Easy Toddler T-Shirt Nightgown Tutorial


My sister got my daughter this really cute Bubble Guppies nightgown that she loves to wear. I love it too because it is light and comfortable for her to wear on those hot summer nights. I did an internet search on those nightgowns and they were all about $16. That may not be expensive to some but it is to me for one nightgown. This is when my gears get started and I think I can make one a lot cheaper.

I used my husband’s old white undershirts because they are a lot lighter than the regular t-shirts you wear. I used the store bought night gown to create a pattern. If you don't have a night gown to trace you can try using a dress that fits loose to trace and just make the neckline really big.

Easy Toddler T-Shirt Night Gown Tutorial
  • stretchy light fabric
  • elastic thread
  • sewing machine
  • serger (optional)
  • pattern paper (I just use some old Christmas wrapping paper)
  1. Take the ready made nightgown and fold in half. Place on top of paper and trace all around. When you get to the sleeves just fold in so that you don't trace that part yet. Stretch the part around the necklace as far as it goes and trace. Add a quarter inch seam allowance to the side.
     
  2. Turn the nightgown to the back and fold in half. Repeat step one. 
  3. The sleeve shape looks sort of like a weird trapezoid so I just measured the four sides making sure to stretch it out. Then I just drew the shape onto the paper using the measurement of each side. Add a quarter inch seam allowance to the left and right side of the shape. 
  4. Place the front bodice pattern onto a folded piece of the t shirt. I made sure that the bottom matched with the seam of the t shirt so that the hem would be finished already. Cut out. 
  5. Repeat step 4 for the back bodice pattern piece. 
  6. Place the sleeve pattern on top of a double layer of the t shirt fabric and cut out. 
  7. Place the front and back bodice pieces right sides together and sew the side seams with a serger or with a zigzag stitch on the sewing machine. 
  8. Match the sleeve pattern to the bodice pattern with right sides together and pin. You want the shorter side of the "trapezoid" to go with the front bodice piece and the longer side of the "trapezoid" with the back bodice piece. Repeat for the other sleeve. 
  9. Take an empty bobbin and wrap the elastic thread around by hand. Make sure to not stretch the elastic as you wrap around. You don't want it to be too loose either. Carefully place bobbin into sewing machine and pull up the elastic thread through the machine manually by turning the wheel and pulling up with the upper thread. 
  10. Set your sewing machine to sew a basting stitch or a very long stitch length. 
  11. Sew the bottom of the sleeve 1/4 inch from hem. Sew another line a scant 1/4" from the line you just sewed. Repeat for the other sleeve. 
  12. Repeat the same process in step 11 going all around the neckline. This time you want to go around 3 times. You don't have to stop and start for each line. Just go around in a spiral manner. 

 photo MichelleSIG_zpsa90bb9e7.png

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43 comments

  1. You're so creative to create a nightgown for the toddler. If you have more time, I bet you'll design it with cute characters. :D

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  2. What a great idea to save a bundle of money. Children grow so quickly that spending a lot on nightgowns does not seem practical to me. You really did a great job on this night gown and I love that you were able to re use your husbands old tee shirts!

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  3. What a great idea. My daughter can never have enough nightgowns but we have tshirts all over the place.

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  4. Great job! How I wish I could do things like this, too. I have no talent in sewing, haha! Sewing machines hate me.

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  5. That is so cute. You can make several to keep on hand.

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  6. These are really comfy for lil ones. It is so easy to make them. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. so neat! i really must buy that sewing machine soon...keep on sharing for I enjoy DIY tutorials like this

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  8. That is such a pretty fabric. Love the dress. So cute. Easy to make. This is just plain awesome!

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  9. so cute! Maybe I'll try one for my niece :) And I need my sewing machine but it's close to the top of my list!

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  10. My mother in law used to make these for the kids.. cause my daughter still tries to get into the one she loves the most..

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  11. This is super cute- and looks relatively easy too!

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  12. This is so awesome!! I am going to make my girls some! Thank you :)

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  13. omgosh that's adorable. I wish I had the patience to make something like that for my little girl.

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  14. Never learned to sew a thing! That is adorable http://www.parentinghealthy.com/

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  15. Oh, I didn´t know the elastic was sewn that way! You just opened a whole new world to me. Need to buy some now. Thank you! :D

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  16. This would be a great use of my husbands t-shirts. He gets armpit stains and those would be cut away.

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  17. oh that is such a cute idea! thank you for sharing

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  18. now THAT is creative !:) i love these kind of posts.. please keep it up!

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  19. I have never sewn with elastic before, that would be a new sewing goal to try. That turned out really cute.

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  20. Wow I dont sew I really want ot learn and the night gown looks soo adorable

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  21. This is really a great idea, and creative. thanks for sharing.

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  22. Love the creativity and the thoughtfulness. Thank you for sharing! Don Purdum

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  23. You make it look so easy! Just think of all the patterns and colors that could be made!

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  24. That looks great! I love taking old things and making something new and useful out of them. :)

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  25. wow- what a great idea... I wish I had done this when my girl was little

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  26. That's so creative. You make it look so easy :)

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  27. Looks very cute. I'm not a seamstress , but it looks rather EZ to me.

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  28. I LOVE this!!! Looks super easy and is SO so cute!!! Thank you for sharing!

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  29. I'd never guess that this would be easy to do but you sure make it look that way!

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  30. wow! I am sure your daughter loved it!

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  31. Such a great way to save money! Mom used to sew my clothes like this, now it is one of my fondest memories!

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  32. Wow... I love it and I'm sure your daughter is so excited. I am showing this to my daughters because they are making their own skirts and learning even more about sewing. They will probably want to make this, too.

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  33. What an adorable nightgown. This would be great to pass down generation to generation.

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  34. What a great DIY project! I don't have a little girl any more, but I think this would be a fun project to make doll dresses/gowns etc. That way they could have matching doll/girl dresses!!

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  35. Such a cute night gown You DIY girl!

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  36. Wow, this IS really easy! Thank you for sharing- I'm going to make a matching set for the 3 ladies in this household!! :P

    Stopping by to say Hi from the Dish!!
    Alysia x
    www.mydomesticdish.com

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  37. I will really do this if I have a daughter. Thanks for the tutorial. I'll be resourceful from now on.

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  38. I LOVE this and I am going to try and make a couple for my daughter! She is a chunky 16 month old and no pjs fit her right so this would be perfect!

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  39. Very Cute! I love how adorable this is!

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  40. looks really cute.. thanks for sharing

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