DIY Pavlik Harness-Friendly Circle Dress: A Simple Sewing Guide
When you're sent home with a baby in a Pavlik harness, you’re often told to just dress them in clothes a few sizes too big. Easy enough, right? Not for us! We only found two off-the-rack dresses that were wide enough in the knees while still offering reasonable chest coverage. Buying specially-made clothes felt unnecessary since we hoped the harness would only be needed for six weeks.
So, I decided to make my own Pavlik harness-friendly dresses at home. If you’re in the same boat, I’m here to share the easiest method I found. It’s beginner-friendly, takes less than 30 minutes, and lets you pick fun fabrics for a custom look!
Materials You’ll Need:
- Onesie (in your baby’s current size).
- Non-directional patterned cotton fabric: About ½ yard for most sizes.
- Sewing machine.
- Scissors or rotary cutter.
- Straight pins.
- Fabric marker or pen.
- Measuring tape.
Step 1: Measure Your Baby
Before cutting anything, grab your measuring tape and take these three measurements:
- Shoulder to bottom of chest strap: Start at the mid-shoulder and measure down to the bottom of the chest band.
- Chest band circumference: Measure around the chest strap.
- Chest band to ankles (or desired skirt length): Measure from the bottom of the chest strap to your baby’s ankles (or wherever you want the dress to end). Add 0.75 inches to this number for the hem and seam allowance.
Step 2: Prep the Onesie
- Lay the onesie flat and, using the shoulder-to-bottom-of-chest-strap measurement, mark a straight line across the onesie where the chest strap will sit.
- Cut along the line using scissors or a rotary cutter. Set aside the bottom half—you won’t need it for this project, but you can save it for another craft.
Step 3: Prepare the Skirt
- Iron the fabric and fold it in quarters (vertically and horizontally).
- Now, it’s math time! Take the chest band circumference (measurement #2), add 2 inches, then divide by 6.28.
- Example: If the chest circumference is 20 inches, add 2 inches (22 inches). Divide 22 by 6.28, and you get approximately 3.5 inches.
- With your fabric folded, mark a quarter-circle at this length (from the corner of the fold). This will be the chest seam.
- From the chest seam, measure down by the desired skirt length plus 0.75 inches (measurement #3) and draw a second quarter-circle. This will be the hemline.
- Cut along both lines to create your circle skirt.
Step 4: Attach the Skirt to the Onesie
- Turn the onesie inside out. Place the skirt inside the onesie so the right sides of the fabric are facing each other.
- Align the skirt and onesie at their quarter folds and pin them together.
- Sew the skirt to the onesie using a ¼-inch seam allowance. Stretch the onesie fabric gently as you sew to ensure a smooth fit.
Step 5: Finish the Skirt
- Turn the dress right side out.
- Hem the bottom edge of the skirt by folding up ¼ inch, then folding again, and stitching along the fold.
Step 6: Put on Baby!
Your new Pavlik harness-friendly circle dress is ready to wear. It’s roomy enough for the harness, adorable, and totally custom!
Why This Dress Works for a Pavlik Harness
This design ensures:
- Ample legroom to accommodate the wide-knee position.
- Comfortable coverage around the chest area.
- Quick and easy dressing that fits over the Pavlik harness.
I made several of these dresses during our harness journey! I hope this guide helps you create something special for your little one, too.