Diaper cover from Make it and Love it

And yes, I used the fabric from the long sleeves that I cut off from this shirt below, and added them as ruffles to the bum of the diaper cover.

(The sleeves/ruffles were made with this tutorial.)
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I couldn't wait to put the new outfit on our newest little missy.
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I figure you'll enjoy seeing those ruffles as much as I do.

So darn squeezable, pat-able and lovable, right?
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And don't forget, add a clothing label to the side of your diaper cover, or the inside.........or anywhere you'd like. (Info about my labels here.)
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And then enjoy your little creation on your little bug.
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Ready to create your own diaper cover pattern?

Grab one of your little girl's diaper covers. Or borrow one from a friend. Or pick one up from the thrift store.

Now, the easiest way to create the exact size (especially if you're new at using patterns and knowing how pieces fit together) is to pick apart a diaper cover, trace them onto paper, and then use them as your pattern pieces. Then you can sew the fabric pieces back together if you still need to use it. But, I didn't want to pick this apart and then re-sew it. Just lazy I guess. :)

So I stretched the piece out and marked spots on the paper for the correct sizing, used a ruler, and drew the line for the top of the diaper cover. (It was hard to hold it out and take a picture.....but you get the idea.) Add enough for a seam allowance as well.

Then hold the top of the diaper cover up at the top and pull the bottom down, mark it, and draw a line at the bottom. (Mine was at the exact bottom of the paper, so you can't see a line.) Then stretch out the leg curve and mark it with a pencil. Make sure to add enough for a seam allowance at the bottom and the casing for the elastic at the top and along the curve of the legs.

If you fold your pattern in half from left to right, you should see that the left side is exactly the same as the right side. If it's not, adjust it. Here's the FRONT of the diaper cover:

Then I cut out and traced the FRONT diaper cover piece onto a new piece of paper and then turned the original diaper cover over to trace out the back side. The top and vertical side lines will be exactly the same. However, the bottom line will come down a bit longer (tape 2 pieces of paper together if you need to) and the angled side lines will come down further as well and seem to be a bit straighter. At least this is how it looked with my diaper cover. (From Carter's, if that helps.) Now I have a BACK diaper cover piece:

Here's both the FRONT and BACK pieces: (Remember to have added seam allowances and enough for the casing at the top and the leg openings.)

Cut out your front and back pieces from a piece of knit. (You can use woven cotton or other types of materials.......but using a fabric with some stretch will help when trying to hem the leg hole openings. Trust me! But even if you use a non-stretchy fabric, and you end up with some puckered fabric in your seams.............once it's gathered in, you'll never notice. So give it a try as well!)

Sew the two pieces together with right sides together. Only sew along the bottom and the 2 vertical sides.

If you have a side clothing label, add it between the two layers of fabric before sewing and catch it in the seam.

Then serge (or zig-zag) around the leg openings and along the top.

Now, you'll fold over the casings at the top and the leg openings. Fold it over the same amount that you allowed while drawing the pattern. I folded over 1/2 inch around the leg openings and 1 inch at the top. You'll have to really stretch (or ease) the fabric as you pin around the leg openings. And if you have little folds or puckers of fabric in this seam, it's okay. Once you cinch it in with the elastic, you'll never notice. No worries!

Sew up each casing, making sure to leave a once inch opening somewhere along the casing to insert your elastic.

Then attach a safety pin to a piece of elastic and thread it through your casing at the top. (Make sure that you cut pieces of elastic a little longer than needed, to allow for a seam allowance.)

Then sew the elastic together at the ends and then sew the opening of the casing closed.

Repeat with the leg holes. And you're done. Set aside for a bit.

For this outfit, I cut the arms off a long sleeve shirt.........

And then cut some fabric out of the same diaper cover fabric.........

........and made cuffs for the sleeves, just like the tutorial here.

Then, I used the fabric from the sleeves I cut off.......and created ruffles on the bum of the diaper cover, just like the tutorialhere.

And that's it.

A brand new outfit from an out of season hand-me-down. Perfect.
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Now dress that little baby up and admire your work.