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kojodesigns

kojo tutorial: refashion a tshirt into comfy lounge pants

September 23, 2009

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The various t-shirts in my Goodwill-bound pile (which, I should tell you, has been moved out of the Goodwill box and into a drawer because of the fun I’m having) have been finding new lives as dresses, accents on felt barrettes and ballet flats (I’ll show you soon!) and supercomfy lounge pants for Burke. Since I usually spend my sewing energy on my nieces, it’s been unexpectedly fun to sew for my son!

To make some fabulously comfy lounge pants for your under-sewn-for little boy as well, you’ll need:
-a worn t-shirt (mine was a men’s size L)
-a sewing machine
-scissors
-a pair of ‘template pants’ in the baby/toddler size you’re sewing for
1. Using a fabric pen, trace the template pants onto the front of your (inside-out) tshirt. Fold the pants in half and trace, flip horizontally and trace again. For both sides, extend the top line by about 2-3 inches above the waistline of the template (this will become the drawstring casing later).2. Leaving your tshirt doubled (so, front and back still together), cut about an inch around your two traced pant sides. You should end up with four panels, two ‘left sides’ and two ‘right sides.’
3. Sew your soon-to-be ‘front’ of the pants together (it’ll use one of each of your ‘sides’) and then sew your soon-to-be ‘back’ of the pants together. Use the template pants as a guide if you need it.4. Sew the outer seam and the inner seam of the pants, joining the front and the back together. Use your tracing lines to sew along.5. Roll (and iron) the top of the pants over to make a casing for the drawstring. Remember to roll to the ‘inside’ of the pants, now to the ‘outside.’6. Sew the drawstring casing (tunnel).
7. Cut three long thin strips from your tshirt. Braid them together. This will be the drawstring.

8. Thread the drawstring through two slits that you make in the drawstring casing.
9. Let your little one wear these most-comfy-of-all-lounge pants for car trips, dashing around the backyard, taking naps. Fantastic, isn’t it?

Uncategorized 36 Comments

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Aunt LoLo says

    September 23, 2009 at 5:45 pm

    Dude(ette?) you totally rock. How did you KNOW that my son has exactly TWO PAIRS of pants that fit…and I'm too cheap to spend more than $5 on a new pair for him!

    I think I'm off to Goodwill to find some sweatshirts I can hack up. Excuse me.

    Reply
  2. sara says

    September 24, 2009 at 2:12 am

    I love this!!! I have 3 boys and there are never any cute sewing ideas for boys! thank you so much! I am going to go out and find my good will pile. 馃檪

    Reply
  3. Heidi says

    September 24, 2009 at 2:37 am

    cutie-pah-tootie!!

    Reply
  4. Mandy says

    September 24, 2009 at 2:39 am

    Cute!
    Pants are about the only thing I sew for my son, too. Poor, neglected boys!

    Reply
  5. Hillary @ The Other Mama says

    September 24, 2009 at 2:53 am

    Color me impressed!! That is so cute and your subject matter is a doll, as well.
    I think the only issue I would have is that I'm SURE I would get my old sorority T-shirts and would have my letters smack dab on his hiney… or worse. 馃槢
    That is SO cute!!

    Reply
  6. welovetucker says

    September 24, 2009 at 3:27 am

    What a fabulous pile, I just put this in my…todo at a later date pile. How fun!

    Reply
  7. oh amanda says

    September 24, 2009 at 3:37 am

    OK. I need to learn to sew. And oh, do you make those in MY size? Seriously, how comfy do those look?! LOVE IT.

    Reply
  8. Shannon says

    September 24, 2009 at 3:37 am

    Fun idea! Oh, and the baby.. so cute! Love the blonde! And I thought my blonde boy was as blonde as they came!

    Reply
  9. Anne says

    September 24, 2009 at 3:45 am

    That's so creative, and you have one cute little model!

    Reply
  10. JobandBrittany says

    September 24, 2009 at 3:51 am

    now this is thrifty!! great job, this would be cute with old college & high school t-shirts for kids.:)

    i host a goodwill party every wednesday, stop by and link up! 馃檪

    Reply
  11. Sami says

    September 24, 2009 at 4:42 am

    This is absolutely the most fabulous idea I have ever seen. Thank you! I will be sewing up a storm for my little man.

    Reply
  12. Ashley @ AshleysBusy says

    September 24, 2009 at 1:15 pm

    This is the cutest thing I've ever seen, the pants and your son 馃檪 If I had kids, I'd be all over this project.

    Reply
  13. Katherine @ Grass Stains says

    September 24, 2009 at 2:17 pm

    What a WONDERFUL idea! This would be an especially great idea for T-shirts that parents have a sentimental attachment to and can't bear to throw away!

    Reply
  14. Its So Very Cheri says

    September 24, 2009 at 4:22 pm

    That is a great idea. You should post it on the Knock Off next Monday
    Tonight is the cut off for the give-a-way at my blog.
    Cheri

    Reply
  15. casserole says

    September 24, 2009 at 4:52 pm

    This is such a cool idea for old shirts! I love how the graphic on the t-shirt becomes more of an all-over pattern on the small pants.

    I posted a link to your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:

    http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-repurpose-a-t-shirt-into-toddler-lounge-pants/2009/09/24/

    –Anne

    Reply
  16. Half of the Style Sisters says

    September 24, 2009 at 9:25 pm

    Love repurposing T-shirts. Great job. Loving it!

    Reply
  17. Vintage Junky says

    September 24, 2009 at 9:33 pm

    so so cute! I wish I could sew better!

    SMiles!
    Michelle

    Reply
  18. Its So Very Cheri says

    September 24, 2009 at 10:45 pm

    Can you e-mail me your e-mail I have a question for you.

    Cheri

    Reply
  19. Mommy Words says

    September 25, 2009 at 3:02 am

    Oh man another great reason to relearn my sweing skills. So cute and my hubby has so many old tshirts and my son destroys all his nice new clothes. Now he can destory his dads old tshirts for free! Yay – so adorable!

    Reply
  20. The DIY Show Off says

    September 25, 2009 at 4:55 pm

    What a clever idea! I have a new little nephew being born soon – filing this away for future. So cute and easy!

    Roeshel

    Reply
  21. Aunt LoLo says

    September 28, 2009 at 4:45 pm

    I made these for Siu Jeun, my son! Check it out- http://lolo-craft.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-pair-of-trousers.html

    Not as cute as yours, but…hey. I'm not a patient woman. The only part that tripped me up was the actual SEWING them together. I was stumped! I've never sewn pants before…

    Reply
  22. Aunt LoLo says

    September 29, 2009 at 1:37 am

    (Did I lose your e-mail address? I thought I had a way to e-mail you last time we chatted…or at least respond to your comments!)
    Anyhow, with the wording…I have NO idea. I don't even know if I sewed the pants up right. The first time, I looked down and realized I had sewn a VERY ugly skirt. LOL So, basically, I had to take out the middle seams and…here's what I'd tell myself next time –
    Right sides together, sew the outside "straight" seams together.
    Open those two legs up and then put the two legs right sides together. Sew the "butt" and the "tummy" seams, just down to the crotch.
    Finally, open the pants up the other way and sew the "U" up one inseam, across the crotch, and down the other inseam.

    The tricky part is sewing the "butt" and the "tummy" seams to the right spot!

    Is that how you did it?
    PS – Could I beg you to add an e-mail address to your profile so I can respond to blog comments there? I suppose I could respond on my OWN blog…but I always assume nobody reads the comments. LOL

    Reply
  23. Jacey @ Trash2MyTreasure says

    September 29, 2009 at 8:43 am

    OMG these are sooo adorable! Hopefully I will have a little one to make these for soon 馃檪 You've definitly gained a follower 馃檪 i look forward to checking out all of your other stuff. I found you through that so very cheri, stop by my blog and check it out if you have a chance. Take care!

    Reply
  24. Its So Very Cheri says

    September 29, 2009 at 4:32 pm

    So cute and you've been FEATURED–button grabbin' time!!! Woo hoo

    Cheri

    Reply
  25. Dani and Greg says

    December 5, 2009 at 7:48 pm

    AH! I'm SO doing this during naps today!!! Forget the dishes.

    Reply
  26. Dot says

    February 25, 2010 at 4:24 pm

    Hiya!
    Just wanted to let you know that we've linked to this (using a photo) on dabbled.org today for our clothing refashion roundup… thanks for sharing this great idea!

    dot

    Link: http://dabbled.org/2010/02/clothes-tutorials-recycle-your-wardrobe.html

    Reply
  27. kimberly says

    August 7, 2010 at 11:07 pm

    This blog is very interesting and entertainment. i liked a lot. i think it is very dinamic. Absolutely wonderful and notable I was impressive with all this amazing information.

    Reply
  28. Heidi says

    January 19, 2011 at 7:53 pm

    Love them!!!

    Reply
  29. Tena says

    September 21, 2011 at 9:09 pm

    You have absolutely just solved my Halloween costume problem for my son (who wants to be an orange monster)!! Orange sweatpants = almost impossible to find. Orange adult T-shirts: easy! Yay!

    Reply
  30. cindy says

    June 17, 2012 at 2:06 pm

    comfy pants are a huge thing in our house. love that i can make some for my kids with daddy’s old shirts! I love that you just went at it. I should have more courage, like you! thanks for the tute!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      June 18, 2012 at 1:09 am

      Haha- sometimes I should probably have less courage (there’d be less craft- fails that way)! I was just thinking that I should make another pair of these, though. Definitely a keeper.:)

      Reply
  31. Helen @ Blue Eyed Beauty Blog says

    April 23, 2014 at 8:30 am

    Love these! I’m going to attempt a pair for my 4 month old son who just out grew all his other pants and needs something comfy and light for this spring weather.

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      April 23, 2014 at 4:17 pm

      What a great idea Helen!

      Reply

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