Transforming T-Shirts Into Adorable Baby Rompers

If you're bored of the same pastel colours and patterns on your baby's clothes, you can easily make your own romper (or onesie) from a T-shirt. This is a fun way to reuse old T-shirts and give new life to ones your partner has grown tired of. It's also a great way to save money, as baby rompers can be on the pricey side. All you need is a T-shirt, a sewing kit, and a pre-made romper to use as a pattern. You can then cut the T-shirt to size, sew it together, and add snaps or buttons as a closure.

Choosing a T-shirt and romper

The first step to making a baby romper from a T-shirt is to select the T-shirt and romper you will be using. This is an important step as it will determine the final look and size of the romper.

For the T-shirt, you can use an adult T-shirt in any size. However, it is recommended to use a youth-sized T-shirt to minimise bulk in the shoulder area. If you do use a larger shirt, you may need to make adjustments to the neck size by adding a seam in the back. Additionally, consider the print and colour of the T-shirt, as this will be a fun way to reuse old T-shirts and give new life to ones your partner or family member has grown tired of.

For the romper, you can use a pre-made romper or onesie in any size. This will serve as a pattern for cutting and sewing the T-shirt. Choose a romper that is a similar size to the desired size of your final product. If you do not have a romper to use as a pattern, you can also use a piece of paper to draw and cut out the desired shape before tracing it onto the T-shirt.

Once you have selected your T-shirt and romper, you are ready to begin the process of transforming the T-shirt into a romper!

Tracing and cutting the T-shirt

To make a baby romper from a T-shirt, you will need to first get a youth-sized T-shirt and a pre-made romper. Turn the T-shirt inside out and fold it in half. Do the same with the romper and place it on top of the T-shirt, lining them up at the fold.

Now, trace the shape of the romper onto the T-shirt. You can ignore the crotch area of the romper as you will need to cut this section differently. You will need to narrow the sleeves or cut them off completely, and then cut a chunk out from the armpit area, allowing enough room for the legs.

Next, unfold the T-shirt and cut just outside the line you sewed, making sure to leave enough fabric to hem so that it doesn't end up underwear-shaped. Then, fold it over and trace the cut you just made onto the other side.

After that, cut the bottom of the T-shirt to match the front. You can now attach your chosen closure, such as snaps or buttons. If using snaps, reinforce the fabric with something that doesn't stretch so they hold up better. Make sure the flaps of the closure point toward each other when closed.

Finally, cut a diagonal slit between the crotch flap and the leg to prevent the corners from bunching up. Turn the romper right side out, and it's ready to be worn!

Sewing the romper

Now that you have cut out the fabric for your baby romper, it is time to sew it all together.

Firstly, sew on the armpit line only. Do not close the leg area. Unfold and cut just outside of the line you have just sewn. Then, cut your bottom line, ensuring you leave enough fabric to hem. Next, fold the fabric and trace what you have just cut onto the other side. Sew the armpit line on that side and cut.

Now, attach your closure. If you are using snaps, reinforce your fabric with something that does not stretch so they hold up better. Make sure your closures are facing up when laid flat. If you do not mind a homemade appearance, you can stop here. Otherwise, you will want to hem. Cut a diagonal slit between the crotch flap and the rest of the leg so your corners do not bunch.

Turn the romper so that it is the right way out. Now, perfect the shoulders by angling in the edge so that the neckline ends in a point. With the back on the bottom, right side facing down, and the front lying on top, facing down, overlap the points by 2 inches. This is where you can alter the pattern for head size and shoulder width. If your baby has a big head and wide shoulders, overlap less. If your baby has a small head and small shoulders, overlap more.

Find the centre of the sleeve by folding it in half. Line up the centre of the sleeve with the centre of the 2-inch sides together. Sew a zigzag at 1/4 inches. With right sides together, line up the sleeve seams at the armpit. Sew with a zigzag at 1/4 inches from the sleeve hem, pivot under the sleeve, and then sew down to the bottom. Trim off the excess.

Now, lay down your shortall and cut off the excess so that the back matches the front. Fold the back and the front to find the centre of each. With right sides together, match the centres together and pin together. Sew at 1/4 inches. With right sides together, sew with a straight stitch at 1/8 inch on the outside curve. Do the same for the other two.

Turn it the right way out. With right sides together, pin the inside curve to the front inseam. Sew with a straight stitch at 1/8 inch. Flip over to the inside and sew with a straight stitch at 1/2 inch from the inseam. With right sides together, pin the inside curve to the back inseam. Pin up the bottom 5/8 inches and sew with either a zigzag or a double needle.

Finally, apply the closure of your choice.

Attaching closures

When attaching closures, you have a few options. You can use snaps, snap tape, hook-and-loop tape, buttons, or buttonholes. If you use snaps, reinforce your fabric with something that doesn't stretch so they hold up better. Make sure the flaps point toward each other when closed. Both sides should be facing up when laid flat.

If you want to use buttons, cut the cuff off the sleeves you cut off earlier. You want it to be a strip of fabric. Take that strip of fabric and, with the right (front-facing) sides together, sew it to the edge of the snap area—the curve between the leg holes. Do this to each curve separately.

After that, flip it and topstitch it to hold it down a little better. You can also use a snap-putter-inner to attach snaps. Overlap the snap strip things, and use at least four snaps.

Hemming

Preparing the Fabric for Hemming:

Before you begin hemming, it is crucial to have the romper's armholes and leg holes cut out. This will allow you to work with the fabric more easily and ensure that your hems are even and consistent.

• Fold the raw edge of the armhole fabric inward by about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm). This creates a neat finish and prevents fraying.
• Press the fold with an iron to create a crisp edge.
• Fold the fabric again, this time by another 1/4 inch (0.6 cm), encasing the raw edge within the fold. This second fold creates the hem.
• Pin the hem in place to secure it.
• Sew along the folded edge, using a straight stitch. Remove the pins as you sew.
• Repeat this process for the armhole on the other side, ensuring that your hems are of equal width and consistency.
• If you have used the bottom hem of the T-shirt for the leg holes, you may not need additional hemming. However, if you have cut the bottom of the shirt off, follow the same steps as for the armholes.
• Fold the raw edge inward by 1/4 inch (0.6 cm), press with an iron, then fold again by another 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) to create the hem.
• Pin the hem in place and sew along the folded edge.
• Repeat for the other leg hole, ensuring consistency.

Tips for Hemming:

• If you are using a stretchy fabric or knit fabric, consider using a ballpoint needle on your sewing machine to prevent skipped stitches.
• If you prefer a no-sew method, you can use fabric glue to secure the hems in place. However, this may not be as durable as sewing.
• For a more decorative touch, you can use a contrasting colour thread or add additional details such as lace or trim to the hems.

Frequently asked questions