Ruffled Fabric Romper Tutorial

Hi, I am Anshu from Blooms And Bugs. I write about sewing, especially for kids. Being a guest here at UCreate is a really big deal for me. It kind of feels like I have arrived. I hope you will like this tutorial and make some of these for your little ones.
I have always loved rompers on kids. This is one garment that stays snug on them and still allows them all the freedom to run and play. Making one from ruffle fabric just kicks the style factor a couple notches higher plus the fabric is super stretchy and a knit aka no hemming or finishing the edges ( Yaay!!). I just can’t get over how beautiful it looks on the little girl here. So lets get started on making one in your favorite color.

Supplies:

Ruffle Fabric – half yard – for 2T size
Elastic thread
Grosgrain Ribbon in matching color – 1.5 yard

Approximate time: 2 hours
Complexity level: Beginner to Intermediate
Techniques used: Shirring, Making buttonholes
Approximate Cost: $12
Measurements:

Measure child around the widest part of her body ( usually belly or butt): lets call this W: W1 = W+3 inches
Measure the length from chest to crotch: Lets call this L. L1 = L+6 inches
Measure child around her chest: Lets call this C. C1= C- 3 inches

Construction:

1. Cut a ruffle fabric piece of width W1 X length L1

2. Now shirr along the top W1 edge. Pin or baste the ruffles down so they don’t get in your way while you shirr. Keep shirring until the W1 edge becomes equal to C1 in width. Here is a great tutorial on shirring.

sew along the length right sides together

3. Sew together the L1 sides ( right sides together) but stop 3 inches before the end.

4. Rotate the seam along L1 such that it sits at the center of the back.Now cut a 3 inch slit starting at the lower edge of the front center. It should be equal and aligned to the un-stitched part you left in step above.

5. Now shirr each side of these slits about 1 inch above the lower edge. Sew about 3-4 rows of shirring. Align the front and back parts along the slit. Pin and sew ( right sides together) to make leg openings.

6. Cut two ribbon pieces 20 inches long each. Cut two pieces of ruffle fabrics. 3 inches long and 10 inches wide.

7. Sew one end of each ribbon 2.5 inches apart at the center front.

8. Now make two buttonholes 2.5 inches apart at the center back. ( I avoided making these buttonholes for a while because I wasn’t sure how they will turn out on ruffle fabric, along with all the shirring. Let me tell you, these were the easiest buttonholes to make. Here is a tutorial on buttonholes, but if you read your machine’s manual you can learn to make buttonholes very easily by yourself. So don’t worry. Go right ahead and make those buttonholes.) Thread the other ends of both ribbons through these buttonholes in a Cris-cross fashion.
At this point its best to try the romper on the child and mark the point on ribbon where it falls on the shoulder.

9. Cinch and sew the center of these pieces at the points on the shoulder that you had marked. If you can’t measure the child, then my rule of thumb is to sew it 4 inches from the front.