Convergence of a 2013 memory of 1980 Salopettes / Overalls with your requests for Do-It-Yourself Style and salopettes patterns - voila... produced a page of overall ideas with a twist. In the '80s mine were hydrangea blue and we called it a Bubble Suit.
The conversion is for any pants, shorts, or skirt with a waistband. The easiest way to visualize the bib is to think of a pillowcase (sized to cover a portion of your torso). Using a fabric with more weight for the bib would eliminate the need for double-thickness and would only require pressed and stitched edges. In the DIY sketches above, the rectangle (with buttonholes added) is stitched inside the waistband of the existing garment, straps are added... then it's time to customize.
To get nice corners on the bib-front, instead of forming an "L" at the tips - 2 or 3 diagonal stitches are the secret... (Thank you dear Professor B for teaching me this construction technique!)
Straps, Closures, Pockets, and Silhouettes provide so many variations to explore when making your own salopettes, overalls, pinafore, jumper. Straps are simply long pressed and topstitched tubes of fabric. Wide grosgrain ribbon would provide nice straps for a lightweight fabric and might work nicely with the knotting technique (keep buttonholes small and vertical).
My "dream variations" include a double-buttonhole "carrier" for flowers - or a stitched-on ribbon for securely tying flowers (muguet de bois - "lily of the valley"), a triple-function pocket with slots for pencils / brushes and flowers, and a stitched-on button securing a pencil - that idea made me so happy I could burst into confetti - like a fancy party cracker. (Make a loop at one end of string, slip it around the button. The other end of the string can be tied to a rubber band and wound around the top of the pencil. Or, string tied around the pencil can be secured by adding a bigger slip-on eraser.)
Throw on a t-shirt (a short and puff-sleeved one with a bateau neckline is charming) and pull on your DIY Salopette, Overalls, Pinafore, Jumper. Run outside to make the most of your Do-It-Yourself Fashion... because this is a one-piece garment that lends a carefree feeling - frisk about and have fun. Head to the flower garden - or a florist and find fragrant blooms to add some Petit Trianon joie de vivre and pretty panache!
If you're looking for specific jumpsuit or salopettes sewing patterns, some of the ones I've seen available online are McCall's 6437 or 7581 - both NY NY Collection and from the 90s... with a looser fit - or Butterick 3989 overalls / dungarees from the 80s - or unique 1971 Simplicity 9533 knickerbockers with suspenders. If you're interested in a garment more like a romper or sunsuit - for easier dressing - try McCall's 6083. Select this link to see an Art Fashion Creation post featuring one of my practice toiles of a style similar to McCall's 6083 - the pattern was intended for a ballet / dance costume - but lent itself to playsuit variations. The practice toile for the romper is also here (look for the orange strapless suit).
Another DIY Overalls/Salopette/Dungaree Conversion here - with a transformation from hitched-up pants to jumper or pinafore dress... plus you get a very cool 80s music video at that link as well!
Here - the miraculous dance-fever powers of a jumpsuit - from Booty Shaking, Pop and Lock, All Night Dancing at Art Fashion Creation.
