What’s cuter than a baby wearing handmade leggings? A baby wearing handmade leggings with a coordinating handmade bodysuit! We’ve grown to love making clothes for the littles ones in our lives because they’re perfect stash busters and most projects can be easily made in under an hour. Using just one yard of your favorite knit fabric and our free pattern, you’ll be able to sew two bodysuits in no time! Bonus: these make great baby shower gifts! Note: Our team is updating this pattern. While we’re doing so, please watch the tutorial video first, then read the post.
Materials
- 1 yard of knit fabric like Modern Jersey, Organic Cotton Knit or Cotton Spandex Jersey
- We’re using Organic Cotton Knit featuring Bunny Races by ewa_brzozowska
- Free downloadable Baby Bodysuit Pattern
- Available in sizes 0-18 months
- Scissors or rotary blade
- Ruler
- Snaps
- Sewing machine, we’re using our Bernina B350
Pro tip: Try this pattern as a Fill-A-Yard® project! You can make two (any size) bodysuits with the vertical split yard template.
All seam allowances are 5/8″ unless otherwise stated.
1. Cut Out Your Pattern and Fabric
Start by cutting out and assembling your pattern pieces based on the size you’re making. Pin the pattern pieces to your fabric, and cut them out. Don’t forget to mark your notches!
2. Attach the Neck and Leg Bands
Pin the neckbands and leg bands to the neckline and leg openings, matching the ends of the bands to the edges of the pattern pieces. Stretch the bands to fit along the curves and pin.
Sew the bands to the front and back pieces with a 1/4″ seam allowance. We’re using the Overlock stitch on our BERNINA B350, but using a serger or even a simple zig-zag stitch on your sewing machine are other great finishing options!
Fold the band over the seam allowance and pin, taking care not to fold the seam allowance. Next, secure the band by topstitching along the seam, or “stitch in the ditch”, making sure to catch the loose end of the band from underneath. We’re using the SuperStretch stitch on our Bernina B350. However, using a Cover Stitch machine, a lightning bolt stitch (perfect for stretch fabrics) or simple zig-zag stitch will work as well! This will create a binding around the neckline and leg openings.
3. Attach the Shoulders and Sleeves
With both right sides up and the necklines facing each other, place the Bodysuit Back over the Bodysuit Front, matching the shoulder notches, and pin in place.
Then, pin the sleeve section you just layered together to the arm opening, right sides together, matching all notches. Sew the sleeves to the arm openings with a 5/8″ seam allowance.
Fold the bottoms of the sleeves up 1/4″ and another 1/4″. Stitch to secure cuff.
4. Attach the Sides
With right sides together, match the notches and underarm seams and pin in place. Stitch along the sides from the sleeve cuff to the leg bands. We’re using the Overlock stitch on our Bernina B350; but just like the previous finishing, you can use a serger or even a simple zig-zag stitch on your sewing machine.
5. Add the Snaps
Fold the bottom of the Bodysuit Front at the fold line. Secure by sewing a line 3/4″ from the fold. Attach the snaps to front and back pieces following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Pro tip: Make sure to place your snaps on top of the marks you made in the first step.
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Hola tienes la tabla de medida para este body? de antemano gracias
Hi Andrea!
Unfortunately we don’t have measurements for the bodysuit (although there are general age ranges on the pattern PDF).
However, measuring the printed pattern for the size you’d like to sew, keeping in mind that 1) some pieces are cut out on the fold and 2) you’ll need to subtract the 5/8″ seam allowances will give you an idea of what the finished sizes will be.
Best,
Betsy
Spoonflower
Me gustó el body es muy bonito y bien explicando espero que me de aseso para poder imprimir
Hola Eva!
My Spanish isn’t that great, but it looks like you may need help printing.
You can print the pattern at this link: https://blog.spoonflower.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/SF-Pattern-BabyBodysuit-EN.pdf. Printing page 3 by itself to make sure the test square is printing the correct size, will help the rest of the pattern prints correctly.
Let me know if you having another type of printing problem, as the one I mentioned above is a common one. 🙂
Best,
Betsy
Spoonflower
I downloaded and print it out and cut and piece it all together I noticed that my pattern doesn’t have the notches. Is there another pattern somewhere different. Be cause I can’t make this one work
Hi Brenda!
That sounds frustrating. Having a little bit more information on what you’ve encountered can help me figure out how to fix your problem!
Do I understand correctly that when you print the pattern you do not see notches? When I look at the pattern as if to print it, I can see notches in the pattern on my end, so wanted to get a little more info on what you are seeing.
On your end, are the notches not appearing in the PDF file? And then also not in the printed version? Or are they appearing in one place but not the other?
Thanks!
Betsy
Spoonflower
There are some major problems with this pattern – mainly on proportions. I’m not sure it was properly graded. The length of the sleeve should not be the same on a newborn as it is on a 18 month old. The neckline gapes badly on the larger size. Ended up completely deconstructing after it was sewn and recut using an old Kwik-Sew pattern, which I know has correct sizing. I also agree about the tutorial being a bit sparse, but that wasn’t my issue. I’ve been sewing darn near forever – from denim jeans, to wedding dresses, to tailored suits – so I did my own thing. Also there is zero reason for baby clothes to have a 5/8″ (1.5 cm) seam allowance. 3/8 (1 cm) is plenty, especially if you are serging this.
Hi Laura, thank you for your feedback. We are working on updating this post to make the steps clearer and we appreciate your patience.
Best,
Anna
Spoonflower
Thank You very much for this pattern! Instructions were clear and easily understandable. After reading the reviews I just cut the neck and leg bands longer and this worked well, everything else was great. Sizing was correct too in my opinion. I am very grateful.
Thanks so much for your feedback, Riina! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the tutorial and pattern.
Crafty regards,
Anna
Spoonflower
After reading all the reviews I still decided to work on this and adjust it myself to get it right but I did download an update version that was shared in the comments which I will try out as well. If you’re familiar with working on onesies then you can easily fix whatever you want to your liking. This is a friendly beginner project so you can do this with a regular sewing machine. I do not recommend this on a small machine that offers only one stitching so if you have one that have multiple options then you should be able to use a zip zag stitch.
The leg bands are far too short and the sleeves do not match up considering notches. Please can someone revisit this pattern. I have gone to a local haberdashery and showed the pattern and the first bodysuit made from this pattern. It does need work and it’s challenging more than listed if you are still learning the basic skills.
Hi Ceri,
We do plan on revisiting this pattern by the end of this year based on your feedback and others. We appreciate your patience!
Best,
Anna
Spoonflower
A correction to my previous comment: Another possibility is that the video is wrong, and when putting the back piece on top of the front piece we need HALF the overlap shown in the video. Then the sleeve matches just right. I’m going to try to sew it that way.
The sleeves aren’t right. When I align the notches for the front and back pieces as in the video tutorial, the resulting edge is far shorter than the sleeve pattern piece.
If I shift the front + back pieces to overlap by half as much (with the first notch matching the corner), then the sleeve is the right length. I think you sized the sleeve to the misaligned front+back combo.
This is my first time making a knit top from a pattern, but I’ve sewn a few sleeveless stretch tops and lots of pants and to my frustration, the sleeve is the very thing I wanted to learn from your pattern!
Hi Anna,
We’re very sorry you’re experiencing some frustration with this pattern. We have received similar feedback and are working to recreate this tutorial with updated visuals and instructions since this was published many years ago. Based on your second comment, I’m curious to know how your test of sewing half the overlap worked in the end?
Best,
Anna F.
Spoonflower
Are you meant to stretch the sleeve as you line it up or ruffle the sleeve to make it fit to the front and back notches? I’m using merino knit and it definitely won’t stretch enough to correct for the 1 1/2 inch difference from the notches on the sleeve pattern piece versus the notches on the front and back.
Hi Jess,
The notches should line up together in this step. We used Spoonflower’s Organic Cotton Knit fabric for this tutorial which worked for us with notches aligned. However, we’re working on updating the tutorial to show more photos and include clearer steps based on feedback like this– thank you for your comment!
Best,
Anna
Spoonflower
So I made this for my 11m old. She wheres 6-9m….
Erm. Your sizing is wayyyyyyyyyy off.
I put a 6-9m on top and is was sooo much smaller!
I placed 2 yrs body grow on top she wears 12-18m… it was the exact same size.
Reprinted the pattern. Checked the 4 inch box which was all correct…. the smallest size is roughly the size of 6-9m!
Lovely pattern. Terrible tutorial instructions! I used you tutorial a rough guide… as in what order to sew everything. But didn’t use your technique… also definitely need to use interfacing at the bottom for the snaps. They would rip straight off else.
Anyway other then that. Thank you for the pattern. Now I’ve accidentally made the eldest a vest, I can use the smallest size to make my youngest a vest. ^_^
Thank you
Hi, Thank you very much for this cute pattern. its very easy to understand. I am a fashion designer not a pattern maker. But I love to create bodysuits. So this is very helpful to me.. thank you so much. and, if you can upload a sleepy suit as well it will be great.. 🙂
question clarification:
The fabric stretches parallel to the center fold so I should place the pattern front, back,…so it stretches around the belly which is perpendicular to the center fold line. That means I would not fold the fabric where the fabric line is but open the fabric up and fold it the other way so the material\’s fold line is folded on top of itself.
Hi Georgia,
When cutting out all your baby bodysuit pieces, position them so the stretch goes around the body just like you said. The fold line only indicates that the pattern piece should be placed on a folded edge of your fabric before cutting, not that it needs to be cut in that exact orientation. So, you’re correct that you would fold the other way to achieve maximum stretchiness!
The arrow on the front leg band pattern piece is known as the “grainline.” This particular grainline should go on the non-stretch direction of your fabric, resulting in a piece that is stretchier from side to side rather than up and down. This will allow the leg hole of the final bodysuit to have as much stretch as possible.
Happy sewing!
Anna
Spoonflower
I’m new to sewing with stretch material and I’m not quite sure the layout. Is there a photo of how best to lay it out? I’m making the baby bodysuit from organic cotton knit. What I have read is you cut the pattern out so the stretch goes around the body. The stretch does not go from head to toe. Is that true for this baby bodysuit also or does it matter? The fabric stretches parallel to the center fold so should I place the pattern front, back, neck and leg pieces so it stretches around the belly which is perpendicular to the center fold?
Also, there is a front leg band with an arrow stretching across the narrow bottom of the piece. Does the arrow go the direction of the stretch or the non stretch direction? (The non stretch direction stretches a bit but not like the stretchy direction.)
Hi,
Thank you for making this. *multi sized* pattern so easy to find and download. I’m so tired of spending hours on pinterest trying to navigate through endless links, and registering.
/ Anna
Too frustrating to even finish. I’m not a beginner, I sewed my own wedding dress, I’ve made costumes for plays, and I’ve sewed all sorts of work clothes for myself. The sleeves on this made me give up on it. Do yourself a favor if you’re thinking about making this and just buy something cute from a local shop.
Hi there,
We have updated this tutorial to make it a bit clearer, hope that helps!
Best,
Anna
Spoonflower
Hello, We are so sorry to hear about your frustration and appreciate your feedback. We are putting this pattern through some additional testing now.
Thank you,
Amy
Spoonflower
Hi
Thank you very much for this beautifull free pattern….just want to know must this be printed out on A4 paper
Hi Erna,
Thanks for your interest! All of our patterns are made to be printed on standard printer paper which is 8.5 X 11 inches. I hope this helps, but please let us know if you have any further questions!
Take care,
Amy
Spoonflower
I just finished up my first bodysuit, and it is so adorable! The only issue is the snaps – I tore a hole in the fabric trying to get them apart for the first time. I’d suggest adding interfacing or doubling up the fabric for the snaps attached to the back body piece, where there is just one layer of fabric. The snaps on the front body piece seem to be fine since the fabric is doubled there. Thanks for the great pattern!
Hello! I noticed that for the long sleeve version, the length is not graded for different sizing. I am pretty sure newborns and 12-18 month babies have different length arms. Did I miss something with the pattern?
Hi Shayna,
Thank you for your feedback! We have updated the pattern to include grading for the long sleeves.
Take care,
Amy
Spoonflower
Hi Emma,
Thanks for sharing this helpful tip and we’re so glad you enjoyed the pattern!
These instructions leave much to the imagination. Not recommended for beginners.
Hi A T,
Thanks for your feedback! This is definitely a more advanced tutorial and for beginner sewists we recommend our free baby leggings pattern.
Best Regards,
-Meredith F.
Spoonflower
Hello,
Thank you for the wonderful pattern! It looks like you’ve mentioned this in the comments a few times, but I just downloaded the pattern and I’m not seeing the notch for lining up the overlapping front and back shoulder pieces. There is just the one notch in the arm hole area for lining up the sleeve, but this seems to be different from a notch that would be used for lining up the front/back. Thanks!
I\’m new to sewing with stretchy material. I\’m glad you put the comment about stretching the bands to fit around the curves. there was a lot of stretching going on but it worked. When I sewed the bands on I was not sure to sew with the band side up so I could see the band while sewing it on or the or the bodysuit side up. What would you advise? Also, when sewing the side seams up starting from the arm ( good to know which end to start sewing) what do you do with the seam around the armhole? Do you open the underarm three layer seam like you would a dress armhole with two layers sewn to one side and one layer on the other side to flatten out the seam
or sew all three layers of the underarm seam up or down flat to one side of the bodysuit when sewing the side seam?
Oops it’s only two layers of fabric under the armhole. Still do you open up the seam flat or sew the two underarm seams toward the mid line or towards the sleeve? Maybe it does not matter.
Hi Georgia,
We recommend opening this seam flat for a cleaner finish, but ultimately you can press it in any direction and it will work fine. In regards to your last comment, sewing the bands band-side-up would be ideal so you can make sure the stitch on the outside is neat.
Happy sewing!
–Anna
Spoonflower
Thanks,
That was very helpful for further projects too.
Is the seam allowens already included in the pattern, Or should I draw the seams myself?
Also in the Netherlands, we use a different size notation. Instead of months, we use measurements like 50, 56, ect.
the one which size would then be from 3 – 6 months?
Hi Ingrid,
Yes, the seam allowances are included in the pattern and the seam allowance is 5/8″ unless otherwise stated within the written instructions. We hope to have an answer to your other questions soon.
I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Best Regards,
-Meredith F.
Spoonflower
Good afternoon from Spain, I love your project to make a baby bodysuit but I have a question: are the seam allowances included in the pattern? that is, should I cut the pattern just by the line of my size or should I leave a margin when cutting the fabric?
Thank you very much and sorry for my English;)
Hi Moni,
The 5/8″ seam allowances are included in the pattern so you should cut directly on the line of your selected size.
I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Best Regards,
-Meredith F.
Spoonflower
Hi, thank you for this pattern, i was really nervous about trying this, but this pattern seems to easy I am giving it a try!
The one part I am confused about is attaching the sleeves. There are no photos, and not even a glimps of the sleeves pinned onto the pattern and I am not sure how this should be done. Can you maybe add a photo of the sleeve pinned to the body before sewing? How am I supposed to lay this piece on? Should I sew the arm opening first?
Thank you again for the pattern!
Hi Jules,
You can certainly baste the front and back arm openings together first if you prefer! Regardless of whether this is basted or simply pinned, you will lay the sleeve piece face down on top of the arm openings, matching the notches. When pinning the sleeve to the arm opening, the curved edges of the sleeve will be pinned to the edges of the arm opening, with the sleeve hem (straight edge) pointed towards the opposite side of the body suit.
I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Best Regards,
-Meredith F.
Spoonflower
Hi! Do we print the pattern on normal 8.5 x 11 paper?
Hi Priyanka,
Thanks for your question! This pattern is intended to be printed on a 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper.
On the “Sleeve Cut two” cut out I am a bit confused. There are horizontal lines for the sizing cut, but then there’s diamonds parallel with the dotted lines. How do I cut this? Do I cut off the diamonds?
Hi Rayanna,
The diamonds are meant to aid in matching up the two pieces of the sleeve pattern if you wish to create a long-sleeved bodysuit. If you wish to create a short-sleeved bodysuit, you will not need this portion of the pattern!
I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Best Regards,
-Meredith F.
Spoonflower
Thank you for a great pattern and tutorial. Although, I downloaded the pattern and still cant see the notches and if the notches are the small ones they dont seem to match when I try to put them together. I am doing the 3-6 month one. Also, the tutorial is not clear in reference to the sleeve part. Can you please give me a clear direction on this part? I cant seem to understand with the video or written instructions. Maybe a picture instruction just for the sleeves perhaps. Thanks again great blog.
Hi Deborah,
Thanks so much for your question and we apologize for the unexpected issues. Are you able to confirm if the pattern was printed 100% to scale? This should help ensure the ntoches line up correctly.
For the sleeves, you will lay the sleeve piece face down on top of the arm openings, matching the notches. When pinning the sleeve to the arm opening, the curved edges of the sleeve will be pinned to the edges of the arm opening, with the sleeve hem (straight edge) pointed towards the opposite side of the body suit.
I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Best Regards,
-Meredith F.
Spoonflower
Does this require a 4-way stretch knit fabric? Or is cotton knit with 2-way stretch sufficient?
Hi Sarah,
You can certinaly make this pattern with the Organic Cotton Knit!
Hi. Is the newborn size equivalent to size 0-3 months?
Hi Meli,
Great question. Our patternmaker let us know that the newborn size is equivalent to 0-3 months. We’ll make an update in the pattern!
Best,
Suz from Spoonflower
Love this pattern and project; thank you! I\’m a bit confused about the neck/leg bindings. I\’m trying to finish the bindings with a zigzag, but is it a topstitch that you can see from the front? A more contrasting thread color with few more slow, closeup shots of that part of the project would have helped a ton. I can\’t really see what\’s going on.
Hi Kait,
Thanks for your question, and sorry for any confusion! You’re correct that the bindings are secured with a topstitch. We used a lighting bolt stitch – it’s good for stretch fabrics, but looks slightly more like a straight stitch. We’ll update the post to clarify!
Best,
Suz from Spoonflower
Hello! This pattern and tutorial is great 🙂 Thanks a lot for sharing this on your blog. I made one piece for my daughter using old T-shirt and yellow fabric from my recources. Because I love some girlish accessories, I just added small bows on the front and frills on sleeves 🙂 I shared about this on my blog. Regards from Poland!
Hi Ania,
Your version turned out great and we love how you made it your own sustainably! Thanks so much for sharing.
Can I use flannel instead of a knit fabric?
Hi Kira,
This pattern is specifically intended for a stretchy, knit fabric. If you’d like to use a woven fabric like flannel, you may want to work with a pattern that requires woven fabric to ensure the bodysuit fits. I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Where do I get my free pattern?
I’m hoping to make a short-sleeved bodysuit, but I’m confused because your photo shows 3 short-sleeved ones but your adorable little model is wearing a long-sleeved one? I don’t see anything in the written instructions about this. I’ve just printed the pattern and there’s the “Sleeve” piece and also the “Sleeve B” piece. Is one of these the short sleeve and the other the long?
Thank you!
Hi Dee,
If you would like to make a short sleeved version, you can omit attaching Sleeve B to your pattern. You’ll notice in the image below the section Getting Started, both sleeve pattern pieces are attached to create a long sleeve bodysuit. I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Hi, I’m having an issue with the shoulder notches. My pattern unlike the one in the video only has one notch and I can’t make them match up. Could you advise please?
Hi Chrissy,
We’re so sorry for the trouble! The pattern has been updated to include notches for both matching the midpoints of the arm openings on the front and back pieces, as well as matching the sleeve to the arm openings. We would recommend downloading the updated version of the pattern here.
I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Best Regards,
-Meredith F.
Spoonflower
I\’m a little unsure at it seems as though the notches in the video/picture tutorial are a lot higher than the ones one the pattern? Which should I be following
Hi Anna,
Thanks so much for your question! We’ve updated the pattern to include the notches at the top of the shoulder as seen in the video tutorial. I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Hi, you state that you updated the pattern to include the notches, but the one currently available to download does not show them. Am I just obtuse? I\’m assembling the item and just rechecked your download. No upper notches shown.
Thank you for the tutorial, a little step by step is always heldful! 🙂
I have some questions though:
1. You don\’t cut with seam allowance for the leg- and neckbands in the picture, does that mean the seam allowance is already included in the pattern pieces in general? Or just in the band pieces?
2. I\’m supposed to sew the band with 1/4 seam allowance. In the picture it looks like you sew so that 1/4 inch seam allowance remains? Is that the way to go?
Maybe you can help me out, I unfortunately do not have a baby that can try the body on, otherwise I would just sew and see how it fits, but it\’s supposed to be a present 😉
Thank you
Jess
Hi Jess,
MaryAshlyn used a 1/4″ seam allowance when sewing the bands. Once those seam allowances are sewn, you should just fold the rest of the band back over the edge and stitch. I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask! – Meredith
The instructions for sewing the sleeves together is very unclear.
Hi Alicia,
We hope the following information will help provide clarity for this step: lay the sleeve piece face down on top of the arm openings, matching the notches. When pinning the sleeve to the arm opening, the curved edges of the sleeve will be pinned to the edges of the arm opening, with the sleeve hem (straight edge) pointed towards the opposite side of the body suit.
I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Best Regards,
-Meredith F.
Spoonflower
First of all, thank you so much for all of the fabulous work you put into this pattern. It’s the first one of yours I’ve tried. However, I printed the pattern to make the largest size. Cut it out and tried to put it together. There were no notches for the overlapping of the neckline pieces. I thought I had figured it out and sewed it together but the back is 3.5 inches shorter than the front. I’ve double checked the pattern pieces and that is correct. Is there a flaw or have I done something wrong?
Hi Sheila,
We’re so sorry to hear about the unexpected issue. We have updated the pattern to include the additional notches but if you continue to have trouble, please do let us know.
Well, for starter’s, I don’t have a zigzag sticth on my machine. I’m using a 1940 singer machine. I did throw in a stay stitch around the parts for the bias to try to keep it flat as possible and tried not to stretch the knit to much so it wouldn’t create puckers. The directions weren’t really clear on the shoulders and arms sleeves. I don’t know where I’m to begin and end with my stitch and would there be any bulk to cut off. Your directions make it sound like I’m to pin both front, back, and arm sleeve’s together and then sew all 3 together. Sleeve’s are the most difficult for me, and I’m not sure I want to chance sewing all 3 at once, especially on knit. This is my first knit fabric project, and I really don’t want to be ripping stitches out if I don’t have to. Also, what size snaps are to be used. So far my little onesie is taking off, and I do thank you so much for sharing your pattern and taking the time to teach all of us how to make one. You are a true blessing!
I’m using my Mom’s 1959 Singer, works like a champ. I appreciate reading your comment, gives me some perspective. I almost want to buy a fancy new matching that does everything for you! LOL
Hi Shirley,
We’re sorry to hear the instructions were unclear and we are working to improve the clarity.
For snaps, using your preferred type is fine. We’ve used size 1 sew-in snaps (Dritz), size 20 KAM-style snaps, and size 16 metal snap fasteners (also Dritz). All three have worked great, but our favorite so far has been the KAM-style. If you’re looking for something they won’t need a specific tool to attach, sew-in snaps are perfect. -Meredith from Spoonflower
Cute onesie. Except I’m in the middle of making it. Attaching back to front am holes. There’s only one notch on each arm opening. Impossible to match up. My pattern does not look the same (notches) as yours in the photos. I am new at sewing, but my pattern is not matching up. Very frustrating. I’ve spent so much time sewing the neck line and leg openings. Now I might not be able to piece this together properly at all.
Hi Amanda,
We’re so sorry for the trouble and frustration! The pattern has been updated to include notches for both matching the midpoints of the arm openings on the front and back pieces, as well as matching the sleeve to the arm openings. We would recommend downloading the updated version of the pattern, here.
I hope that helps, but if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to ask!
Best Regards,
-Meredith F.
Spoonflower