Sewing for Baby: My Baby Camp Coat Review and Thoughts

        I’m so excited to (finally) share my very first pattern test — the Baby Camp Coat by LaRae Handmade! I was already planning my daughter’s winter wardrobe when this pattern popped into my feed. The pattern was released at the beginning of this month (August 1st, 2025), so make sure to check out her website! 

Do not own this photo. Image Source: LaRae Handmade

Disclaimer: I volunteered to test this pattern for free and was compensated with the final version of this pattern (I did not get paid).

I’ve always wanted to test a sewing pattern, but I worried the tight deadlines might be too much. When I saw the Baby Camp Coat on Instagram, I knew I had to make it for my daughter and other future little ones.  I also just started being active within my social media and I thought this was the perfect opportunity for me to put myself out there and challenge myself. 

We had around 2 weeks to create and submit feedback, which I thought was a reasonable amount of time given that I do most of my sewing after my daughter falls asleep. But then again, I also dropped all my other projects just to sew this one.

Pattern Overview

• Pattern: Baby Camp Coat by LaRae Handmade
• Available Formats: A0, Printer, and Projector Files
• Price: $14.00
• Skill Level: Beginner
• Sizes Offered: Newborn to 7 years
• Size Made: 18-24 month
• Fabric: outdoor canvas and a quilted liner (two cotton layers sandwiching a layer of batting)
• Notions/Tools: pins, scissors, heavy duty needle (I had a lot of layers), metal snaps, iron
• Time to sew: 4-5 hours

Experience:

Construction

My experience overall was good. I thought the coat was a relatively easy project to complete. There were a few pictures and steps that didn’t make sense, but watching the video was very helpful and cleared any misunderstandings that I had. The photos had made it very confusing on how to attach the collar to the main fabric and the lining (which has been improved since testing). I’ve also never had to “bag” a project before, so I definitely needed to watch the video for that. Essentially, it’s turning your coat inside out and sewing it closed to hide your raw edges.

How to Sandwich Your Collar (Pretty Sides Facing Each Other)

I was inspired to do a quilted liner by another pattern tester, but I did mine handmade. It took me half of my sewing time to complete it (2ish hours). I only have the cheaper batting, which would get caught in my machine, so I did my lining on top and used scrap fabric on the bottom to prevent it from clogging my machine. I basted my edges together before I quilted it in a diamond pattern. Tip! Make sure to alternate the direction you sew each row. So when you finish a row, turn your project 180 degrees and sew in the other direction, ending at the same edge you started from last time.

Quilting My Liner

Fit and Sizing

I did make this pattern to be bigger than what my daughter wears now, so she can wear it come winter (which also explains the very thick liner). I would say it’s true to size since it was big when I tried it on my daughter. The sleeves needed to be rolled up and she had plenty of room to have layers underneath. She fits into mostly 18 month clothes, but some 12 month if they’re extra long. So I expected it to be big on her with making the 18-24 month size. 

Final Thoughts:

My Finished Baby Camp Coat!

           I highly recommend this pattern for confident beginner sewists! While there were a couple confusions during the testing period, the video tutorial filled in the gaps, making it easy to follow. 

I’m really proud of how this coat turned out! I love the colors and how versatile the pattern is. There were multiple options for pockets, which was great. It also works great if you wanted to do a lighter coat for more fall weather. I recommend this pattern to anyone who wants a coat that’ll grow with their kids.

Don’t forget to check out my Youtube channel where I show you the process and how I sewed the quilted liner!