Onesie Dress {Tutorial}

My Sister-in-law is having a girl so I had the perfect chance to sew up a cute little dress!

Since this onesie dress is fast and easy to construct it not only makes a perfect baby shower gift but it is also a great way to utilize those random onesies that don’t quite match anything else.  As an added bonus, the onesie is a built in diaper cover which eliminates the need to make matching bloomers.

For this project you will need:

• Onesie
• Fabric for the skirt
• Coordinating thread
• Buttons, ribbon, or flower to embellish

Measure the width of your onesie and multiply the number by four to determine the width of the skirt fabric.

Measure the finished length of the skirt (from where you want to sew the skirt at the waist to where you want the bottom of the skirt to be) and add 1 1/4″ to determine the length of the skirt fabric.

Cut your skirt fabric based on your math.  For my 0-3 month onesie the width of the onesie was 8.5″ and the finished length of the skirt was 10″ so I cut my fabric 34″ x 11 1/4″.

Along one of the widths of the skirt sew a small zig zag stitch near the edge of the fabric.  This seam will be exposed and the zig zag stitch will help keep the fabric from raveling.  Then along that same edge of fabric sew a basting stitch 1/4″ from the edge.  Be sure not to backstitch or tie off the ends of the threads from your basting stitch.

Now fold the skirt in half with rights sides facing and stitch the two length sides together with a 1/2″ seam.  Then sew a small zig zag stitch near the edge of the fabric on this seam.  Be careful not to get the threads of your basting stitch tangled up, you still need to work with them. (Please ignore the fact that I had already hemmed the skirt in this picture.  I was doing this project late at night I wasn’t thinking straight! :) )

To hem the bottom of the skirt, fold the fabric under 1/4″ and press.

Then fold the hem under 1/2″ and press.

Stitch along the hem close to the first fold.

Now gently pull one of the threads from your basting stitch to gather up the top of your skirt.  Continue to gather the skirt until it is the width of your onesie.

With a disappearing ink fabric pen draw a line across the front and back of the onesie indicating where you want the top of the skirt to be attached.  To help you make a straight line you may want to measure the same length down from under each sleeve.  As you can see, my attempt to eyeball the line the first time didn’t work out.

With the onesie right side out and the skirt wrong side out, slide the skirt over the onesie with the bottom hem up towards the neckline.  Then pin the skirt in place along your line.

Sew along the skirt 1/2″ from the edge.

Pull the skirt down into place and press along the skirt seam.

Now it is time to add some fun embellishments!  I rummaged through my spare buttons and sewed on a few that coordinated with my fabric.  You could add a pretty flower or use ribbon to make a bow or ruffles.  Feel free to go crazy and make your dress super cute.

Now I just have to wait for the sweet little girl to arrive!