Bandana Pants Tutorial

My girls were in need of some new pants and shorts for summer - so I started in making Bandana Pants.  They're cool, they're comfortable and definitely fashionable!  My girls love them - and enjoy choosing their colors of bandana for their new duds.

Pants and shorts are both easy - I'll include a quick tutorial for each.

For Pants:
2 bandanas
elastic
sewing machine
scissors

Line the bandanas up so that they are square with each other.  My bandanas are 22 inches square - ish.  Sometimes they're not quite square, depending on what brand/how expensive, etc.  I tend toward the cheaper ones if possible.  But for bottoms you want thicker bandanas.

Fold the lined up bandanas in half lengthwise (hot dog style for you school teachers).  Measure 1 inch in from the side edge (NOT THE FOLD) and about 10-12 inches down depending on your child's crotch measurement.  For a 1-3 yo I'd use 10"-11", 11"-12" for 4 and up.  I make a small cut with my scissors at each spot then connect the two with a J shaped cut.

Unfold the pants and sew up both Js using your machine.  Zig zag or surge over the edge if desired to finish it off inside.

Fold the pants now so that the bottoms of each leg of the pants line up (each bandana is 1 leg).  Sew from the bottom of 1 leg to the bottom of the other all the way around the crotch of the pants.  Now they're starting to look like pants!

Roll down the top of the pants approximately 3/4 of an inch and stitch leaving a 1-2" space unstitched to tread in the elastic for the waistband.  Thread the 1/2 inch elastic through the casing and stitch ends together.  Stitch opening closed.


For Shorts:

1 Bandana needed
elastic
sewing machine
scissors

Start by cutting the bandana in half so that you have two identical rectangles, cut edges will form the waist band of the shorts.

Follow directions for pants above.  The crotch/inside leg seam will only be 1-2 inches long as to leave enough room for the bottom in the shorts.

No need to hem the bottom of the pants, they've already got that great rolled edge from the edge of the bandana.

Now go try these on your little one and let them get their groove on!

Fleece Pants - TUTORIAL!

My first tutorial on here - yay!!!

Broke out the Ikea fleece blankets that had been used for another project (fleece jackets for the family a few years ago) and decided to make some fleece pants for the kids.  I figured the ruffle/design on the bottom was great instead of a hem.  Cute, quick and easy.  3 pairs cut and 2 finished in the space of 45 minutes (wanted to get to the blog tutorial, so I didn't finish the 3rd pair).

Materials:
1 fleece Ikea blanket - your choice of color!
3/4 inch elastic - approximately 22 inches per pair of pants depending on the waist size
scissors, thread, sewing machine, tape measure

Fold the blanket in half so that both "fancy" edges are lined up with one another and the side edge is straight.  Cut a large rectangle out of both thicknesses of fleece approximately 20-30 inches wide and 20-30 inches tall.  You should measure how long and wide you need the pants to be on the child that you are making these for.  If you are making them for a 18 month old to 3yo, 22-24 inches square should be more than enough.  I made mine 24 wide x 20 tall and they're a bit too big.

Once you have your square of fabric, fold the fabric in half lengthwise so that the "fancy" edge is on the bottom.  You will cut a J out of the side of the fabric approximately 10 inches long by 1 inch deep.

Once you've cut your "J", unfold the rectangle of fabric, keeping the "Js" lined up on each side.  Stitch the two "Js" but not the side seams.

Once the "Js" are stitched, reach in the top of the pants and align the two seams to one another.  Line up the bottom of each leg and stitch one long seam from the end of one leg, to the end of the other leg - this forms the pant legs.

Stitch the waist band casing approximately 1 inch in from the top leaving a space to thread elastic through the casing.

Thread elastic and stitch securely together.  Finish off and stitch closed the elastic casing.  Turn right side in and try 'em on!

They're a bit long, but she'll grow this winter, I'm sure.  Didn't want them to not fit in a month when it's just starting to get cold.  These will also be great when she's much bigger for some nice fleecy shorts :-/

As I mentioned, I got 3 pairs out of one fleece Ikea blanket - one very long pair, this pair and a wider pair.  Two have the fancy edge, the 3rd pair (long pair) is the "middle" of the blanket  folded width wise on top of itself and cut to make 2 rectangles before proceeding with cutting as above.



Tutorial needs some work, I think, but for now, I hope you get the gist of it.  Ask in comments if you have questions.  I'll be posting more soon, I hope!