Last week, I wrote about my favourite scrapbusting strategies and one was sewing for my kids. It was never one of my goals to make clothes for my kids, but kind of happened when the hand-me-down train stopped (my daughter and her older cousin are basically the same size now) and I realized I had fabric scraps enough to make a few essentials for my daughter. I sew mostly summer clothes as they take less fabric and I find I have the most time in the spring somehow. Here are my favourites:

Tops and dresses:

1. The Geranium Dress. This was the first pattern I made for my daughter for her first birthday. I like this one because you can use quilting cotton or really small pieces of woven scraps. It also has, like, a zillion expansions and versions and is super cute. It’s not necessarily the easiest pattern, but the instructions are great so I think an advanced beginner could have success with this one.
2. The Rio Racerback. I’ve made this one for my daughter a few times and like it for the scraps from my own tops. I find it really suited to cute striped jerseys (of which I have a constant flow of extra.) This is also a good pattern for people newer knits as it’s almost completely finished with bands – so no coverstitch needed!
3. The Hudson Hoodie. There are a ton of hoodie patterns out there, but I chose this one because it includes so many options (cuffs, no cuffs, hood, no hood, short sleeves, long sleeves, etc.). In a light jersey, this is the perfect hoodie to throw in your backpack in case it gets too cool for the kids later.

Bottoms:

1. Chicka Chicka Bum Bums. I enjoy this pattern because it lends itself to colour-blocking and can be made out of the teensiest bits of fabric. It’s also great because it works super well for boys and girls (there’s a skort option) and from babies to bigger kids.
2. Yoga girl shorts. This is by far my most made pattern because its literally three seams and two hems. I’ve probably made at least ten pairs for my daughter and it will continue to be the one pattern I pull out every spring.
3. The Beach comber shorts. These shorts are probably my favourite shorts pattern as they’re so darn cute. They take a bit more work if you do the pockets (which I recommend as so many kids pants have fake pockets.). I’ve made these in both good-quality stretch denim and quilting cotton and they look great in both.

Other:

1. The Oliver + S Bucket hat. You can’t go wrong with a free pattern! This one runs small (apparently to fit on the head well without falling off), so I always size up. For my kids when they were little, I hacked a velcro strap to keep it on their heads.