28 Sep 2010

NICU Smock Pattern FREE

by | posted in: Sewing, Tutorials | 122

THIS FREE PATTERN HAS BEEN UPDATED CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO DOWNLOAD.

NICU Smock Pattern

I drafted this pattern 4 years ago after my cousin’s little boy Benjamin was born months early weighing in at 2lbs 8oz I searched everywhere for preemie cloths to fit!  Babies less than 3lbs are considered ‘micro-preemie’ & you can actually find some stuff on the internet to buy made, but not many patterns.  So after looking at different things I drafted up a pattern for a NICU friendly preemie smock that fits a good range of sizes.    When babies are in the NICU it really helps the parents to see their little ones wearing some sort of clothing.  BUT with all the monitors & wires many clothes are difficult to get on, or they get in the way of the wires or the nurses… which is what makes these so great!

I do not want to sell this pattern because I did not create it so people could make them to sell or I could profit off of it, but to encourage people to help others out.  For that reason this pattern is free for personal and charity sewing only.  Charity does NOT count as selling them and donating part of the profits.  These are intended to be given/donated to families and hospitals in need.

This pattern, the pieces along with the instructions & photos, are copyrighted & may not be sold or reproduced without the written consent from the owner of Everything Your Mama Made & More!  Feel free to link people back to the blog where they can access it for free.

Before sewing items to donate to the hospital (this or others) PLEASE contact them first & ask what they need… you may need to bring this in to show them before they can give you an answer.  Some hospitals are very strict about what they can take.

If you have any questions feel free to send me a quick email or leave a comment

Happy Sewing!

 

 

Copyright © 2010 Everything Your Mama Made & More!  All Rights Reserved.

Baby Ricardo born at 31 weeks 4lbs 1oz, wearing a reversible smock.


Preemie 6lb doll in the serged version from a generous pattern tester from www.sewingmamas.com

122 Responses

  1. Taryn
    | Reply

    Thank you so much for this beautiful little pattern! I just made three of them for a baby girl that was born weighing only 2 lbs. and 14″ long. Here are some photos of the smocks that I made being modeled by my daughter’s 14″ baby doll.

    https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10200625625953868.1073741825.1556539117&type=1

  2. Jennifer Wangen
    | Reply

    My twins were born at 1.8 and 1.9 pounds. I made them these little cover-ups along with coordinating mattress covers and blankies for the isolette. It was comforting to do something for them when I couldn’t be there. They are now 15 years old and starting to drive!!!

  3. Taryn
    | Reply

    Yay! Glad you could finally see them! 🙂

  4. Arlene Burke
    | Reply

    I think these are so sweet. Making them would be a pleasure but I have a question…I thought flannel was flammable. I make receiving blankets with flannel but I make sure I tell mom not to let anyone smoke near the baby.

    • Kymy
      | Reply

      Any cotton is flammable including most of the baby clothes sold in stores. These are designed for the NICU so there won’t be people smoking in there. Very few baby clothes are all synthetic material now a days unless they are fleece. (not that their isn’t but cotton is pretty standard)

    • Taryn
      | Reply

      Nobody should be smoking near a baby (especially a premature baby) anyway! 🙁

  5. Allison
    | Reply

    This is super adorable, I think it is amazing that you not only made this, but are sharing the pattern for others in need. I love that it looks super easy to make it reversible, but the velcro rectangles were bugging me, but then I realized i could just do the opposite thing of velcro on some cute fabric, or bows or something, that can be taken off when reversed. I have a friend carrying twins, high risk, so I’m definitely saving this for later. As cute as this pattern is, I’m hoping that I won’t have a use for it.

  6. Tanya
    | Reply

    My son was in the NICU for 39 days. I have been looking for a way to repay them. This will be perfect!
    Thank you for posting this!

  7. Kelcy Workman
    | Reply

    Thank you so much for posting this. I wish I’d had this when my best friend had her son 11 weeks early. I’ve made this a few times now to give to people I know that have also had preemies. I’m printing out the pattern again to sew some more for the brother of a friend of mine who just had a preemie.

  8. vanessa
    | Reply

    I have a friend who delivered at 24 weeks and their little guy is barely 1. 9lbs. I have been looking everywhere for preemie patterns and found this. In my search I also looked around Etsy. I know this is meant to be a free pattern but there is someone in Etsy selling these for $15+ each. I was disgusted that someone would want to make a profit from parents at such a challenging time.

  9. Gayle
    | Reply

    Thanks for the pattern and the instructions. I am always looking for a charity project for my students to do. I will try this one out.but will follow your instructions and ask first…local hospitals.Thank you again.
    Gayle

  10. Kymy
    | Reply

    I wanted to mention that if you or your group can’t find some place local to donate I recommend contacting Gracie’s Gowns http://www.graciesgowns.org. It is a new program that is having some growing pains, but there heart is SO in the right place. The will distribute smocks to individual families whom request them as well as NICU’s & hospital units who request them! They make personalized gowns for older kids but with the NICU smocks they are often needed suddenly and most of the little receivers don’t have large opinions just YET, lol. So they can take donations from anywhere in the world!!! I just wanted to share because I know many groups & people to want to make these & frequently post looking for a place to donate them.

    Also tonight I will be releasing an updated all in 1 .PDF file that has snot just 1 but 4 different smock sizes that are ALL great for donating. I will also be making a new pattern soon with boy & girl specific patterns.

    Kymy
    http://www.everythingyourmamamade.com

  11. Susan
    | Reply

    I made one of these the other day for my chapter of Newborns In Need. I used plastic snaps instead of velcro. I hadn’t made anything like that before and was quite pleased with how it turned out. Thank you so much for sharing your patterns!! Here’s the link if you’d like to see the picture: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=625819967497274&set=a.468473136565292.1073741828.459318254147447&type=1&theater

    • JulieCC
      | Reply

      That’s how I plan to make mine – plastic snaps. My DD’s primary RN said Velcro just doesn’t work in their laundry. Babyville has some great snaps in cute colors!

  12. Janet
    | Reply

    I have made one of each size and took them to my local children’s hospice, the neonatal nurse thought they were lovely. She has requested I make the 2 smallest sizes as the babies in their care have life threatening illnesses and some are not expected to live. They are quick and easy to make

  13. Joanne
    | Reply

    I really had to search for this website/pattern! thank you so much! To purchase preemie gowns that are NICU friendly is not only difficult to find but also pricey! I have a friend who just had twin boys at 29 weeks. So she needs quite a few of these wonderful little kimonos. Thank you again!
    Blessings!
    Joanne

  14. Karynne
    | Reply

    Thank you so very much for making this available, and at such a reasonable price. Besides having a niece who was 10 weeks premature, that I am going to sew for, I have a Sister in Law who is a NICU nurse and when she found out I was making these asked for more for her unit. They look fun and easy to make up. It is a blessing that there are people like you willing to create and provide what you could not find when you needed it.

    Thanks again,
    Karynne

  15. jill
    | Reply

    I can’t figure out how to pull up the patterns 🙁 I have a friend with a baby who was a premie with a trake the a even would be awesome for

    • kymy
      | Reply

      You have to add the pattern to your cart & ‘check out’. It is free and you will not be asked for any payment information. Then after you check out you will see the download link.

  16. HC
    | Reply

    Kymy,
    I am so thankful I found your site. I have been looking feverishly for a pattern for my granddaughter who will be in a spica cast (chest to ankle) for six weeks. Even though this is too small, you have given me the idea of the front velcro closures. Thx

  17. HC
    | Reply

    Me again,
    I have been praying and looking for some way to give back and I think this idea is wonderful. I had a newborn in NICU and think this would be a great thing to do, but I can’t download the pattern. It doesn’t highlight to click on.
    Thanks again,
    HC

  18. Robin
    | Reply

    Hi, I want to make these for a girl whose son was born at 25 weeks, he is 7 months now but is still in the hospital, he weighs about 13-14lbs how do I make the pattern bigger or do you have a pattern for a bigger one? He has tubes and heart monitor on him so these would be perfect. Thank you

    • kymy
      | Reply

      I would make one using the largest size and using 2 pens rubberbanded together draw a line around the outside making it about 3/8″ bigger all the way around. That should add about 1.5″ to to it around and .75″ to the length.

  19. Catherine
    | Reply

    Hi Kymy,
    I wanted to thank you for your generosity in sharing your Smock Pattern at no charge. I am a clothing pattern adjuster and your diagrams, photos and instructions are so professional. For about 20 years my Mom made small granny square afgans for preemies at 3 Hartford, CT area NICUs. She made well over a thousand and even met some of the children later in their lives. I really admired her philanthropic spirit and after losing her to cancer 8 years ago I have been recently been thinking about different options to put myself in the giving back spirit again.I recently read a story about a family whose second daughter was born at 25 weeks and I liked the garment the nurses dressed the babies in. I was really excited to get a better look at the garment so I could make a pattern……….. and then I found you!!!!!!!!! l had previously considered this group (can’t think of the .org name) that makes tiny dresses out of donated wedding gowns for preemies and stillborn babies. During the year that i was on their waiting list to audition to be a seamstress for them I decided I wanted to be part of something a little more hopeful as our family has suffered a lot of loss this past year. I am just in love with your pattern and I can’t wait to contact our NICUs and see if they are interested in me making them as donations. I am also a quilter and this would be fun to make batches between other projects. As a thank you I was wondering if you knit or crochet? I own an amazing supply of my Mom Eva’s mostly Red Heart and some other brands of yarn in any color or multi-color you could imagine! And I mean I HAVE YARN!!!! I have donated buckets and bags and would love to send you some if you would enjoy that. At one time I had thought of selling it very cheap but changed my mind because Mom bought it for “her babies”, she would call them, so in that spirit I just donate it now. In my lifetime I could never use it all myself even if I lived to be 100!! You have all my information so I will watch my email in case you decide you would like to give me a list of colors you would enjoy using and I would be happy to ship them to you. Well thank you again for the pattern and I will be sure to pass along your name and website to the gals at the NICUs so they will know who the creative designer is!! I’m 61 and have been disabled for nearly 20 years with fibromyalgia so I have time and when I have good days I head to my sewing machine. Thanks again, Cath =^..^=

  20. Catherine
    | Reply

    Hi Kymy, I wanted to thank you for your generosity in sharing your Smock Pattern at no charge. I am a clothing pattern adjuster and your diagrams, photos and instructions are so professional. For about 20 years my Mom made small granny square afgans for preemies at 3 Hartford, CT area NICUs. She made well over a thousand and even met some of the children later in their lives. I really admired her philanthropic spirit and after losing her to cancer 8 years ago I have been recently been thinking about different options to put myself in the giving back spirit again.I recently read a story about a family whose second daughter was born at 25 weeks and I liked the garment the nurses dressed the babies in. I was really excited to get a better look at the garment so I could make a pattern……….. and then I found you!!!!!!!!! l had previously considered this group (can’t think of the .org name) that makes tiny dresses out of donated wedding gowns for preemies and stillborn babies. During the year that i was on their waiting list to audition to be a seamstress for them I decided I wanted to be part of something a little more hopeful as our family has suffered a lot of loss this past year. I am just in love with your pattern and I can’t wait to contact our NICUs and see if they are interested in me making them as donations. I am also a quilter and this would be fun to make batches between other projects. As a thank you I was wondering if you knit or crochet? I own an amazing supply of my Mom Eva’s mostly Red Heart and some other brands of yarn in any color or multi-color you could imagine! And I mean I HAVE YARN!!!! I have donated buckets and bags and would love to send you some if you would enjoy that. At one time I had thought of selling it very cheap but changed my mind because Mom bought it for “her babies”, she would call them, so in that spirit I just donate it now. In my lifetime I could never use it all myself even if I lived to be 100!! You have all my information so I will watch my email in case you decide you would like to give me a list of colors you would enjoy using and I would be happy to ship them to you. Well thank you again for the pattern and I will be sure to pass along your name and website to the gals at the NICUs so they will know who the creative designer is!! I’m 61 and have been disabled for nearly 20 years with fibromyalgia so I have time and when I have good days I head to my sewing machine. Thanks again, Cath =^..^=

    • kymy
      | Reply

      I do crochet but have plenty of yarn. I would encourage you to reach out to a local nursing home, senior housing community or senior center. Many of them have or are happy to host programs where seniors knit and crochet hats to donate to both hospitals and homeless shelters.

  21. Sue
    | Reply

    Kymy,

    Thank you for this pattern, it’s super simple, I just finished one using some flannel fabric scraps for a preemie grandson.
    I was wondering why the pattern directions don’t just have you cut two of Piece B (on fabric folded double – as usual). The pattern seemed to work fine that way.

    • kymy
      | Reply

      When I originally designed the pattern it was for my twins club and most of the ladies have ZERO sewing experience. For this reason it was easier to have separate pieces to make sure they got cut out correctly because many got confused when trying to explain how to do that.

  22. Laura
    | Reply

    I can’t print the pattern to the right size. My printer prints the whole pattern on one page and the 1″ square is about 1/4″ maybe. I can’t figure out what to do. I have Windows 7 (I think) on my machine and FireFox for my browser.

    Sue

    • Joelle
      | Reply

      It’s best to download the pattern and open it using Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available for free here: https://get.adobe.com/reader/
      Printing patterns to the correct scale from an internet browser almost never works. Using Adobe Acrobat Reader and choosing print options of 100% or ‘Actual Size’ is the easiest method.

      • Laura
        | Reply

        I have done that and when I select to print all the pattern is still on one 8X11 page. I have actual size selected and portrait orientation, but that hasn’t helped. I think this is what I did the first time with no success.

      • Laura
        | Reply

        I think I may have the problem solved. I didn’t realize that the full-size pattern was at the end of the document.

        Thanks for getting back to me so promptly even though it was my error.

        Sue

        • Joelle
          | Reply

          I’m glad you figured it out! Happy sewing!!

  23. momanana
    | Reply

    When you cut the pattern out, is the front longer than the back? It took me forever to get the pattern to print right, and I matched up the “squiglys”, but it looks like the front pieces are about an inch longer than the back. ????

    • kymy
      | Reply

      Yes they are, that is because they have to accommodate for the rounder tummy’s the babies have in both directions. They fit well when on.

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