Mamma Can Do It: How to make a baby Jumpsuit romper

There's nothing like creating something beautiful for my baby. But I dare say that when I create something that I know the entire world of crafty people can benefit from, it takes the cake.

This baby jumpsuit is exactly the cake taker on the subject.

Lets get this out of the way.
This incredibly cute fabric that I used on this Jumpsuit is available here.

When my Joy bumped up in size, I realized very quickly that I needed to get designing. I simply had nothing in her dresser that was handmade, and nothing that wasn't verrrrry used from previous children.

Joy is a crawler. By this I mean, I am pretty sure she will never walk. Haha - just kidding, but she has been crawling since she was 6 months old and she can crawl faster than most toddlers can run. I have a few "hang up" outfits like the reversible jumper (my favorite, go to dress), and some other frilly things, but they are so hard to crawl in that she gets frustrated.

I needed an outfit that would be comfortable (not overly frilly) for our active lifestyle, and something she could crawl around in. I needed something that was light weight enough for summer, but could keep her warm in our approaching fall weather. Because lets face it, if the pants are light weight, they are always better in the summer to crawl in than shorts. Who wants skinned knees?

What I love about this one piece jumpsuit is that I can have her wear it to bed, without it riding up. She can crawl without it riding up, she can be lugged around by any of her sisters, her dad, or myself without worrying about her shirt covering her tummy. Speaking of which, does anyone else pull weeds with their baby on their hip? Or read books, or stir dinner, or wipe noses, or do dishes one handed? Yes, this is why one piece outfits are so incredibly wonderful. When I don't have to worry about a simple thing like creeping up shirts, it makes a busy mamma's world easier.

Another obstacle that I had to battle was the crotch. Since the jumpsuit is one piece, I needed something that I could have enough room in for the cloth diaper, but wouldn't be overly bulky. Um, hello multiple attempts that were horrible! Just because this little peanut wears cloth diapers does NOT mean that her clothes need to be giant and balloonish. This is where the "cloth diaper extender" comes in.
Now don't be alarmed, it's not a huge extension, but just enough to add extra room. In fact, I really recommend that everyone who makes this jumpsuit, use the optional extender. I gave directions that are optional in the tutorial, but unless you have a very trim baby, use it. If you have a trim baby, by all means, have a more form fitting jumpsuit by not using it - and you'll be glad for that option! You can see how the cloth diaper extender sits below the crotch just slightly. It's sleek and makes a perfect fit.

Length is a debate that I have with myself as a designer. I want to make things the perfect length. The length that will match Carters, and other name brands. However, what I have found is that pants that are barely long enough, ride up to the knees when my baby is sitting, or crawling. You'll find with this design, that I didn't skimp on the length. That the pants aren't too long, but they aren't too short. There isn't the riding up, and the legs are covered. The shape of the pants in this jumpsuit pattern are to attest for great fit, but an added smidge of length will keep you and your baby happier!

See what I mean in the pic below? It doesn't look longer, but there is totally an added bit to keep it from riding up. This is what I love about designing - that I can make better stuff than what you can buy. :)

Another thing that I wanted to mention is that I have an ONLINE CLASS VIDEO tutorial for this jumpsuit pattern. I call it a class, because although it's not technically a class, it's a 30 minute, step by step, taking my time instruction. I give hints and tricks along the way and teach you a few added things that you can do, that I don't mention in the tutorial.

How easy is it to change a diaper in this baby jumpsuit? Amazing. Seriously. Can you imagine the uncomfortable feeling of wearing a diaper, wetting in it, then someone undressing you until you were almost entirely naked just to change said wetness? That's the reality if your baby is wearing zip up pjs, or anything with a front opening for diaper changes. Why do you think most babies cry during diaper changes? It's because they are cold!!

This jumpsuit pattern shows you how to add snaps to the only area they need to go: in the leg and crotch area. I didn't realize how much I loved doing it this way until recently. Why do I have to have 6 babies before I realize what I like the most?!

Did you know that I am starting to make physical booklets for my patterns? They are only available at Amazon or wholesale directly from me at the moment. I frequently have pattern shops contact me for wholesale discounts so that they can have a class with my booklets. I do have wholesale pricing and can send them to you if you wanted to get 15 or more.

What I love about the booklets is that my customers can have a physical product mailed to them. Many times that's what people are looking for. I'm hoping that my honey can help me make some more books in the future.

Lastly, lets discuss how much fabric this jumpsuit will actually use. We want to make cute things, but in all reality, we also want to make affordable things. At least that's what's important in my world.

This.is.affordable.

See the size chart below? Do you see how much fabric it takes? Hardly anything. And guess what? I have made multiple jumpsuits from recycled t-shirts!!