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Obviously, I love a good bodysuit. Bodysuits are the perfect layering piece. You can wear them with pants, skirts or shorts. They’re perfect for any weather. And the best part? They’re super easy to make.
When I first started sewing, I didn’t even think about trying to make a bodysuit. The idea of using stretchy fabric terrified me. Then we got an incredible bodysuit for the boutique, and I was only able to snag it in 1 color. By then I had made some simple tank dresses out of jersey and lycra, so I figured I could figure out bodysuits.
What You’ll Need
- Your favorite bodysuit
- Tracing or pattern paper
- A pencil
- A sewing machine
- 1-1.5 yards of stretchy fabric
- Optional: Snaps or snap tape
- Optional: a serger
Creating Your Pattern
The first step to creating your bodysuit is planning your pattern. Simply take a bodysuit you love, fold it in half, and trace the bodice it onto some pattern paper with an extra 1/4-1/2 inch for your seam allowance. If it has sleeves, make sure you ignore them for this part. They will be traced separately. Do this for both the front and back. The neckline, crotch, and booty can be adjusted to your preferences for more or less coverage. If you want to add snaps to the crotch, make sure you account for those, too.
Next, lay the bodysuit flat and trace one of the sleeves. Obviously you can make them as long or as short as you would like to. I have several sleeve pattern pieces of varying lengths. Line up the shoulder of your sleeve with the armhole on your bodice, and make sure they fit together.
Selecting Your Fabric
You definitely want to pick fabric that has a good amount of stretch to it. No one wants a stiff, stuffy bodysuit. My absolute favorite fabric is double brushed poly. It’s crazy soft, but it also has a great amount of stretch. I use it for bodysuits, dresses, bralettes, and leggings. Cotton lycra and stretch lace are also great choices.
You may want to test your pattern before you cut into your fabric. Grab some muslin or other cheap fabric. Sew it up and compare the finished garment to the original. Adjust if necessary.
Assembling Your Bodysuit
- Cut your front bodice, back bodice, and sleeves all on the fold.
- Sew the front and back bodices together at the shoulder.
- Attach the sleeves to the armholes.
- Sew the front and the back together from the opening of the sleeve to the leg hole on each side.
- Either sew together the crotch or attach snaps.
- Use a stretch stitch to hem the neckline, sleeves, and leg holes.
Have you ever created a pattern from your favorite piece of clothing? I’d love to see them in the comments!