Soooo, the more-than-simple recipe to a one-of-a-kind onesie...
First I start with fabric dye... my favorite colors thus far are black (which turns grey and shown below), dark brown (shown below), flamingo pink, and royal blue. I use the brand DYLON, which comes in single packets for approximately $2 at Wal Mart. Follow the directions, the dying process takes about 1 hr, but you can do other stuff (hence our painting party) while the onesies are attaining their new color. After dying, wash them twice in the machine, first in cold, second warm. Dry them after that in the dryer. (Let's turn our heads to the fact that this project is not a: conserving water, b: conserving energy, c: the most organic of processes, shall we?)
At your local fabric store, ask for an iron-on adhesive, also called interfacing or fusible web... don't let the names intimidate you, it's very easy and pleasant to use. Cut a small amount out for your applique. Iron on to a corner of your fabric, on the wax side, interfacing against the back of your fabric to be used as the applique.
Draw your item... I hand draw my ties, but for shapes such as stars, circles, etc., I just use a Word doc and choose auto shapes to create my desired size/ dimensions. Print, cut out, and trace onto the wax side. Cut out your shape, remove the wax paper (like a sticker). The fabric should now be backed with the interfacing, ready to flip over and iron on.
Iron on, and it is now fused to your fabric. Makes stitching it in place MUCH easier!
Choose your thread color (personally, I like to use contrasting colors that will pop out, but in this case, I was making so many different kinds, I was just plain lazy to switch them out!), and sew around the edges, giving them a little room to frey. Now, this is why working with felt or corduroy is more appealing, as they don't have a "raw" edge like cotton. But I still like the raw edge of it--makes it kind of, hmmm, edgy. Yes, that's it.
When using DYLON, I have found the best results in using about 3 items, any more and you can experience some fabric splotchiness. I use a medium sized bucket, about half the size of a paint bucket... but using a paint bucket is effective as well. Just don't go too small, the fabric needs to move freely.
And there you have it! Please come back and leave a link for your post if you attempt this project, I would love to be inspired and see different types of onesies/ clothing created!