This one time... at band camp...

March 4, 2011 6:14 PM

How can I have an adult polo shirt made into a baby onesie?

My best friend and I met "this one time... at band camp" when we were fifteen. Actually, it was THE band camp, the one referenced in the American Pie movies.

Now he and his lovely wife are having a wee baby, and as something really special, I want to take one of the uniform shirts I wore when we went to camp and have it made into a teeny polo shirt onesie.

Naturally, I'd try Etsy alchemy, but that was phased out last month. What now? When I search for custom onesie, I get a lot of baby junk that's embroidered or has the baby's name in comic sans printed on it. That's not at all what I want.

Where should I look?

posted by santojulieta to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (7 answers total)

Call your locally owned fabric store, and ask for the phone numbers of a few local seamstresses. That worked for me when I needed a skirt made.

Also, this is such a sweet idea. How wonderfully kind and thoughtful of you!
posted by Nickel Pickle at 6:23 PM on March 4, 2011

Can you find a pattern for what you are looking for? Take the pattern and the fabric to a local seamstress and ask if they can work out what you want. You might be able to find someone to sew it for you through your dry-cleaners.
posted by pickypicky at 6:24 PM on March 4, 2011

If you go on etsy and search for doll clothes (and maybe baby clothes), you'll see lots of things like this. They call them "repurposed" - i.e. this doll sweater is made from repurposed adult sweater. I bet you could just send someone who does it a message - maybe even find one who is close to you?
posted by dpx.mfx at 6:37 PM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Craigslist
posted by Ideefixe at 6:45 PM on March 4, 2011

I'd be so shocked if there isn't someone on Metafilter who would do this for you. I mean, *I* would do it for you, but I'm in Atlanta. In general, you are going to want to applique the bit from the shirt on to a onesie you buy. So, find a plain onesie you like, and maybe look up quilting or sewing groups in your area and ask if they have anyone who would do this for you. LOTS of people do machine applique and something like your project is not, for the proper party, rocket surgery.

You might also search for etsy artists in your area using the term "applique" and hit them up.
posted by Medieval Maven at 6:59 PM on March 4, 2011

Here is a different idea - how about a memory bear wearing clothes custom made from the band shirt. You can have the baby's name and date of birth embroidered on the feet. This is something the child can keep and love for far longer than he or she will fit into a onesie. (Years vs. a couple of months)
posted by metahawk at 10:58 PM on March 4, 2011 [3 favorites]

Or just have it put a regular onsie. Cafepress, inktastic and I'm sure many others can put whatever sayings you like on a new one. Why bother with the expense of cutting up an existing bit of memorabilia? It's a new baby, give the kid something new of it's own.
posted by wkearney99 at 7:15 AM on March 5, 2011