Children's Jill Jumpsuit

Jill Jumpsuit

Difficulty Level = Beginner

The Jill Jumpsuit is a wonderful addition to any wardrobe, and we do mean any. Jill has the look of an off the shoulder top, with a fun frilly flounce and shoulder ties. With three different loose leg pant lengths to choose from and optional pockets, you’ll be ready for any occasion.

Our Facebook group is a great place to get help, share your tips and creations! We are a friendly bunch, and we love to help and see what you have made.

Please read the full instructions before getting started.

Wash, dry, and press your fabric before starting your project. A bit of prep now prevents shrinking and means your garment will stay the same size you made it.

Never leave a child or baby unattended or allow to sleep in a garment made from one of our patterns with ties, snaps, buttons, or anything they could remove, choke on, or get caught on. Always use caution if you are unsure. We love our patterns, but we love your bundles of joy more!

Size Range

Newborn – 12yrs

Size Chart

This pattern is drafted to the sizes listed below. If your child is between sizes, choose the larger size and adjust the pattern to remove the extra width/height to achieve the intended fit.

Finished Measurements (Inches)

• Sizing – Sizing is different in different countries and stores, so please measure your model before picking your size. The ready-to-wear size your model normally fits into may be different from our size chart.
• Picking your size – When picking your size, if you fall between sizes, go for the size with the correct bust measurement. That way the top part is likely to fit well. Then, grade out or in, to the correct waist and hip size.
• Height – Child heights are in the size chart above. 
  • You can adjust the height at both the waist elastic marking and at the waistline. 
  • For pants, if you are having pulling or pooling through the front or back rise, add or remove height as needed on pants front or back through the rise.   
• Elastic – For a custom fit, use the elastic cutting pieces as a suggestion and try your waist and bodice elastic around your model.  Adjust the length as comfortable.  If you are using a medium or heavier weight fabric, you may need to tighten your elastic more than with a lighter weight one, as the weight of the fabric will pull and stretch it.
• Muslin – To get a perfect fit, make a muslin (test garment) out of practice / old fabric to see if you want to make any fit adjustments.
• If you get stuck with fitting, see our favorite resources on our Pinterest Sewing Fitting Advice board. 

Suitable fabrics: 

• Fabric needs to be a stretch/knit fabric. It can be any weight; however, best results and fit will be achieved with a medium weight fabric. 
• Fabric needs to have at least 40% stretch to achieve the intended fit. To check how much stretch your fabric has, take a piece of fabric, and pull along its stretch. If it allows you to stretch it at least 40% longer than its original length, then it has at least 40% stretch. i.e., A 2-inch piece of fabric (unstretched) should be able to be stretched to 2.8 inches.
• The stretch recovery of your fabric is just as important as the stretch percentage. This ensures your jumpsuit maintains its shape and fit for as long as possible and not become baggy. To test the stretch recovery (elasticity), simply check that when you stretch your piece of fabric it returns to its original size. 
• Light to medium weight stretch fabrics such as jersey, silk satin with elastine, silk jersey with elastine, Liverpool, double brushed polyester, modal etc.
• Generally, knit/stretch fabrics are heavier than wovens. You may find you need to hem your garment slightly higher if it stretches out in length while wearing it.

Fabric Requirements 60 inches/150 cm wide (in YARDS)

* If you are using a narrower fabric, a directional print, or a fabric with nap you may need more.
** Make sure to wash, dry, and press all fabrics before cutting out in case they shrink.

You will also need:

• ½ inch Elastic (Waist) – Approximately 0.75 yards will be sufficient for all sizes
• ¼ inch Elastic (Neckline) – Approximately 0.75 yards will be sufficient for all sizes
• Thread to match

Tools needed are sewing machine, scissors, tape measure, iron, ironing board, and pins or clips. A serger or overlocker is optional but not required.

Settings

The pattern is a separate download. Choose either the US letter paper, A4 paper, or A0 paper size based on the printer you wish to use. If you are in the US or Canada then your printer will likely use US letter paper. Other regions normally use A4 paper. Some people prefer to print their patterns at a print shop: A0 is best in this case.

Print at 100%.

On the second page, you will find a 1-inch and a 3-inch square test box. Print this page first, on its own, and measure these squares.

Once you are happy that the test box is accurate, print the rest of the pattern pages.

Please follow this video for information and assistance on assembling this pattern.

Also, please note that some Rebecca Page patterns and projects also come with cut files and a printable design page which you can use to plan your project if you wish. These are provided in a separate section below to avoid any confusion!

Cut each of the pieces according to the directions on the pattern piece. Seam allowances are all included so just cut them as is.

Cutting Charts – All pattern pieces are included, however if you prefer to cut using a cutting chart, the dimensions for the rectangular pieces (in INCHES) are below:

Cutting Checklist: 

• Front and Back – Cut 2 on fold
• Bottom Front – Cut 2 (1 mirror image pair)
• Bottom Back – Cut 2 (1 mirror image pair)
• OPTIONAL Pockets – Cut 4 (2x mirror image pairs)
• Frill – Cut 1 on fold
• Shoulder Ties – Cut 4
• Binding – Cut 2

NOTE – To cut fabric on the fold, fold your fabric over parallel to the selvage edges. Align the pattern piece so it is on the fold of the fabric. Cut around the edges, leaving the fold. If you have folded your fabric correctly the fold will be parallel to the two edges of the fabric that are finished. The raw edges will be at a right angle to your fold.

Tips for Sewing with Knit Fabrics

Using a serger is not a necessity to sew with knit fabrics! Here are a few tips to get the best results on a regular sewing machine:

• Use a ball point needle of a size appropriate to your fabric when working with knits – The ball point needle has a slightly rounded tip and will prevent from damaging the fibre. Use ball point pins or clips and, if you can’t, use regular pins into the seam allowance and you should be just fine.
• Use a stretch stitch – You can use either a short and narrow zigzag or a stretch stitch (lightning bolt stitch) for construction. Test on a scrap of fabric to find which stitch and tension settings work best for you. You don’t want the fabric to pucker under your stitches.
• Your machine might have many fancy stretch stitches and you are welcome to play with them, but often the basic zigzag or stretch stitch are just right.
• Use a walking foot – Using a walking-foot is not a necessity but it is highly recommended when working on a stretchy knit. The walking-foot helps to prevent one layer of fabric from stretching out while sewing. Both layers of fabrics are fed at the same time under your needle.
• Reduce your presser foot tension – Some machines will allow you to change your presser foot tension. Check your manual to see how to reduce your presser foot tension. Reducing tension will prevent your fabric from stretching while it goes through the machine.
• Use a ball point twin-needle (double needle) for top stitching – Using a twin-needle will give you a regular double line of straight stitches on the right side and a short and stretchy zigzag on the wrong side. Alternately, if you don’t own a twin needle, you can use a medium size zigzag stitch for hemming and topstitching. I like to lengthen my stitch a little when top stitching with the twin needle. Test on a scrap of fabric to find what works best for you.
• Finishing the seams – Because knits don’t fray, it isn’t strictly necessary to finish your seams. That being said, you will achieve a more polished and durable look if you do an overcasting or zigzag stitch on your raw edges. 

Here is an example of some of the stitches you could use.

From left to right: Ballpoint twin-needle, narrow zigzag, stretch stitch (lightning bolt), overcasting

⅜ inch seam allowance included – Basting ¼ and ¾ inch – Hem – ½ inch 

Preparation – 

1. PATTERN MARKINGS – Transfer all pattern markings and notches onto fabric.

Sewing –

1. BODICE – With right sides together, pin Front and Back bodice together along the side seam and sew.  Repeat on the other side.
2. BINDING – Fold the Binding in half and find center. With right sides of binding to wrong side of Bodice, pin center of binding to center of armscye, and ends of binding to the end of the armscye, continue pinning between each pin. Sew using stretch stitch and press. Fold raw edge toward wrong side meeting raw edge of seam allowance. Fold binding in half, wrap around to right side, pin in place and topstitch. Repeat for the other side.
3. SHOULDER TIES – With right sides together, fold Shoulder Tie in half lengthwise and pin long side and one short side. Sew along pinned edges. Trim corners, turn right side out and press. Repeat with other Shoulder Tie.
4. FRILL – With right sides together, fold the Frill in half, pin short edges and sew. Fold the bottom of the frill ½ inch and sew hem.
5. FINISHING THE BODICE – Mark center of the Front and Back Bodice and Frill. Right Sides together, pin the Frill to the Bodice and sew. Measure 2 ½ inches from armscye and stitch strap to top of frill on both sides. Fold top of Bodice ½ inch to wrong side, pin and sew to create casing. Leave opening to insert elastic. Insert elastic, overlap ends of elastic by ½ inch, pin and sew over ends. Close opening in casing.
6. POCKETS – With right sides together, pin Pockets to the Front Pants where indicated, sew and repeat with all pattern pieces.  
7. PANTS FRONT AND BACK RISE – With right sides together, pin front rise seam then sew. Repeat for back rise seam.
8. PANTS SIDE SEAM – With right sides together put Front Pants and Back Pants together, pinning at the side seam and pockets. Sew starting at the top seam, around pockets and down. Repeat for other side seam.
9. PANTS INSEAM – Pin Front and Back Pants right sides together along the inseam and sew.
10. ASSEMBLING THE JUMPSUIT – Mark center of the Front and Back Bodice, sew gathering stitches at bottom edge of the Bodice. Pin Bodice to Pants and gather the Bodice to match Pants. Sew and remove gathering stitches. Turn Jumpsuit wrong side out. Overlap ends of elastic by ½ inch and sew. Pin elastic onto seam between Pants and Bodice and sew.  
11. HEM – Fold the hem of the Pants ½ inch toward the wrong side and sew. Repeat for other leg.

Congratulations, your Jill Jumpsuit is done. Enjoy! 

We would love to hear how you got on and see photos of your finished project!

Join us at our Facebook Group, tag us on Instagram, or use the hashtag #rpjilljumpsuit.

Thank you for using a Rebecca Page pattern.

© Copyright 2021

All Rights Reserved