How to Make a Pettiskirt Bubble Romper

Add layers of bubble tiers to make a romper from a diaper shirt.

Transform a regular diaper shirt into a frilly and feminine romper by adding tiers of tulle or lace along the entire length of the baby fashion essential. The layers of tulle or lace are folded in half to create the bubble effect. An extra layer of the bubble tulle is added around the leg openings to make a short pettiskirt to the romper and the arms of the diaper shirt are replaced with frilly ribbon straps.

Things You'll Need

• Diaper shirt
• Sewing tape measure
• Tulle or lace fabric (1/2 to 1 yard)
• Sewing machine (or sewing needle)
• Elastic thread
• Straight pins
• 1-inch-wide tulle or lace ribbon

Instructions

1. Try the diaper shirt on the child and measure around the chest, just under the arms. This is the final circumference for the bubble layers. Multiply this number by two. Each piece of tulle or lace will be cut to this width. Use the type of diaper shirt that snaps closed between the legs, not one that buttons up the chest.

2. Measure the distance from just under the arms to the top of the leg openings. You will need one piece of tulle or lace for each inch of the length. Cut the tulle or lace pieces. Make each piece 4 inches by the measurement obtained in Step 1.

3. Fold each of the strips in half lengthwise and sew a long running stitch down the long, rough edge of each folded strip with elastic thread. Leave the thread attached to each piece. You will gather the strips later by tugging on the threads.

4. Lay a diaper shirt on your work surface. Draw a line across the diaper shirt from underarm to underarm. Cut off the top of the diaper shirt at this line. Discard the top of the diaper shirt.

5. Fold over 1/4-inch across the new top of the diaper shirt and sew a running stitch all the way around.

6. Take one of the tulle or lace strips and pull the elastic thread to gather the strip to the circumference of the top of the diaper shirt. Pin the strip around the top edge and sew it to the diaper shirt with a running stitch.

7. Measure down 1 inch from the top of the diaper shirt. Gather the next tulle or lace piece and sew it around this point on the diaper shirt. Measure down 1 inch from the top of the second piece. Gather the next strip and sew it to the diaper shirt. Repeat all the way down the diaper shirt, adding the last strip around the top of the leg openings.

8. Measure around the leg opening of the diaper shirt and multiply by two. Cut two pieces of the tulle or lace. Make each piece 3 inches by the multiplied length. Fold each strip in half lengthwise and sew a long running stitch down the rough edge of each folded strip with the elastic thread. Leave the thread attached.

9. Gather the strips to the circumference of the leg openings and sew the strips around the leg openings on the diaper shirt to make the short pettiskirt for the romper

10. Try the diaper shirt on the child. Measure from the top of the diaper shirt, over the child's shoulder to the top, back of the diaper shirt. Multiply this measurement by 1.5 and cut two pieces of tulle or lace ribbon to this length.

11. Sew a wide running stitch down the center of each ribbon, gather the strips to the over-the-shoulder measurement in the previous step, plus 1 inch. Sew the ends of the gathered ribbons to the top, left and right of the diaper shirt in the front and back.

References

• "Creative Needle"; Volume 23, Number 6; Ann M. Henderson; 2007
• "Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing for Baby: 24 Easy Projects for Newborns to Toddlers"; Lotta Jansdotter; 2009
• "Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones"; Amy Butler and Colin McGuire; 2008