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:
[...] Awesome eh? Here’s the simple video tutorial from rookiemoms.com [...]
Hiya Gals!
I’m a new mommy & absolutely love your site! I’ve already made a load of pants for my little munchkin & featured your awesome tutorial on my blog! *along with my own showing how to make baby hats out of the leftover scraps: http://awesomesauceasshattery.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/the-funkiest-baby-on-the-block/
=O)
[...] If the photos to black or white or give different you can also prove to be a nice little retreat for the kids when they are in a hurry to acquire your newborn photography contest for sheer cuteness factor [...]
[...] Repurpose something – turn one of your well-worn t-shirts into basic play pants for your baby. Or save egg cartons for paint wells, seed starters, treasure boxes, or a myriad of [...]
[...] Repurpose something – turn one of your well-worn t-shirts into basic play pants for your baby. Or save egg cartons for paint wells, seed starters, treasure boxes, or a myriad of [...]
[...] of this idea. The other day I was messing around and came across a tutorial for T-shirt pants from Rookie Moms and I decided to try them out. Thanks to Tobias (the cat), I had a sweatshirt that got bleach on [...]
[...] something – turn one of your well-worn t-shirts into basic play pants for your baby. Or save egg cartons for paint wells, seed starters, treasure boxes, or a myriad of [...]
[...] Here’s one of the many tutorials online on how to make these easy pants. [...]
[...] saw a tutorial a while back for making baby pants out of an old sweater (my favorite) and another DIY for making them out of a t-shirt. Precious has an abundant supply of pink pants so I’m trying to introduce more colors in her [...]
[...] Make Some Easy Baby Pants | Rookie Moms. [...]
[...] happy post. She shows how to make some easy kids’ pants out of old t-shirts. Visit her tutorial here. Whitney and Heather’s blog, Rookie Moms, has the tagline: Two geeky girls’ guide to the [...]
Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all people you really understand what you’re talking approximately! Bookmarked. Please also seek advice from my site =). We may have a hyperlink alternate contract between us
[...] Repurpose something – turn one of your well-worn t-shirts into basic play pants for your baby. Or save egg cartons for paint wells, seed starters, [...]
[...] Repurpose something – turn one of your well-worn t-shirts into basic play pantsfor your baby. Or save egg cartons for paint wells, seed starters, treasure boxes, or a myriad of [...]
Awesome tutorial! I went to the post you referred to and both helped me so much! Check out the pants I made!
http://madebyniki.blogspot.com/2012/02/flannel-pants-for-my-son.html
I need your help on how to make babies pants. Can’t wait to make one for my baby.
[...] Repurpose something – turn one of your well-worn t-shirts into basic play pants for your baby. Or save egg cartons for paint wells, seed starters, treasure boxes, or a myriad [...]
[...] How to Make Baby Pants or Toddler Pants – Rookie Moms — … [...]
[...] year I came across the most amazing post on Rookie Moms which teaches you to make shorts for children from an old t-shirt or shirt. This is really really [...]
[...] and wanted to share with you! Leggings made from old t-shirts. I got this tutorial from Rookie Moms. A pair of long shorts. I've had terrible luck in the past with shorts patterns, so I actually spent [...]
nice, i am going to handsew one for my almost a year old baby.
[...] your pants together. I know, I know. That seems like I’m skipping a bunch of stuff. Go here if you need help on [...]
Love this tutorial. I added a link to it on a little article I wrote about re-using old clothes. Hope that is ok, if not please let me know and I will remove it promptly. you can find it here http://www.chappellavenue.blogspot.com
keep up the good work!
[...] actually share the pattern with you I used for the pants. But here is one that is really close (Pants Pattern Tutorial). Follow the instructions and sew the pants according to the directions. If your pattern does not [...]
[...] many years ago, but have never actually worn. After seeing two posts about upcycled baby trousers, one from a T-shirt and one from trousers, I thought I’d see if my skirt could become a pair of trousers for [...]
Thank you so much for this post!! I’m learning to sew and I got soooo confused by the diagram on the layout…logically I was thinking to cut out the legs the way you have shown but the diagram was whisking different…when in doubt, I google and found your site