My children are built like they are part-giraffe: exceedingly long legs and arms, itty bitty waists. There is exactly one brand of leggings I can buy my older daughter. They are ridiculously expensive and still only fit her in both length and waist for about six months. If you also suffer a similar problem, together, we can fix it.
Over the next 750 words or so, you can get your kids into clothes that fit them AND grow with them. The requirements are to be brave and have a sewing machine and printer (or access to a sewing machine and printer). You’ll also need tape or a glue stick, some pins or clips, a washable marker, scissors or a rotary cutter and cutting mat, and fabric!
Let’s Start With a Simple Pattern
First things first: if this is your first time doing anything like this, don’t overthink it! Use what you have. Remember to wash and dry the fabric before you start cutting into it or your final product could sit wonky once it’s worn and washed.
In the video tutorial that is in the next paragraph, I use this pattern. The best thing about this pattern is that you can use woven fabric (not stretchy; think dress shirts, sheets, curtains) or knit fabric (stretchy; think t-shirts, leggings, swimsuits).
The first thing to do is READ THE DIRECTIONS in the pattern. They are there to help and will do the bulk of the lifting for this post, along with my video tutorial. (In the video, I’ll be demonstrating some of my tips and tricks for fit!)
Let’s Get to Work!
Glue or tape your pattern together, cut it out, and get ready to cut your fabric. Fold your fabric in half, making sure you can fit the whole pattern on it. Follow the instructions on placement, in regards to the grain (the horizontal direction of the fabric). You want to have two layers of fabric, so you cut both legs of the pants at the same time. This is indicated in the pattern as “cut 2 mirror.”
Next, place your pattern on your fabric and put weights on the pattern to hold it down while you are working (I use large washers from Lowe’s, but you can use anything from cans of food, nearby toys, or rocks your kids have decided need to be housed instead of being in the wild).
If you are working with scissors:
You have two options. You can get a marker, trace the pattern, take off the weights and paper pattern, pin a few places around the fabric so it doesn’t slide, and cut on the marker line. Or, you can cut around the pattern with the weights on it.
If you are using a rotary cutter:
Put the fabric on the cutting mat, put the pattern on top, weigh it down, and cut around the pattern.
My Tricks for Fit
The pattern I suggest above and that I use in the tutorial accounts for a waistband to encase elastic. However, I use Double Brushed Poly (DBP) for a yoga waistband. It has great recovery (which means it keeps its shape). Also, it is soft on the skin and easy to work with! If you’d like to try this for the waistband instead of elastic, cut 2 inches off the top of your pattern (or fold it down 2 inches before you trace/cut your fabric).
For the Waistband
You can switch out the waistband in mostly any pair of pants (I do this with store-bought leggings that fit in length but are too big in the waist). To make this “yoga” waistband out of DBP, measure your child’s waist and subtract 2 inches. Then cut a rectangle of 5 inches x {what your end measurement was}. Take your large rectangle of DBP that you’ve cut and match the short sides together, with the right sides together (“right sides” means the side with the print or the side you want showing on the outside of the garment). Then, sew those ends together.
Once you’ve sewn the fabric and it’s a circle, you’re going to fold it in half lengthwise with right sides out. Match up the raw edges (the edges you cut) and then sew that on to the top of the pants to make the waistband!
For the Cuffs
The same idea is used for the cuffs to extend the length of pants or sleeves. Measure the bottom of the leg opening and cut your fabric that wide, and twice as tall as you want the cuff. So, if the leg opening is 6 inches and I want a 4 inch cuff, I would cut a 6 inch wide x 8 inch tall rectangle. Sew it on the leg opening and now you’ve got a cuff!
Free + Easy Patterns
If you think this is going to be something you’re really going to get into, I highly recommend you invest in a serger (a machine that will “finish” the edge of the fabric for you so it doesn’t fray or run). There are a lot of options on Facebook Marketplace; you can get an entry-level one for about $250 new. Sometimes you can score at the local thrift shops and get them for under $50. In my opinion, a serger is the best way to sew knit fabrics and changed my sewing game by making me at least 75% faster.
If you don’t want to invest in PDF patterns right away, here are a few places that offer free patterns for you to try:
- Ellie and Mac: they always have amazing sales on their patterns, but the Kids Grow With Me Pajamas are top-tier, and the pattern is free.
- Made for Mermaids: the Cora Culottes are perfect beach pants when you want to feel flowy and free!
- Patterns for Pirates: their Pirate Pencil Skirt kept me comfortable and cute when I was pregnant.
- Petite Stitchery: their Kids Yoggers and Adult Yoggers are my go-to pants for myself and my kids. My husband even likes the ones I made him!
Making clothes can feel daunting, and honestly, you’ll probably mess up a ton. But when you have made something that FITS, it’s an amazing feeling. It’s even better when someone compliments it and you can say, “Thanks! I made it!”
