Onyx: FreeSewing's Onyx One-piece
Designer Notes
Onyx is my second design. Like Shelly, the design was made to address a need for sensory compression garments (related to autism), as well as the difficulty in finding sleeved and legged gender-neutral one-piece swimsuits sized for adults.
What started as a swimsuit/unisuit design turned into a more general design capable of making other forms of casual or athletic one-piece outfits. I’ve made one-piece pajamas with the Onyx design, and the design should be capable of making simple rompers (such as pajamas rompers), leotards, and unitards, as these garments all share the same general form, varying in fabric, ease, and sleeve/leg length more than in their core design. Options for ribbed cuffs were added to aid in making pajamas with the design, and pajamas were also a major reason for the addition of the optional hood (sun protection is the other reason).
The skirt was added in for modesty, primarily for the swimwear, though it does allow the Onyx design to be used to make gathered dresses with built-in shorts.
Onyx does copy a number of Shelly’s features, including raglan sleeves for mobility and the use of symmetrical front and back parts, except for the neck and head.
Onyx is named after the gemstone and its deep black color, which not coincidentally is a great base color for Onyx swimsuits, particularly if one wants them to look like a wetsuit.
A bit of history: Onyx may never have been born had it not been for the anti-LGBTQ+ protests and boycotts in the spring of 2023, which led to a unisuit that I particularly liked being pulled from the shelves of a major US retailer, and me needing a suitable replacement.
Thrunic
What You Need
To make Onyx, you will need the following:
- Basic sewing supplies
- (Recommended) A serger/overlock machine. Light, strong, and stretchy seams are important for this garment.
- Between 1 - 5 meters (1.1 - 5.5 yards) of a suitable fabric, depending on
size and style (see Fabric options)
- Long sleeves, long legs, use of lining, larger measurements, more ease, use of a hood, and use of a skirt will all increase fabric requirements.
- A typical adult unisuit with short sleeves and short legs with a self-lined body will take about 2 meters of fabric.
- (Optional) Rib knit fabric for the neck, arms, and legs, if desired.
Fabric Options
This pattern is designed to work with stretch/knit fabrics, such as swim fabric, fleece, and jersey.
For unisuits, unitards, and other performance-oriented and form-fitting garments, four-way stretch fabric such a 20% spandex blend is strongly recommended. For more casual garments, such as one-piece fleece pajamas, kigurumi, rompers, and jumpsuits, most knit fabrics can be used. Fleece can be used to make warm winter pajamas, while jersey knit can be used to make a summer romper.
The raglan sleeves lend themselves well to using different colors/prints for the body and for the sleeves. Contrasting fabrics can also be used on the skirt or hood.
Lined portions of the garment lend themselves well to embroidery, as the stabilizer (strongly recommended) and stitching will be kept away from the wearer’s body by the lining. The chest, next to the zipper, is a particularly good spot, both because it’s prominent, and because the chest doesn’t stretch vertically much, since it’s near the zipper.
With swim fabric/spandex, it is recommended to make the neckband out of the same material used for the body. For less stretchy fabric, such as cotton jersey knit, ribbing is recommended.
Cutting Instructions
- Cut 1 front part on the fold -or- cut 2 front parts (refer to pattern piece)
- Cut 1 back part on the fold -or- cut 2 back parts (refer to pattern piece)
- Cut 2 sleeve parts
- Cut 1 crotch gusset part on the fold
- Cut 1 zipper guard part on the fold (optional)
- Cut 1 neckband part on the fold (optional)
- Cut 2 hood parts (optional)
- Cut 1 hood front part on the fold (optional)
- Cut 1 skirt part on the fold (optional)