Questions on constructing a Double layer Onesie pajama

[varocketryParticipant]

I am a novice sew’er who like to make a birthday present for my wife. I’d like to make a warm [double layer] onesie pajama using two layers of material – polar fleece outside and sherpa fleece inside.

I have NOT seen a tutorial that addresses this full suit onesie WITH LINING type effort before. I watched first your invisible Zipper with Lining video then others.

Thinking through your video generated questions for my project. How ….. would you suggest I form the full onesie with the two layers of material?

Thinking through your video, perhaps would I essentially make two onesie’s – one of each material and then fit them inside each other — with the final assembly being one of outside seems or perhaps the long zipper opening — and the adding hood and arm/leg contrasts? Or would you approach the two layer onesie another way?

Or perhaps anchoring at the shoulder seams, inside the legs, and one outside seam to allow the material to be reversed to sew the zipper. Hmmm….

Seems like a great video tutorial topic for you !! Thanks for any suggestions you can offer me.

Is the Invisible Zipper technique in the video essentially the same when using Sherpa lining material?
And do you think the outer layer Pattern Dimensions will need to be enlarged to accommodate the thick sherpa lining material?

Thanks so much.

[varocketryParticipant]

A tennis partner who is a longtime quilter suggests that working with Polar Fleece is very tricky as it stretches and distorts. She suggests I use a fuseable interface to stick both pieces together, prevent stretching, and sew them as one piece. It’s all that a novice sew’er can handle using that material.

[professorpincushionParticipant]

Hmm…I’ve never seen a lined onesie before. I think with both fleece and sherpa, it’s going to be really thick, especially where you have seam allowances and might be rough getting through on a basic machine. Not only that, but it might be too warm and I’m saying that as someone who gets cold pretty easily. Instead of two extra thick fabrics, you may want to do fleece on the outside and flannel on the inside. Fleece does have some stretch but not so much I’ve ever had any issues working with it or had it distort on me. In my opinion, I wouldn’t bother stabilizing it and add even more stiffness to the garment. You’ll just want to stay stitch necklines or any curved areas that could distort.
Also are you using a pattern? I did find this one which seems basic although I doubt any of these are lined: https://www.joann.com/simplicity-patterns-1731a-adult-childs-fleece-jumpsuit-size-4-5-6-7-8/15042021.html Personally, I think tackling a lining and invisible zipper in a onesie might be too advanced for a novice sewer and even give me a headache trying to figure it out. Maybe start with just a single layer of fleece first and see how it goes to at least get you comfortable with the pattern. But if I were attempting it, I would probably try a similar approach of creating two onesies without the hood, insert one inside the other (wrong sides together), baste the edge where the zipper will go into together and put in the zipper like you would if there was not a lining. Yes, you’ll see the zipper tape on the inside but it’ll be a lot easier in trying to make this whole thing work. Then I would put on the hood, (already sewn with lining and flipped right side out), but I would only sew the outer hood to the neckline of the onesie with a machine seam and then hand sew the lining hoodie over the seam to cover it and make it look nicer. (Similar to what I do for the hooded cloak assembly tutorial. phew! I hope that helps a little and good luck! 😀

[varocketryParticipant]

What a great project for an upcoming video project. It would certainly be unique and unduplicated on the Internet!

Seriously, thanks very much. I think your recommended approach may be doable – two separate onesies then connect them as you suggest at the zipper, leg/arm ends, and hood.

I found a McCalls pattern I’m using. There’s a really good ONESIE tutorial and pattern at instructables.com but it’s a one size pattern for the author which would require modification.

[Author]

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