Since I have been cleaning out my closet and re-evaluating my wardrobe this week, I have had been thinking about the items I no longer want. Today I was hit by the sewing bug and did a little upcycling of one of my long-sleeved T-shirts and a yard sale sweater.
I found this sweater at a yard sale last Friday. When my sister-in-law showed me a jumper she bought for her baby I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I made a pattern from the jumper and this is what I came up with.
I love the bright colors! The jumper is a little big for Janna right now, but I am sure it won’t be long before she can wear it. I decided to turn the sleeves into a pair of pants. They fit Janna perfectly. Now I just need a top or dress to go with them.
If you will notice, I didn’t have to hem the jumper or the pants because of how I laid out the pattern. This is a real time saver. Plus, the ribbing is cuter than turning a cut edge under. I did add a little lining to the top of the jumper so that you wouldn’t see any raw edges.
This shirt was a little on the short side so I decided to turn it into something else.
This scarf was a fun no-sew project based on the tutorial for the Ombre` Infinity Scarf. Now, I know I have said I am no fashionista, but I know better than to wear a burgundy scarf with a hot pink shirt. I just wanted to try it on and didn’t feel like changing my shirt for a picture. :)
To make a scarf like this you need to cut the hem off of a T-shirt. (The bigger the shirt, the bigger the scarf.) You will also need to cut off the top part of the shirt right under the arms. You will be left with a tube of fabric.
The next part was fun. Stretch the tube as much as you can. Let the kids play tug of war with it, or get your feet involved like I did. That’s all there is to it. Just wrap it around your neck twice and you are ready to go. How simple is that?
I decided to use the leftover sleeves to make another pair of leggings for Janna. There are tons of tutorials on how to make pants without a pattern. However, here are a few instructions in case you are interested.
First, take a pair of pants that fit your baby and use those as a pattern. The hem or cuff of the sleeve will act as the hem of the pants. You won’t need to cut the leg part of the pants, but you will need to cut the seat part. Where the pants go up at an angle at the top is where you will make a cut. Be sure to leave a 1/2 inch or so for the seam allowance. Also, leave about 1 1/2 inches at the top to fold over for the elastic. Clear as mud?
The next thing you will do is to pin and sew the crotch area of the pants. With the sleeves right sides together you will match all along the edge you cut in the step above. It was hard to get a good picture of this step, but hopefully you will get the idea.
Here is what they will look like after you have sewn the sleeves together. Next, fold down the top 1 1/2 inches and pin in place. Sew near the cut edge to make the waistband, leaving an opening to insert the elastic.
Take a piece of elastic and attach a safety pin to one end. Thread the elastic through the waistband. Try it on your baby and then zig zag the edges of the elastic several times to secure it. Then, sew the opening in the waistband closed.
Now you have a little pair of leggings/pants for your baby.
I have several sweaters I want to do something with for Julia. Plus, I have some more knit shirts/T-shirts that I think will be getting makeovers, too. So, expect to see some more upcycled clothing projects here in the near future.
After seeing this video I am excited to wear scarves to change up my wardrobe without buying new clothes. Do you like to wear scarves? I think Janna will enjoy pulling on them. :)
