Activity #342: Make some easy kids pants

First, I’ll give credit where it’s due:
The author of redcurrent.com gave a clear tutorial for how to make these toddler pants, and the author of tinyhappy displayed inspiring before and after pictures of her tshirts made into pants.

Now, let’s celebrate my success, people. I took this long-sleeved t-shirt belonging to Ryan, and while Julian was asleep, I cut the two required pieces to make pants. About 5 minutes. It’s just a left leg and a right leg. Then, I sewed them together. Now ten minutes have passed. The kid was still sleeping! Then, Heather and Holden came over. Julian woke up, and while the boys wreaked havoc in my bedroom, tossing plastic shovels, cotton balls and Cheerios this way and that, Heather made 75% of a pair of lounge pants for Holden while I coached her and wrangled her baby. Sure, he had to sit in the Pack and Play for a few minutes, but we had a good time. Later that night, I sewed my elastic waist in. The whole project was about 30 minutes.

The full tutorial is here. If you don’t have the patience for my video, just keep scrolling for the instructions laid out in text.

1. Identify an appropriate t-shirt or sweatshirt.

2. Fold a pair of baby’s pants with crotch sticking out and trace. I have outlined what it should look like for you. With this placement of the cut, you will not need to hem the bottom.

3. Cut on your traced line.

4. Cut a second pant leg from the other side of the shirt. Look for the arrow on the left in this picture to see how I used my first pant leg as a guide.

5. You have two pant legs now, right?

6. Place right sides facing each other and pin. Sew along curves.

7. Reorient the pants and you’ll see that you just have a crotch to sew up and a waist to fold over and sew. Leave a space to thread the elastic through.

8. Insert elastic, sew waist closed, and you are done!

Now you can make simple toddler shorts or pants from a t-shirt. Please share your successes with us!

Other t-shirt projects:

• Extend the life of a favorite graphic t-shirt
• Make a newborn hat
• Embellish with felt and buttons