Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Lila Tueller

I am featuring my sister Lila's little Onesie Dresses that she makes. Lila is always an inspiration to me. I have several things that she has made from pottery, purses, swim bags, to original art work hanging on my walls!

This is one of my favorite things she has come up with , unfortunately, I don't have a little girl to sew for... but I love it nonetheless!

She has included a pattern (for those of you who like to "do it yourself").

This pattern can be acquired by emailing her at: LilaTuellerdesigns@gmail.com


Strip-work ”Onesie” Dress

Degree of difficulty: easy!

These instructions are for a 0-3 mo. size. You can adjust them for any size “onesie“. Just make the strips wider and longer.You will need:


  1. A purchased 0-3 mo. white “onesie”, or the size and color you desire.
  2. 6 coordinating fabrics, cut 9” wide by 13” long. (fat quarters would work well for this)
  3. 2 yds. Flat crocheted lace
  4. white elastic thread (found in most fabric stores)
  5. Crocheted flower embellishment

Step 1:Using a pencil, lightly draw a straight line across the chest and back of the onesie, just below the arm seams. This will be your skirt placement line.


Step 2:Cut each strip in half lengthwise. They should now measure 4.5”x13”. Decide what the order will be and then stack them up in order and place them in your lap. You should have 12 of them.


Step 3:Serge or stitch one long edge of the first strip to one long edge of the second strip, right sides facing each other. Continue to stitch the strips together to make one long pieced panel. Now attach the first strip to the last to make a tube or circle. Turn right side out. Press.


Step 4:Finish the top edge in a tight rolled edge with your serger, or if you don’t have one, press under a scant quarter inch around the top edge, and then press it under again to encase the raw edges. Stitch in place.Serge the bottom edge in a regular serge stitch, or just press under a scant quarter inch. Now you can stitch on your crotched lace to the bottom edge. Turn under the end of the lace before stitching it down so the raw edge is concealed. Lap the ends.


Step 5:Wind your bobbin by hand with the elastic thread, stretching it a little as you wind. Using a long stitch length, stitch around the top edge one half inch below the finished edge. Leave a few inches of thread at the end before cutting them off. Now stitch again, one quarter inch below the first stitching. You will probably need to gather the skirt more so that it fit’s the onesie. To do this, pull up the elastic thread ends from the wrong side, and push the gathers along towards the center of the skirt, continuing to pull out more of the elastic thread. Careful not to break the thread! Check the size against the onesie to make sure it is close to the same width. When you have gathered the skirt up enough, Adjust the gathers evenly, and tie off the elastic thread well before trimming off the excess thread. Tie off the plain threads on the front side as well, and trim.


Step 6:Divide the top edge of the skirt in half, and mark each half point with a pin. Align the pins with the side seams of the onesie, at your pencil marking, and pin in place. Continue to pin the skirt to the onesie every 3 inches or so along your placement line. Now open the onesie at the bottom and slip it over the arm of your machine. Begin stitching the skirt to the onesie along one of your gathering lines, using the elastic thread in your bobbin. This will allow the onesie to still have stretch around the chest when you are finished.


Step 7:You are almost done! If desired, you can stitch some of your lace around the sleeve edges as I did. This is easiest if you turn the sleeve inside out so you can get your foot into the sleeve from the bottom edge, and then just place the lace on the edge as you stitch around it. Make sure you begin and end at the underarm seam.Now all you have left is to stitch on your little flower embellishment. Doing this by hand with a needle and thread is best.


Yay!!! You are done! You have created a one-of-a-kind little masterpiece for another one-of-a-kind little masterpiece! (the baby)

2 comments:

Judy said...

makes me want to have a little baby girl! mines 9 she won't wanna wear anything like that! maybe make one for her birthmom's new baby

The Drizzled Apple said...

...nice idea Judy! I myself have to do one for someone else as well.... bummer.