Baby Gown Tutorial

I never had any baby gowns for my boys, strange I know because so many mommy's swear by them! I'm so excited to have some for my newborn.  So far I love them and haven't even experienced the convenience!  The sweet knits I used in the gown above are The Sweetest Thing from Riley Blake.  It is a really breathable knit with great stretch.  So easy to make, want to know how?

Let's get going!

Materials Needed:
Onesie (it would be great to recycle some old stained ones)
1/2 yard of fabric or fat quarter (knit is best but you can use a cotton print too, I did both)
14" elastic OR 22" ribbon depending on how you want it to tie at the bottom
Extra ribbon for bows or trim

***measurements are given for a newborn size onesie, you can make small adjustments to the numbers based on your size of onesie***

Figuring Your Numbers

Determine if you would like to gather your onesie or have it pleated in the front.  My onesie is 14" around the chest.  For the gather I added 1" for seam allowance and 21" for a gather, total 22" wide.  The gather is 1.5 times your measurement, 14 inches here.  For a pleated front add 1" seam allowance, 4" for pleats, total 17" wide.  Cut your knit or cotton fabric to 22" length. Here's a little formula:

Pleated Front: chest measurement + 1" (seam allowance) + 4" (pleats)= width of cut x 22"
Gathered Front: chest measurement + 1" (seam allowance) + 1.5 times (gather)= width of cut x 22"

Measure and trim off 1.5" below the armpit on the onesie.

Use 1/2" seams.

Attaching the Onesie

This step is only if you want to tie the bottom with a ribbon, skip if you're using elastic:  Fold the gown fabric right sides together.  From the bottom measure up 2 1/4".  Mark on the gown at 1 1/4" and 2 1/4".  You will not sew in-between this 1" mark.  This is how you leave an opening for the ribbon.  (I forgot this step that's why mine is sewn in the photo, I just unpicked it :)

This step is for both types of bottoms, ribbons or elastic.  Take the gown fabric and place right sides together so it creates a tube.  Sew the length of it, press and turn right sides out.

To gather, use the widest stitch on your machine, sew around the top where you will attach it to the onesie.  Slightly pull and gather until it fits the width of your onesie.  With onesie and gown right sides together pin in place. 

To pleat, refer to images below.  Find where the center will be on the front of the onesie, measure out 1.5" on each side and turn fabric in on itself 1/2".  With onesie and gown right sides together, pin in place taking care to match up the centers.  

Sew onesie and gown together.  Press the seam down towards the onesie.

Finishing the Bottom With a Ribbon Tie see below for elastic finish

Back to the bottom.  Press the bottom of the gown 1/4" on itself.

Next fold and press 1" up, pin in place and sew around the entire bottom.  Your opening will be on the front of the gown, the 1" section you left un-sewn at the beginning.

See?  Nice and pretty opening.  Feed your ribbon through.  Done!

Finish the Bottom with Elastic

Fold and press the bottom of the gown 1/4" up.

Fold and press the bottom up again, using the width of your elastic to determine how much.  I used 3/8" wide elastic so I made the casing about 5/8".

Sew around the bottom leaving about an inch open to feed your elastic through.  Feed through, attach the elastic ends with a tight zig-zag, sew the opening closed.

Finishing!

Add any cute little embellishments!  I added this sweet trim to one, love it :)  I only added it to the front because it didn't have any stretch.

There you have it!  Some seriously sweet baby gowns :)  Let me know in the comments if you have any questions, hope you'll make some and thanks for stopping by!

PS...I used the B&W damask for Lucy's take home outfit!!  Sweet right?  I can say now that I've used them I definitely prefer the thinner stretchier knits for the gowns.  From the prints in this post it's definitely the Riley Blake knits.