is classed as an intermediate pattern because binding can be tricky. However, a confident beginner could do this too!

For this review I chose to do just the gown. I really love gowns for my little one to sleep in during the spring and summer! They are roomy and keep her warm even with the fan going especially since she doesn’t keep a blanket on! I know from experience that finding store bought gowns for bigger babies can be tricky. Wanting short sleeves as well is almost impossible. No need to search anymore as I can create my own! This is a pretty fast sew too which is a plus. I think the longest part was getting thread together for the faux coverstitch since I needed two to match. LOL. The way the body of the pattern is cut gives ample room for moving too. The knit I used for this one has very little stretch. Now you should use knit with ample stretch per the pattern but this has been hanging out for awhile and I wanted to see if it worked. It did and turned out cute. The length is great for keeping my little one covered, and the elastic at the bottom is not too tight or loose but just perfect for a very active 9mo old.

This pattern, with the others in the suite, isn’t releasing until Wednesday. Pattern Revolution, however, is hosting a giveaway to win the patterns before they are released! You have till the rest of today to enter. So head on over there enter. Don’t forget to like Stitchwerx Designs and my Facebook page for more entries though!  And don’t forget to come back on Thursday to see more goodies that I have sewn using these patterns!