"Pirate Pants" - A Tutorial

A while back I saw a tutorial online for making pants/shorts/culottes from a t-shirt.  I tried and tried to find it again and couldn't, so did the best I could with what I remembered and made my own tutorial.  If I ever find the other one, I'll post it.  

We had a couple packages of black XXL t-shirts laying around, so I thought they'd work out great.  When the girls tried them on they said, "They look like Pirate Pants!"  

Here now, Pirate Pants.

You need a t-shirt.  Mine were new, but you could use any old t-shirt.  A graphic tee might be fun too.

You'll also need a second t-shirt (or scrap of knit fabric) for the waistband.  It'd be fun in another color.

Fold the t-shirt in half and smooth out as best you can.

Cut off the sleeves - Make sure you get all the seams cut off.

**I didn't think of this till the end, but I could have saved the sleeves and used them for pockets!**

Cut off the neck of the shirt.  Just go straight across from the neck to the sleeve.

Make sure the shirt is still smoothed out and cut it in half.  Just cut on the fold.

Lay the shirt open and place right sides together.  Pin the arm holes (which will now become the crotch of the pants) together.

Sew around the crotch using 1/4" seam allowance.  I used a straight stitch, then my machine's version of serging for extra strength.

Turn the pants right sides facing so they look like pants and pin the side seams. 

Again, I used a straight stitch, then "serge". 

I have 3 girls and 4 shirts, so I used the 4th shirt for the waistbands. 

I measured their waists and added about an inch to that length...but I should have taken AWAY an inch because I had to stretch it to fit the pants!  Duh!  I cut one waistband from the bottom of the shirt, using the hem that was already there. (I cut this 4" high)  I cut the other 2 bands 6" high.  I folded these bands in half when I sewed them to the pants.

I didn't take pictures of the next few steps, but...

You'll need to sew the waistband together to form a band.

Mark the center (front and back) of the band and also the center on each side with a pin.

Match the seam of the band with a seam of the pants (I used the back - which, on these pants is the same as the front).

Pin waistband to pants, matching the pins on the waistband to the seams on the pants.

Sew the waistband to the pants - Stretch as you go since your pants will be bigger than your waistband.  

Here they are finished - 

These are just-for-fun-hang-around-the-house pants.  They won't be wearing them out in public - Not even to the WalMart!

Hopefully you/your child won't be able to hop up and down causing your pants to fall off like my youngest daughter can!  I need to go back and make some adjustments there!

Linking up to

Brassy Apple Make it Monday

Craft-O-Maniac Monday