Peek-a-boo Patterns’ Bodysuit & Lap Tee – Hacked into a Body Double Tutorial

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Time for another sew along with the Peek-A-Boo Patterns group on Facebook! This time it’s with the PAB Bodysuit & Lap Tee Pattern. I really like the envelope style of neckline because my son’s head is so big!

I decided to try and make it into a “body double” – which is essentially a tshirt attached to a body suit. We’ve bought them from Gap before and really like how it looks cute but also protects his belly. He’s always climbing and crawling and running and falling, etc.

It’s a pretty simple adjustment, but here is a tutorial on how to do it! Happy sewing!

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Step One

Cut your pattern pieces! A front & back for the bodysuit, a front & back for the lap tee, sleeves, and binding pieces. Hem sleeve and bodice pieces (mine are both from upcycled tees, so I just subtracted the hem length from the pattern piece and left the original hems).

Complete any designs on the front of the lap tee while it’s separate – I did a reverse applique thunder cloud with some knit scraps. If you want a copy of the shapes, you can download it here: lightning bolt cloud. I printed it as shown on a size 2t. Here is a good tutorial for reverse applique.

Step Two

Baste the fronts & backs of the lap tee & bodysuit together around the neckline and armscye. You’ll want to stack both pieces right side down; with my bodysuit being a plain solid, it didn’t matter much. You can see where I basted in white thread in two spots along each line. *Do not* baste down the bodice side seams! This will keep everything in line and together as you sew.

Press the neck bindings in half and attach, making sure to catch both the lap tee and bodysuit layers. Press and top stitch if you’d like.

Step Three

Align the notches as the pattern states and sew the sleeve on, making sure to align and catch all 3 layers of fabric (sleeve, bodysuit, lap tee).

Step Four

Turn the body double inside out, so the lap tee has right sides together. Pull both pieces of the bodysuit up and out of the way so it doesn’t get sewn/serged! Pin/clip/clamp and sew the seam from sleeve hem to bodice hem. It takes a little wiggling to get over the armpit because the bodysuit fabric is pulled out of the way – I went down one way and then re-serged over the armpit going the other way to give it extra strength.

Step Five

Keeping the body double inside out, now pull the lap tee up through the neckline and out of the way. Pin/clip/clamp the same side seams and sew/serge, starting a little before the armpit. Then once both sides are done, complete the leg binding and snap closures as the pattern states.

Celebrate! You’re done! Your kiddo will look like they’re wearing a t-shirt but get the bonus protection of a bodysuit.

 

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