Clara’s first birthday last Saturday marked the natural end to a year of weekly, fabric-filled photo sessions. We captured fifty-two consecutive weeks of our daughter in a white onesie on different fabrics, and the collection of images feels like a complete chapter — one we’re proud to share and happy to look back on.
We’re honestly a little surprised we kept the ritual going every week. For a full year, every Friday meant breaking out the camera, a yard of fabric, and a freshly pressed white onesie, then adding the week number in Photoshop. It felt a bit sad to pause that routine, but flipping through the photos of our growing little girl quickly lifts our spirits. We were also touched that so many readers started their own versions of the project inspired by ours. The project even caught the attention of a book about photographing children, which was a thrilling surprise for us and a source of excitement for the grandparents.
Beyond the photos themselves, the project produced a few keepsakes we love: bound photo books ordered for family, a photo display at Clara’s birthday celebration, and a handful of handmade items created from the leftover fabric. Sherry sewed a birthday banner and a quilt from those scraps, turning the fabric into tangible memories that complement the pictures.
If you’re thinking about starting a similar photo project, we recommend revisiting our original “making of” post for tips on how we took and edited the images. One important lesson we learned only after time passed is this: your baby won’t be a motionless blob forever. Early on, the challenge was getting enough expression to make each shot interesting. Later, once rolling, crawling, and pulling-up began, keeping Clara on her back became a real production. Those later sessions often required multiple adults, strategic blocking, and a variety of distractions to keep her in place long enough for a clear photo.
We found that giving her an object to hold helped reduce wiggling — the carrot in her Easter photo was especially effective. Looking back, we wished we had introduced a consistent object early on for scale; the only consistent element in the photos was the onesie, and wardrobe changes sometimes created the illusion of shrinking or growing between shots. For example, switching from a snug 0–3 month onesie to a loose 6-month size made her look smaller at one point.
To avoid that issue, we kept her in the same stretchy 6-month onesie for much of the project, which ultimately worked out fine. Clara’s long limbs meant some toddler pants were short on her, but the onesie stretched and stayed comfortable throughout the year. Some readers suggested starting with a larger onesie so the baby could gradually fill it out; that’s a good idea we’ll consider for future projects.
With the start of her second year, we’re evolving the concept rather than continuing the exact weekly routine. Here’s what’s different for year two:
- Months instead of weeks. As the changes from week to week become more subtle, we’ll mark monthly milestones on her onesie. That makes the project more manageable while still documenting growth.
- Upright poses. Clara is sitting now, and we’re embracing that. Shooting while she’s seated gives us the freedom to capture crawling, standing, or walking progress later on.
- More flexible wardrobe. We’ll be less strict about her outfit this year. As long as there’s something white on top to add the month label to, it’s fine. That opens the door to small costume moments or seasonal touches while keeping the visual continuity we like.
- Broader backdrops. The sitting setup requires more fabric, so we’re using two yards for each shoot. Because we’re only planning twelve shots this year, that’s far less fabric overall than the first year. We often shop clearance or use coupons for fabric, and sometimes substitute duvets, towels, or shower curtains we already own to keep costs down.
We’re excited to continue documenting Clara’s growth in this new format. Letting the first year stand as a complete set feels right — it preserves the integrity of the original project instead of stretching it into something inconsistent. If the monthly, seated photos prove easier to manage, maybe a future sibling will get the same treatment from the start, or perhaps we’ll try an entirely fresh photo concept. Either way, the lessons from the first year will guide us.
And in case you’re wondering, yes — there’s green painter’s tape holding the fabric in place. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
Psst — we announced this week’s giveaway winner. Check our site to see if it’s you.