Because Size 2T Slim Pants Don't Exist

One thing I miss about cloth diapers is that they held my skinny boys' pants up! Mayer needs pants with a 12-18 month waist, but 24-36 month length. He has an 18 gallon tote over flowing with size 18-24 month/ 2T hand-me-down pants... just pants! Since size 2T pants fall off and I got rid of most of the size 12 month pants, I had to add length to the 18-24 month sizes.They are still a little big around the waist, but I'm not about to go out and buy more clothes when he has so many!

I had seen a pin on Pinterest to add a contrasting panel to kids' jeans to lengthen them. I thought it was a good idea and liked the look, so pinned it to help me remember. I forgot about it until it started getting cooler outside. (In case you can't see the time-lapse between pictures, I intended to write this a long time ago!) Fortunately, it worked like a charm (except for once when I tried to get fancy with a zig-zag at the bottom). This pair even got an extra pocket.

They still look a little short with his boots, but work well with his tennis shoes and crocs. It has even worked with some of his sweatpants. Unfortunately, he doesn't have any jeans that fit him that don't added the panel. I also don't have enough khaki scraps or figured out a way to lengthen a nicer pair of pants. Thankfully, he doesn't have to dress up much.

 

I need to do this to two pairs of my own sweatpants that are too short to be pants and too long to be capris. While Tate struggles with the same problem, but I hesitate to add length to them since Mayer, my little shorty, will be inheriting them next. (I will probably be adding lengthening panels to these same jeans for several years for Mayer!)
Tate's pants have a different problem, the classic boy problem- holey knees! While he is lucky enough to receive hand-me-downs from his cousins, most of the jeans need repaired. He wears the holey pairs daily and we save the non-holey for special occasions, so they don't end up in the same shape. His favorite pair:

Lace Patched Denim

My niece, Lily, has always had her own unique sense of style. We enjoy doing sewing projects together, especially refashions. She asked me to help her refashion a pair of jeggings (denim stretch pants). She came up with the idea herself, asked Mimi for some lace and asked me to put it under the holes in the knees. We also created one more hole so she could add more lace.

I don't know how she came up with the idea-- she's only 8 1/2 and isn't on Pinterest yet, which is where I saw the idea! :) I bought a pair of jeans from my favorite local store- Brick House Boutique- that were already frayed. (Yes, I paid for jeans that already had holes in them.) I love the frayed look, but I ripped one of the frayed parts on my thigh and now my skin pushes out the hole when I sit down. It is not a flattering look! I knew I wanted to patch the hole with lace.
With Lily's, I just sewed the lace in as the patch. I did mine a little different. I sewed my lace to some scrap denim. I pinned my piece inside the jeans. I used jean thread in my bobbin and stitched around my patches. Since I used the jean thread, you really can't see my seam. The only place I can tell is on the top and bottom of the patches and one place where I didn't line my patch up to cover the frayed hole. I'm sure no one else will notice... as long as you don't tell!

I'm really happy with the way they turned out. I may have to make a few more holes and patch them the same way!

Denim Maxi Skirt

I'm sharing my recent sewing projects since September is National Sewing Month.
The request for me to make a denim skirt came from my mom. She had seen some cute refashioned denim skirts and what to see what I could come up with. She got me a pair of Wranglers to use. I looked searched for inspiration, but I didn't really see anything that grabbed my attention.

 My version isn't very creative, but it does have some character. I left the edges raw around the bottom and where the panels are inserted. I also had fun with the stitches I used to patch a hole on the back.

Denim Dress

Happy National Sewing Month! I'm trying to share some of my recent sewing projects. (The problem is finding a decent and willing photographer in my house to take my picture!)
I saw this picture on Pinterest and I wanted to do something similar. I think it's a Gap shirt or maybe it was a little girl's dress; either way, I can't find an actual link any more.

Here's my copycat:

I modified this pattern. I left off the sleeves and made the front panel solid to keep more of the embroidered material. I wish I would have made the yoke longer too because I love the fabric. I found it at a thrift store!

I'm not sure what kind of fabric it is, but it's fairly lightweight. Since I was pairing it with heavy denim, I used fusible interfacing and put denim behind it. The bottom of the dress came from the legs of a pair of jeans... plus about a 2" strip from another pair because it was too tight without it.

#freefromtrash Denim

Day 20: Denim
I had a perfectly good denim project I could have used for this challenge and posted it on time.

 From a jean skirt I found at a thrift store to a purse.

 The back

The inside is line with a button down shirt.

I also made a new clothespin bag out from the pant leg of a pair of jeans. 

**Side note** My milk jug clothespin holder has held up surprisingly well!

In all honesty, I been waiting for my new sewing machine. I have been waiting several months (for the machine and for this project) and now that I got my new machine, I have been super excited to make these:

 

When I first saw the picture on Pinterest, it was just a link to the class. As I was linking the picture to their site, I noticed that now you can send an email for the pattern and instructions and they will email them to you for free. Part of the fun and challenge for me is seeing if I can recreate something I see without help. If I can, then it really is my own. I did it... well, sort of...

If you have been a regular reader, you know that my boys have incredibly thick feet! I was afraid that I would make them too small and not have enough denim left to make a new pair. As a result, I was extra generous with the seam allowances and measurements. That's why I say, "I did it... well, sort of..." I was successful in making a shoe, it just happens to be ginormous! I don't think I've ever said that referring to shoes and either of my boys! I kind of like this custom footwear. Thankfully I cut everything so each boy would have a pair, but I only completed one shoe. I wanted to make sure it was going to work before I finished a pair.I will post an update and picture when I get a pair finished.
I was SuPeR excited while making them! I had completely forgotten that my Great Grandma Boltin had made denim shoes for my uncle one summer, until my mom reminded me. This is also one of the first projects I have made with my new machine so I am still learning about all its features. Now I'm just hoping I have enough to make a pair for me too because they are so awesome!!
I was thinking of adding some leather to the bottom to make them more sturdy for outdoor use, but I was too excited to make them and I didn't want to make a special trip to Hobby Lobby to find some. After trying to find a pair of flip-flops for myself last weekend, I'm considering trying to make a pair of those too. I wear a size 10. I only saw ONE PAIR of flip-flops in that size and we went to multiple stores in the Kansas City area! So frustrating! My new sewing machine has an awesome buttonhole feature that would work really well for a pair of flip-flops... hmmm... a plan is formulating now! :)