| Unless you live in a large city, you may not find a | | | | that your infant was so tiny that he or she wore |
| large selection of premature baby clothes in the | | | | doll's clothing will make an interesting story for later. |
| stores. The baby boutiques just don't seem to be | | | | However, you should exercise caution in this area as |
| willing to tap into the market of manufacturing extra | | | | doll clothes may have seams that will harm a |
| small clothing for tiny babies and there is a very good | | | | preemie's delicate skin. If you can afford it, it would |
| reason that they don't. Statistics state that in the | | | | more than likely be better to buy used premature |
| USA there are around a half million premature babies | | | | baby clothes rather than to take unnecessary |
| born per year. While this may seem like a large | | | | chances. |
| number, these premature births add up to less than | | | | START STITCHING! |
| one percent of the total births in our country. Since | | | | Unless a friend has some premature baby clothes to |
| most clothing manufacturers must deal in large | | | | donate, there's no better way to get cheap baby |
| volumes to compete, the market for preemie outfits | | | | clothes than to sew them yourself if you know how. |
| just isn't that profitable. | | | | Cheap patterns and instructions are available and |
| What this means is that cheap, premature baby | | | | many offer patterns for an entire layette in one |
| clothes will be a challenge to obtain. So, how can | | | | package. A quick and inexpensive way to obtain the |
| moms clothe babies that made their entrance into | | | | perfect fabric to use for your little one's outfits might |
| the world a tiny bit smaller than expected without | | | | be to cut up one of dad's cotton t-shirts. Daddy |
| blowing their budget? One of the important things to | | | | might even like the idea of his baby's first gown |
| check for when shopping for premature baby clothing | | | | having been made from his favorite t-shirt. |
| or when sewing for premature babies is that there | | | | BABY OUTFIT ALTERATIONS |
| are no rough edges to scratch baby's delicate skin. | | | | Pick out a few of the softer newborn size gowns |
| Now, here are some ideas on how to get your tiny | | | | and diaper shirts that you have on hand and see if |
| sweetheart some inexpensive outfits. | | | | you might be able to downsize them enough to fit a |
| CHECK OUT THE TOY DEPARTMENT | | | | preemie. If you can sew well enough to do |
| Many of the realistic baby dolls on the market come | | | | professional alterations, the idea of sewing an outfit |
| with wonderful wardrobes. You may have to | | | | from scratch is probably more attractive to you. |
| purchase one of the baby dolls to have access to | | | | However time consuming, alterations might be a way |
| the little outfits, but that just means that you will | | | | to get more use out of your current inventory of |
| have a dolly for baby to play with later. The fact | | | | baby clothing and it might be worth a try. |