How to Make an Applique Onesie – Appliqued Baby Clothes Tutorial

Here are some inspirational images for you before the tutorial. Such a cute Idea! Perfect for my baby boy to be!


Ever gone to Target, Gymboree or Janie & Jack and say ‘Oh I could make that!’… well every time I go to those stores I say that, but it wasn’t until now that I actually DID anything about it ๐Ÿ™‚ The applique tutorial is fairly simple and gets easier every time you do it. I have a little boy on the way, the 4th boy of all the grandchildren so I am endowed with loads of hand-me-downs.

Not that I am not grateful for the HMDs, but they just didn’t feel likeย him. Is it possible for your unborn to have a certain attitude and personality already? I think so ๐Ÿ˜‰ย  So I gave these plain onesies a little pizazz. Please enjoy and let me know if you have any questions or comments!

What you will need: A pack of onesies, or some HMDs ๐Ÿ™‚

A selection of fabric to play with

Iron-on applique paper, scissors, a pencil and card stock

First layout the onesie you are embellishing and lay the cardstock on top of it with the collar peeking out

Here you will sketch out the approximate size and shape of your applique. In my case I am making a tie.

Here is my sketch

You can perfect it if you desire, but I like the handmade quality of the sketched pattern. Cut out the pattern and lay on your onesie to see if the size and shape are what you want

Layout the pattern pieces on the fabric you will make the applique out of and cut out a square large enough to house the pieces

Then lay the square of fabric on the iron on applique paper and cut out a matching piece

Lay the WRONG or backside of the fabric on to the TEXTURED side of the applique paper. Please look at the directions specific to your iron on applique paper to confirm.

Iron the two together. Again follow the specific directions that pertain to your applique paper

Let the fabric cool and then lay out the pattern pieces. Lightly sketch around the pattern pieces


Here you can see my light lines


Trim out the applique pieces


You can erase the pencil lines if you still see any, but I just trim on the inside of the lines


Peel of the backing of the iron-on applique paper


Lay out the applique pieces on the onesie and move around till you have your perfect placement.

Iron. Follow those directions!

Let cool and there you go! A spiffy personalized onesie. You can stop here or if you are like me you can continue on enabling your ‘decoration overload’ gene

I took a permanent fabric marker and traced along the outside to resemble stitching. You are more than welcome to break out the sewing machine and stitch around the applique. You can see my attempt at this below. I think it is cute in a handmade ‘my mom made this’ way, but it is by no means professional like the ones you see in the $$$ stores or etsy ๐Ÿ™‚

Always ready to rock!

I had some scraps of the fabric & iron on applique paper so I trimmed out a L for my little Lucas ๐Ÿ™‚

Super Luke!

Alright here it is, my attempt to stitch around the applique. I like the messy frayed edges of the applique paired with the wonky zigzag stitching.

Bow tie and a button-down vest?! He will certainly be spiffed up for any party! The hubs think that he will look like a pirate… Rrrrrrrrrr Matey

Here is my layette for Lucas! Not perfect but perfect for him ๐Ÿ™‚