Photo Tutorial: How to Hoop & Embroider a Onesie

Several people asked me about my method for hooping and machine embroidering a onesie or other tiny shirt. Today I took photos of the process to share with you. 

Step 1: Use blue painter's tape to create a frame around your hoop (tape it to the back of the inner hoop.)

Step 2: Hoop 2 layers of woven water soluble stabilizer- this is my preference, but you can use your favorite type of stabilizer. I will be adding a fusible covering to the back at the end, so I don't need stabilizer that stays in even though I am working on a knit.

Step 3: Be sure you are using a BALLPOINT needle- mine was size 80. You need this so your knit doesn't get holes from the embroidery. With just the stabilizer hooped, run your "fix" or "baste" stitch, so that you know the area of the design.

Step 4: See the basting area to show you where your design will go? If the basting goes over the tape, just rip that bit off so you are not stitching over it. I ripped out a bit at the bottom.

Step 5: Turn your onesie completely inside out, even the sleeves.

Step 6: With the front on the bottom, fold down about an inch at the top. Be sure your fold goes straight across the grain.

Step 7: Lay the folded onesie on top of your hoop. The fold should go exactly along the top basting row and the onesie must be centered. Lay it on gently, then reach inside and smooth the fabric to stick to all 4 sides. The onesie should not be stretched or bunched up. The fabric should be totally flat and smooth without being stretched at all.

Here's a picture of the onesie stuck to the hoop. The back is facing up and the onesie is inside out.

Step 8: Pull the crotch snap area up to reveal the inside. The fabric that is smooth and stuck to the hoop is the right side of the front of the onesie. This is where your embroidery will go.

Step 9: Attach the hoop to your machine. Be sure the sleeves are not under the hoop. Likewise, be sure any loose fabric is above the hoop. Place a square of clear water soluble stabilizer over your embroidery area and run the "fix" or "basting" area again.

Step 10: Stitch your embroidery design. Stay by your machine and be sure the onesie doesn't get stuck in the stitching. Just keep smoothing the extra fabric out of the way. On a newborn size, you will barely have any leeway around your stitching area and you will probably not be able to do larger than a 4x4 design unless you are on a much larger onesie.

The design stitching out.

Step 11: When you are done stitching, carefully remove the onesie from the hoop. Trim away your "fix" or "basting" threads. Carefully trim the excess stabilizer from front and back. You don't have to be too picky, because the rest will wash out. Send the onesie through a machine was and dry.

Step 12: When your onesie is dry, trim any long bobbin threads and iron the onesie (on the wrong side) so that the embroidery is nice and smooth. Cut a rounded piece of fusible cover to fit over the design plus a little extra. I use the baby interfacing from Farmhouse Fabrics. Floriani Dream Weave Fusible is another good choice. Some of the cheap ones don't stay fused, so don't cut corners here. Iron it to the back of your design. It will make the onesie nice and soft against baby's skin and it looks very finished.

That's it! It is a long tutorial, but once you have done it, it is very easy. Is this how you embroider onesies, too? Let me know what you think of this tutorial.


***Edited to Add: This little pea baby design is a freebie at OPW Members Only Club (free) for January 2012. The little blank area on the leaf was due to my re-sizing of the original, not the fault of the designer, Embroidery Delight. I also removed the pacifier, since none of my kids ever liked them.

Good Luck Baby Onesie

I embroidered a onesie for a friend today. She is hoping to have a baby and I want to send her a good luck charm with a letter. I think she'll like this onesie with a baby swinging on the moon. 

The design is Sweet Dream by Windbell. If you like it, it's on sale for only 60 cents right now. They also have several companion designs that are cute, too. It stitched beautifully. The left side of the moon is a bit funky because I forgot my WSS topper, but once I added it, it was fine. It doesn't show up too much.

Tomorrow is a quiet day for me, so I'm hoping to do some more sewing and get this onesie in the mail. See you soon!

Circa 1919 Romper Modeled

I haven't posted in several days because every day I woke up determined to tackle the buttonholes on this romper and every day I chickened out. Today I worked on them and, as I feared, they were terrible. I will have to pick them out and do something else. I pinned it on Andy so that I could show it and to ask you what type of buttons do you think would look good? I spent a long time looking at buttons and couldn't find any I liked. I considered mother of pearl (too white), leather (dry clean only), wood (too casual), dark Nordic-sweater looking (too military), brown plastic (too plain), brown tortoise-type (too informal), etc. What would you use? 

Anyway, I love everything else about this little romper. I followed an original antique pattern (blogged here), which is a size 2. 

The directions were very minimal, but I had a pretty easy time figuring it out. I drafted the velvet neck trim to match the points on the sleeve cuffs. The fabric is a really soft twill: like flannel, but thicker and with more body. The back is so cute with the drop-seat and it's very full. I think the clothes were made this way to accommodate the thick layers of diapering. I'll have to try it on again with cloth diapers next time. 


I found an antique picture with a similar romper.

Do you notice how puffy the legs are? I wonder what undergarments are hiding under there? I can see why they were able to wear short pants even in winter, because they probably had long woolen undies and stockings underneath.
Please send advice about making buttonholes on a velveteen belt with a thick seam in the way AND what type of buttons would look good??