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:
I can’t get over how cute these are… I must make some!
[...] I must admit that there are a slew of great dress tutorials out there. But what about the boys, eh? Well, they deserve their own cup of crafty awesomeness! Like this great tutorial on how to turn a t-shirt into a pair of toddler pants that was featured and done by those clever ladies over at Rookie Mom. [...]
It is a very nice idea!!! I am going to make this project today for my baby sister who is not born yet…… this is my first sewing project….. and i am a little bit scared… but soooooooooooooooooo excited
[...] How to make baby pants out of a tshirt [...]
I just made my first pair of pants, before seeing this, and didn’t realize I could have left it folded over so I wouldn’t have to sew up a side seam. I actually cut the fabric and then sewed it together! It’s great the way you’ve shown it. I’m going to make many more pants from now on, and it’ll be even faster now that you’ve shown me how to skip that step.
[...] Activity #342: Make some easy kids pants from recycled tees Posted: 20/07/2010 by t-yarns in July 2010 0 Activity #342: Make some easy kids pants. [...]
[...] a pair of sleep shorts for the Dinosaur out of some John Deere fabric I had on hand. I used this tutorial, only using shorts for a pattern instead of pants. Suffice to say it went pretty well, for [...]
[...] already covered in thread and fabric snippets, I figured I would attempt some toddler pants, using this tutorial for [...]
Just made a pair for my daughter and your tutorial was perfect! Love it and will be making more!
seriously great tutorial.
My first real sewing project (besides a pillow in middle school home-ec, and some handsewing w/Grandma)!!! First project with a sewing machine, and it turned out ok! I don’t know how it fits JT b/c he’s sleeping, and I didn’t follow the directions that well and I screwed it up at first. I think it might be a little short. But no worries! It cost me NOTHING to make these pants. Now I know what to do in the future, and I’m sure I’ll be making more. Thanks so much for helping a Mama on a budget!
[...] can use all parts of an old ratty tee-shirt to create adorable baby clothes, which is pretty good Berkeley [...]
Absolutly brilliant…
This truly was as easy as you said. I’m experienced at sewing, but don’t have a lot of patience for tedious/annoying projects these days. I blogged it, with pictures (and of course, gave you the credit!):
http://momsdailyadventures.blogspot.com/2010/09/make-toddler-pants-from-t-shirt.html
This is a great idea!!! I love to make pants for my baby. Some times it’s easier and cheapper to buy them lol.
[...] or more pairs of t-shirt pants for LB (really the poor kid does not have many pants that fit him right now; his big cloth-diapered [...]
[...] fleece fabric into sleep shorts for the Rascal and sleep pants for the Dinosaur (again, using this tutorial). I was a little sloppy on Dino’s waistband, but there it is. I’ll see if I can fix [...]
[...] Make some easy kids pants from a tee shirt [...]
[...] just traced the outline of a pair of Pickle’s pants and then made pants using an easy tutorial (like this one). You may have better luck finding a white [...]
Just wanted to say thank you for posting this! I’ve made 3 pairs for my almost 3 year old, and she loves them! I linked you in my blog as well!
I also used the left over middle part to make her a pair of undies today! I love re-purposing things!!
[...] from a turtleneck and the emblem I designed on the computer and printed on iron-transfer paper. The pants are a refashion from Abram’s smock (an old t-shirt). The belt is a ribbon sewn onto clasps. The cape we had, [...]
[...] 12 Nov I sewed something else successfully! I made some cute PJ pants for Zack using this awesome tutorial. [...]
[...] взята отсюда: How to Make Baby Pants or Toddler Pants Однако джинсы, [...]
[...] first link gave me the inspiration to use tees. The second is where Rookiemoms got the idea. Handyprojects offers a slightly more complicated variation, showing how to add cute [...]
I was wanting matching pjs for my two children but because they are so far yet so close in age, couldn’t find any. I asked around for pricing on someone making me a couple sets and OMG! Found this and just made the baby (6 mo) her pair and despite a few mistakes…they came out super cute! I used ribbon instead of elastic for a feminine touch.
Thanks…though I would like to see more of a tutorial for sewing hems or sewing up the top of the pants…
[...] kids pants from a t-shirt from Rookie Moms. Why don’t I sew more? I should just be sewing all the [...]
I didn’t use a t-shirt, but I used this method to make regular pants out of fabric. Thanks! Heading to JoAnn’s to get fleece later this week for lounge pants for the entire family.
[...] I used this awesome tutorial. [...]
[...] great, simple idea is from Rookie Moms. What a great addition to 2-4 year old shoeboxes. I think even girls would appreciate [...]
This is a great idea!!Love it!! I would like to know if I can link your site to my blog.
Let me know if thats ok, thanks (o:
[...] Adorable pants from a t-shirt. Free tutorial found at Rookie Moms. [...]
[...] My weekend project. Wish me luck. [...]
[...] Rookie Moms, I found a tutorial for making baby pants from an old t-shirt. Tim had just cleaned out his dresser, so I had a pile of t-shirts just waiting to be repurposed. [...]
Made these over the weekend and just posted about it on my blog.
They came out super cute and I’m going to make some more this week! Thanks!!
could I use a kids shirt for a baby?
I have only very recently started sewing and today I managed to make myself a pair of pyjama pants out of an old doona cover, inspired by this post. You can see them here: http://mamassewingroom.blogspot.com/2011/04/mamas-baggy-trousers.html
Thanks for sharing!!
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[...] il gioco e le vacanze ricavati da una vecchia tee-shirt magari di papaà, sulla quale magari, come nel tutorial che vi linkiamo qui, c’è un simpatico disegno Ti è piaciuto questo articolo? Seguici su Facebook! VN:F [1.9.1_1087]Gradimento: 0.0/10 (0 [...]
i made plastic baby pants[rubberpants]out of a white shower curtain for my 12 year old daughter to wear under her communion dress last may.i made them big enough to fit her.a friend had the pattern and a heat sealing machine.i bought elastic did the work myself.the rubber pants came out nice and looked babyish under her dress.i put them away with her dress and veil.
[...] Hose aus T-Shirt [...]
You had given a very nice information abut how to make pant with our old T-shirts and its really useful to me.
If you have some more concepts like this means just keep on sharing.
[...] the basic idea behind this easy-as tutorial, I salvaged some fabric scraps to make these cutest-ever size 000-00 pants and shorts for the [...]
wow amazing how u can do it from a tshirt havnt tried it yet but im going to thaks alot x
[...] Baby Pants from a T-Shirt Tutorial from Rookie Moms [...]
Nice Tutorial great result thank you for that
Brilliant!!!!
I’m a “rookie” Nana and love this! I have been making some of these pants for my grandson to play in…SUPER easy!
I just made the t-shirt pants from a Life Is Good shirt…and they came out SO CUTE!!! I haven’t sewn since my 2nd son was born 8 months ago, and this was the perfect, quick project to get me back on my sewing machine
I can’t wait for my 2 year old to wake up in the morning and try these cutie pants on! Thanks for the tutorial!
[...] My Nana first helped me figure out how to make infant pants using old T-shirts. We followed THIS tutorial from Rookie Moms. Easy and super cute. Feeling confident, I branched out and made some Big [...]
I need your help on how to make babies pants. Can’t wait to make one for my baby.