NICU Smock Pattern
I drafted this pattern 4 years ago after my cousin’s little boy Benjamin was born months early weighing in at 2lbs 8oz I searched everywhere for preemie cloths to fit! Babies less than 3lbs are considered ‘micro-preemie’ & you can actually find some stuff on the internet to buy made, but not many patterns. So after looking at different things I drafted up a pattern for a NICU friendly preemie smock that fits a good range of sizes. When babies are in the NICU it really helps the parents to see their little ones wearing some sort of clothing. BUT with all the monitors & wires many clothes are difficult to get on, or they get in the way of the wires or the nurses… which is what makes these so great!
I do not want to sell this pattern because I did not create it so people could make them to sell or I could profit off of it, but to encourage people to help others out. For that reason this pattern is free for personal and charity sewing only. This pattern, the pieces along with the instructions & photos, are copyrighted & may not be sold or reproduced without the written consent from the owner of Everything Your Mama Made & More! Feel free to link people back to the blog where they can access it for free.
Before sewing items to donate to the hospital (this or others) PLEASE contact them first & ask what they need… you may need to bring this in to show them before they can give you an answer. Some hospitals are very strict about what they can take.
If you have any questions feel free to send me a quick email or leave a comment
Copyright © 2010 Everything Your Mama Made & More! All Rights Reserved.
Baby Ricardo born at 31 weeks 4lbs 1oz, wearing a reversible smock.
Preemie 6lb doll in the serged version from a generous pattern tester from www.sewingmamas.com
This is a NICU friendly pattern that fits most 3-7lb babies. All seams are ¼” seam allowences. To make 1 layer with serger finished edges you need 1/3 yard of soft 100% cotton flannel. For a 2 layer reversible smock you will need 1/3 yard EACH of 2 different 100% cotton flannels. If you buy 1 yard cuts you can get 5-7 out of each yard depending on how you lay them out. Make sure to pre-wash your fabric in warm or hot water & dry on high… these are washed often & need the fabric needs to be pre-shrunk. It is important to use velcro & not other types of fasteners, sometimes NICU babies are undressed in a hurry, velcro is one of the easiest & fastest thing for the nurses to get open and out of the way in a hurry.
DOWNLOAD THE PATTERN PIECES .PDF FILE TO PRINT HERE
1 layer serger or bias tape smock…
Cut one each of pieces A (on fold), B & C.
2 sets of sew on velcro measuring 3/8” X 3/8” (one for each +, the soft sides on piece B or C & the rough sides on piece A) and optional package of bias tape.
Optional Package of Bias Tape.
STEP 1: Lay piece A right side up on your table & then put piece B right side down on top of it so the shoulder matches up & pin. Then lay piece C right side down matching it up with the other shoulder & pin. Sew a ¼” seam on both shoulders attaching all 3 pieces.
STEP 2: Finish raw edge with your serger OR apply bias tape all around the edge.
STEP 3: Sew on velcro. You will sew the rougher sides to the WRONG side of piece A where the +’s are marked on the pattern piece. Then sew on the soft sides to piece B where the +’s are marked on the pattern piece.
That’s all there is to it!
2 layer reversible serged, bias tape smock or sewn & turned…
Fabric 1… Cut one each of pieces A (on fold), B & C.
Fabric 2… Cut one each of pieces A (on fold), B & C.
4 sets of sew on velcro measuring 3/8” X 3/8” (one for each +, the soft sides on piece B or C & the rough sides on piece A) and optional package of bias tape.
Optional Package of Bias Tape.
Chopstick or other turning aid.
STEP 1: With fabric 1 lay piece A right side up on your table & then put piece B right side down on top of it so the shoulder matches up & pin. Then lay piece C right side down matching it up with the other shoulder & pin. Sew a ¼” seam on both shoulders attaching all 3 pieces. Set a side & repeat with fabric 2.
STEP 2: For sew & turn instructions skip to step 3. Put Fabric 1 right side DOWN on the table. With Fabric 2 right side UP lay it on top of fabric 1. Line them up & pin together! Finish raw edge with your serger to attach the two OR sew with a narrow seam on your sewing machine to hold them together and then apply bias tape all around the edge. SKIP TO STEP 6
STEP 3: To sew & turn! Put Fabric 1 right side UP on the table. With Fabric 2 right side DOWN lay it on top of fabric 1. Line them up & pin together (you should not be able to see the right side of either fabric)! Sew a ¼” seam all the way around it leaving a 2” unsewn section at the bottom center (the straight part) Clip your corners almost to the seam for a nicer finished look.
STEP 4: Using your chopstick or other turning aid now turn the smock right side out. Mak sure to use the chop stick to get all your curves & corners nice so it is easy to topstitch! Take an iron to it to make your edges crisp & easy to topstitch! Your opening should fold under ¼ inch nicely like shown… pin closed so you can topstitch it closed.
STEP 5: Using a 1/8” seam allowance topstitch the entire outer edge. This will look nice & also keeping it from getting all wonky when being washed!
STEP 6: Sew on the velcro. You will sew the rougher sides to BOTH piece A’s where the +’s are marked on the pattern piece. Then sew on the soft sides to both piece B where the +’s are marked on the pattern piece. There is NO velcro on piece C because that soft fabric is against the babies skin!
That’s all there is to it!
That is a really good idea! Im going to call my hospital and see if they need any. Did you use flannel or cotton?
I use flannel which actually is cotton. I highly recommend JoAnn’s snuggle flannel if you have one near buy, it washes up SO much softer then most other affordable flannels!
Thank you so so much. My friends baby was born this June at 1lb 10oz. I looked everywhere for micro preemie patterns and just had the hardest time finding things. Sadly, Miss Molly passed away In early August, but we continue to make donations on her behalf. It really helps her cope too. I can’t wait to make a stack of these!
Thank you so much for creating this! My baby was born 14 days ago at 2lbs 6oz, and we’ve been given permission to dress him, and I’ve been having a heck of a time finding patterns. This is perfect. Thank you so much!!!
Can’t wait to sew these. Thanks for the pattern.
I wish I knew about these when my daughter was in NICU (7 years ago now)….would of been so much easier to get around her lines and wires.
Such a great idea and absolute credit to you for doing such a wonderful thing for these little bubba’s.
Thank you so very much for sharing your pattern. Our grandson was born at only 24 weeks 1lb 8oz. He is 28 weeks now and weighs 2lb 2oz. I wanted to make him one of the t-shirts and found your pattern. Thank you again!
I wish I had seen these about 9 1/2 years ago. Our twins would have been able to use them. They were 3 lb 15 oz and 4 lb 9 oz. These things are adorable!!
They would even be cute for my 3 year old’s baby dolls.
As a former NICU mommy of 30 week micro preemie twin girls it was a nightmare to find the girls clothes. Thank you for sharing this pattern. I can’t wait to make some of these to donate
checked with a nurse from hospital yesterday here in fla.she had never seen anything like this and would love to have some for “her babies”,sid to make sure they were soft cotton flannel
char
Thank you so much for creating and sharing this. My daughter was a NICU baby and I contacted the NICU here and they are more than happy to use these, I made my first one tonight.
I have made several of theses smoks for the local hospital and a home for unwed mothers.
i have made several others bu adding 1″ to pattern for larger babies.
Many wonderful commnets on pattern.Thanks for sharing this pattern,many happy cute babies and happy mommys
char
These are so GREAT!!! I cut out and sewed 14 of these yesterday. They are so easy and cute!! I have to put the velcro on them, then find a hospital to donate them to. I want to make some more today so there is a big pile to take when I find somewhere.
Thanks again and thanks to Joann Fabrics for having flannel on sale this week!!
I made these for a friend with preemie twins. She loves them! You can see them at http://mommysgreat.blogspot.com/2011/06/nicu-smocks.html
Hello,
first let me say a big THANK YOU! This is awesome and you are to. Quick question, If I am not using a serger, and I am using bias tape, do I allow for 1/4 inch seam around entire smock or just at the shoulders?
Thanks
angie
You only NEED it at the seams, though honestly it’s forgiving enough size wise that you don’t need to go to the trouble of removing it… I don’t actually cut anything off when I make the serged ones! This is why the turned & top stitched tend to fit the tinier babies a little better. I hope this helps!
Dear Kymy,
Thank you so much for sharing. I teach sewing at a private school and I was looking for an easy and tested (and free!) pattern for these. They fit the bill exactly. We make flannel blankets for Project Linus almost every year, and if we cut the flannel about 32″ square, we are left with enough to make a couple of these shirts. Perfect! We will be donating the shirts to Newborns In Need. It is a perfect project for girls to learn to do their part in the world, and the more advanced students use their skills making bereavement garments for the babies that don’t make it, so they are not buried in just a blanket, plus it helps the parents.
Anyway, just wanted to let you know that your sharing is multiplying quickly, from what I can read in the comments above! What goes around comes around: Much joy to you, God bless.
Beatrice
Thank you so much for letting me know, I am so glad I could help! If you ever want to share pictures with me please use my contact us page, I love to see my readers work!
Awesome pattern! How hard would it be to make a pattern like this for babies up to around 15 lbs? My son spent a lot of time in the ICU, as he was born with a heart defect. Even at 8 months old, and 75th percentile on the growth charts, he was in the ICU and couldn’t wear normal clothes because of all the tubes and monitors connected to his body. The children’s hospital he was in has a special Cardiac ICU for kids like him and I would love to make some of these to donate.
Honestly I would try photo coping it & blowing it up to 150%? I am actually working on grading it for bigger babies that have hospital stays.
Thank you so much. My son Benjamin was born just under 2 pounds and these type of shirts were the best for dealing with all of the tubes and cables used in the NICU and afterwards. I think I’ve found a great thing to donate back to the NICU that helped me bring my baby home. Thank you so much.
I hve made many of theses for our hospital here in Fla (Spring Hill hospitsl) , Working on several to go to St Judes in Tenn.
Some instead of doing on fold line am taking them to edge of pattern, making them just a little bigger , using ribbon instead of velcro.
Thanks so much for sharing this quick,easy and so great a pattern
char
We had our sweetest little boy at 31 weeks and were given a little smock in the NICU and now we are making some for our awesome NICU! Thanks so much!
I LOVE this, such a great idea, I want to donate to the hospital now but I have a question? If I don’t have a serger and don’t have any bias tape can I just do the zig zag stitch around the eges or do I need that bias tape? Thanx for the tutorial!
Natalie
If you use a knit fabric you could get away with that, but not with wovens like the soft flannel. If you don’t have a serger or bias tape I would suggest making the reversible version instead. Otherwise it will unravel into a thready mess. The zigzag is great for finishing seams you don’t see, but not so much for just finishing raw edges. I hope that helps!
I spent a couple of hours making a stack of these with some family members. They turned out so great. It was so nice to be able to make something cute for those darling little babies. Thanks so much for sharing this pattern!
http://toddandkristy.blogspot.com/2011/12/5th-annual-betty-hively-christmas-party.html
That is just wonderful!!!!! Merry Christmas!
Thanks for the pattern. Our family, community and education club, (fce) formely called home demostration club.plans on making these for our state project. Since we don’t have a hospital with a nic unit, we are going to ask surrounding hospitals in Nashville TN,, Murfreesboro TN. or Huntsville Ala.
Thank you for sharing your pattern. Here’s how I used it. http://sheblogsfunny.blogspot.com/2012/02/for-maries-daughter.html