Turn a Men’s Shirt into a Baby Romper with a Free Pattern

Learn how to upcycle a men’s shirt into a baby romper with a free sewing pattern. This intermediate sewing project is so cute for babies!

I have really, really loved making DIY baby boy clothing. Everytime I make something new or am inspired by something, I am grateful I have a boy and get to experiment with his clothing.

Well, I was first inspired by this shirt romper. I thought I would make it from scratch, but I knew I could easily make something similar by using parts of a man’s button up shirt. Today I have a pattern and tutorial to share!

To get the free sewing pattern, scroll to the end of the tutorial. Put your email address in the form under “Get the Free Sewing Pattern Here.” Once you confirm that you want to receive emails from Heather Handmade, the free pattern will be sent to your email address. Check your spam and promotions for the email.

If you use a lightweight shirt, it’s perfect for the hot summer months, and the front buttons or snaps are functional because you use the original shirt front button placket.

Button up shirts are one of my favorite things to refashion. There’s so much fabric, and so many possibilities! Look at all these button up shirt refashion tutorials!

Do you want the pattern in multiple sizes? Get the Upcycled Men’s Shirt Romper, Dress, and Shirt Sewing Pattern

What is a PDF sewing pattern?

A PDF pattern is a sewing pattern designed on the computer and organized so that it can be printed on several letter or A4 size pieces of paper.

I love using PDF sewing patterns because if the pattern gets ruined or if my children or I changed sizes, I can always print it again. It’ll never be destroyed since I have a digital version!

How do you use a PDF sewing pattern?

Open the PDF on a computer and click print. When printing make sure that the scaling is set to 100% or no scaling so that the pattern prints at the correct size.

Once the pattern is printed it can be taped together to get the full size. Then the pattern can be cut for each pattern piece size or individual sizes can be traced so that the pattern can be used again and again. Learn how to use PDF sewing patterns.

Men’s Shirt Baby Romper Free Pattern and Tutorial

Supplies

• Men’s button up shirt
• interfacing
• snaps or buttons or other closure
• sewing tools
• sewing machine
• Men’s Shirt Romper Sewing Pattern – get it at the end of the post

Do you just want the pattern and tutorial as a PDF? Get the pattern and tutorial for just $5. You won’t need to access the internet every time you want to make it. Or get the Pattern Bundle with ALL the PDF tutorials!

Cutting

Unbutton the front of the men’s shirt. Line up the plackets and smooth out the rest of the shirt as you can. Cut out the mirrored front body pattern pieces from the front of the shirt. Line up the center front line of the body piece with the line of buttons and buttonholes. Use the button guides so that you don’t cut through a button or buttonhole. There’s a chance that you will be cutting through the pocket especially with the smaller sizes.

Fold the back of the shirt in half along the center back. Lay the back body pattern pieces below the yoke along the fold and cut them out.

Lay out the yoke pattern piece along the center back fold of the original yoke and cut out two pieces. When you cut from the back yoke you will automatically cut two yokes at one time.

Fold the sleeves along the top sleeve fold line and place the sleeve pattern pieces along the fold. Cut out one sleeve from each sleeve.

Open the collar and stand up to lay down flat. Place the collar pattern piece on top. Try lining up the seam of the collar and stand with the indent of the collar pattern piece. Cut out two collar pieces. Leave the interfacing attached. When you cut from the collar you will automatically cut two collars at one time. If the collar is too small for the pattern piece, then cut two collar pieces from any fabric left from the shirt.

Cut out the inseam facing pattern pieces from whatever fabric is leftover. If you don’t have enough, you can use some lightweight cotton fabric (like quilting cotton) in a coordinating color.

Cut the gusset from a scrap of the shirt. Match up the grainline of the shirt with the grainline of the pattern.

Sewing

Match up one center back notch of the back body pattern pieces and one notch of the gusset with right sides together. Match up the two sides. Sew the seam and finish the raw edges.

Edgestitch the seam allowance towards the body.

Place one yoke right side up with the straight side on the top. Place the back body on top right side up with the straight side between the arms on the top. Place the remaining yoke right side down with the straight side on the top.

Pin the three layers together in this order.

Sew the three layers together.

Press the two yokes and the seam allowance up and away from the body.

Topstitch on the yoke 1/4 inch away from the seam to secure the yokes up and away from the body.

Place the two front body pieces right side down onto the right side of the back. Fold the back yoke down and away from the shoulders.

Roll up the body front and the body back pieces into a tiny roll until you can sew both yokes. Bring the lower yoke from the bottom and up over the roll until all the shoulder seams are matching.

Line up the front shoulder seams with the remaining yoke shoulder seams.

Sew the three layers of the shoulder seams together.

Pull the body roll out of the yokes through the neck hole.

Press the yoke and the seam allowance away from the body. Topstitch the shoulder seams on the yoke 1/4 inch away to secure the yokes up and away from the body.

Use a seam ripper to unpick the seam that runs through the collars. Press all the collar pieces flat.

Resew the collars onto the stands but keep them separate so the you have two collar pieces.

Leave the interfacing on the collar pieces.

If the collar pieces are not interfaced then add interfacing to one side.

Place the collar pieces right sides together matching all the edges.

Sew from the curved front up and around the collar points, and then back down to the other curved front. Leave the neckline edge open.

Trim the points and notch the front corners to reduce bulk. Clip the inner point.

Turn the collar right side and poke out the corners. Press the collar flat.

Sew a line on the interfaced side of the collar 3/8 inch from the edge along the neckline.

Place the right side of the uninterfaced side of the collar to the right side of the neck. Match up the front and the center back.

Sew the pieces together but do not sew through the collar seam on each side.

Press the seam allowance and collar up away from the body.

Fold the edge with the 3/8 inch stitching guide under and pin to the neckline so that all of the collar is enclosed.

Edgestitch along the neckline and around the collar to keep the edges nice and to close the hole.

Interface the front inseam facing. Finish the outer curve. Interface one of the back inseam facings.

Place the back inseam facings right sides together. Sew the bottom straight edges and the outer curve.

Notch the outer curved piece. Trim the outer two corners.

Turn the back inseam facing right side out and poke out the corners and curves. Press flat.

Edgestitch around the finished seam.

Place the bottom of the button plackets on top of each other and tack closed with a little straight stitch.

Place the front facing on the front body piece. Line up the bottom edges with the top of the hem and the center front with the center of the placket.

Sew around the inner curve.

Clip the inner curve.

Flip the facing to the inside of the front body and press in place. Sew the facing in place 1 inch away from the inner curve.

Place the back inseam facing on the inside curve of the back inseam. Match up the center marks and the bottom of the facing with the top of the hem.

Sew the seam carefully since the shape of the curves change. Finish the edges.

Press the seam allowance towards the body and away from the facing.

Edgestitch the seam allowance towards the body and away from the facing.

Add 4-8 snaps depending on the size you make to the front inseam and back inseam facing. A guide for the top and bottom snaps was given on the pattern pieces. Fill in a snap in between if needed.

Get detailed information about installing snaps.

Place the sleeves in the armscye with right sides together matching edges and notches.

Sew the seams and finish the raw edges.

Press the seam away from the body.

Fold the sleeve hem up towards the wrong side of the sleeve 1/2 inch and then another 1/2 inch. Sew 3/8 inch from the bottom edge. Press in place.

Line the side seams and sleeve seams right sides together. Match up the armscye seams. Sew the seam and finish the edges.

Press the seam allowances towards the back.

Tack the sleeve seam allowance towards the back of the sleeve.

Fold the hem up 1/2 inch and then another 1/2 inch. The edges of the facing should be tucked inside the hem. Sew 3/8 inch from the bottom edge. Press in place. You finished the romper!

Get the Free Sewing Pattern here!

If you make something using this pattern, I’d love to see! Please share it on social media with the hashtag #heatherhandmade and tag me!