Repurposing Adult Clothes into Kid Clothes

Repurposing Adult Clothes into Kid Clothes

If you know me at all, you know that I’m a fan of repurposing. It gives me kind of a weird thrill to turn something that has lost its use into something really useful for hardly any money. I also like to sew, but the majority of my sewing is either for profit or personal use. This is partly because I’m selfish, but also partly because sewing clothes for little people can be really frustrating since everything is so tiny and they often don’t wear it for very long. (I’m not going to go into the myriad of reasons why I don’t make Noel clothes.) I do however make kid clothes for special occasions and have started making pants for the boy-whose-pants-fall-off-even-though-he-wears-gigantic-cloth-diapers. When I take on these tasks I like to go through my stash of clothes set aside for future unnamed projects. Turning adult clothes into kid clothes not only saves money and reduces waste, but it also can make the finished product look more professional. Allow me to explain.

A pair of shorts with a hole in the crotch turn nicely into a smart looking pinstriped pants for the boy.
A pair of shorts with a hole in the crotch turn nicely into a smart looking pinstriped pant for the boy.

As often as possible I try to keep original hems. This produces a cleaner look in the finished garment and also saves you time. This is often easier to do with capris, shorts, or skirts since pants sometimes drag on the ground. I’m lucky that my husband is super tall so his old shirts currently are perfect for making cute pants for our skinny kid. In case you were wondering, I typically use this basic kid pant tutorial. If there’s enough fabric, I make the pants extra long and hem them using this technique so the professional hem is still visible, but the life of the pants has been extended.

Top
A sequined top of mine transitions nicely into a warm weather tunic for Miss Ellen.

Store bought items often have fun embellishments that I like to work into the new item. Once again, you’ve saved yourself some time and the item doesn’t look homemade to the naked eye.

An old sweater shirt into an asymmetrical cardigan and an old dress into a special occasion toddler dress.
An old favorite sweater shirt into an asymmetrical cardigan and a fancy dress I wore on the first date a boy asked me on turned into a special occasion toddler dress.

Reusing items often means I’m using a higher quality fabric than I probably would have bought, which also doesn’t tip most people off that the item is homemade.  Of course I can’t neglect the added sentimental bonus repurposing can bring. I often hold onto articles of clothing because of the memories they hold even though I have absolutely no intent of wearing them. By turning them into something else, you free up space in your house and the memories can live on.

P.S. Today’s the last day to enter the giveaway. If you haven’t done so yet, hurry over to Monday’s post and leave a comment before I wake up tomorrow morning and choose a winner!

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