{"id":58882,"date":"2018-10-15T17:33:13","date_gmt":"2018-10-15T06:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mypoppet.com.au\/makes\/?p=58882"},"modified":"2018-10-15T17:33:13","modified_gmt":"2018-10-15T06:33:13","slug":"easy-t-shirt-refashion-adult-to-kids-size-sewing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mypoppet.com.au\/makes\/easy-t-shirt-refashion-adult-to-kids-size-sewing\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy T-Shirt Refashion – Make a kids T-shirt from an adult T-shirt"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today I’m going to teach you how to refashion an XL men’s t-shirt into one that your kid can wear. It’s a great little project that will not only save you money, but it’s a fun way to make cool clothing for your kids too.<\/p>\n

\"tshirt<\/p>\n

I was clearing out my sewing room last weekend and found a large bag of thrift store t-shirts that I’ve been using to make t-shirt yarn<\/a> with. As I was going through the pile, Emma spotted this red one with a super cool print on it and wanted it for herself.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately it was way too big for her, a men’s XL, but that was easily fixed with an easy t-shirt refashion.<\/p>\n

Emma has a pretty eclectic style and has a hard time finding girls clothes that she likes. I don’t blame her, if you’ve been to a kids clothing department lately you’ll probably notice that the girls clothes is covered in unicorns, pink sequins and ruffles. Most are quite skimpy and the fabrics aren’t very robust.<\/p>\n

\"tshirt<\/p>\n

All well and good if you are into pink bows and rainbow sparkles, but there really are very limited options for girls that want to wear non-pastel colours in more unisex styles that you can actually play in.<\/p>\n

Sometimes we get lucky and find something cool in either the girls or boys department, but lately I’ve been sewing for her a lot more.<\/p>\n

I’ve been making clothes for Emma from unwanted adult garments since she was a baby. I enjoy refashioning clothing to give it a new lease of life, and Emma loves having unique clothes to wear that suits her style.<\/p>\n

The Thrifty Kid – Adult to Kids Clothing Refashion<\/h2>\n

I ran a blog series about 4 years ago called The Thrift Kid<\/a>. It was all about teaching you how to refashion your unwanted clothing into cute and practical garments for your kids, with minimal effort and sewing skills.<\/p>\n

Read more about this kids clothing refashion project<\/a> here. It has links to 5 easy kids clothing refashion ideas for babies and small kids.<\/p>\n

Now that Emma is older, I may have to add some tween and teen sewing projects to the list.<\/p>\n

\"T-shirt<\/p>\n

Easy t-shirt refashion – from XL to kids size<\/h2>\n

If you’ve always wanted to make clothes for your kids this is the perfect project to start with. You won’t need to go out and buy expensive t-shirt fabric, or know how to trace and use a pattern. You can use an unwanted large t-shirt from your wardrobe or the thrift store.<\/p>\n

You will need a sewing machine, just a basic one that can sew straight and zig zag stitch will work fine. I’ve been sewing with stretch fabrics for a long time and have my own serger\/overlocker, but I’ve often sewn similar garments with my normal sewing machine.<\/p>\n

When you sew stretchy fabric on a normal sewing machine, the best stitch setting is a very narrow zig zag<\/strong>. This allows the fabric to stretch without pulling on and breaking the thread. If you find that your machine is skipping stitches, you may want to invest in a stretch fabric needle.<\/p>\n

I’ve included a more complicated technique for finishing off the neckline. It takes a little more practice than just a folded over hemmed finish, but I think you’ll agree it looks much more professional.<\/p>\n

If you aren’t confident sewing with stretch fabric, have a practice on some fabric scraps first.<\/p>\n

Got questions about sewing this t-shirt refashion project? Go ahead and leave me a comment. I’ll try to respond as soon as I can.<\/p>\n

This t-shirt only took me about half an hour to make, but that’s because I’ve been sewing similar items for a while. Your first t-shirt refashion may take a little longer, but I guarantee you’ll get much faster the more you make.<\/p>\n

Have fun sewing!<\/p>\n

\"T-shirt<\/p>\n

You will need:<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • XL t-shirt or t-shirt larger than your child’s size<\/li>\n
  • Child size t-shirt that fits well to use as a pattern template<\/li>\n
  • Scissors<\/li>\n
  • Sewing machine and thread<\/li>\n
  • Serger\/Overlocker (optional)<\/li>\n
  • Twin Sewing machine needles (optional)<\/li>\n
  • Iron<\/li>\n
  • General Sewing supplies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n