Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Saving Money and Heidi Show and Tell

My daughter is tall and skinny (wish she'd gotten that from me). This means that her pants never fit. By the time they fit in the waist they are too short in the leg. The solution? Altering. Here are her 18 month pants cut off for summer shorts. I also added a belt on one of the pairs. I also made some capris out of another pair but she was wearing and napping when I took these pictures.

These aren't fancy but they are one way I can "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" (one of Pres. Hinckley's favorite sayings).


We bought these sweats at the thrift store. She wore them long until they were just too short so then I cut them off to be shorts. The flower covers up a little hole. Doing a zigzag hem stitch is easy and cute.

I bought these on clearance at Target. She wore them as long pants until her legs got too long. Now they are cute shorts. The embellishment on the pocket was already there and I just used a metallic thread for a zigzag hem to match.


These are my favorites. I originally bought the pants at the DI while we were in Utah. She wore them until they were both too short and she'd worn a hole in the knee. I added the fabric cuff and tie belt and a matching heart on the back pocket (not shown). I love that this pair of pants are in their third life.


This skirt was a dress. The bodice was cute but never fit her well. It was too low and gaped. I cut the skirt part off, removed the zipper and sewed it back together. She put it with this belt of mine and it just cracked me up. She looks like a little gypsy.

The thing I like most about all of these projects is that I didn't have to buy a single item for them. I used scraps and fabric and buttons and things I just had or re-purposed things. It is a great way to be frugal and creative and earth-friendly all at once.

7 comments:

Bethany said...

Very cute! Great work.

Linz said...

This is incredibly awesome.

barb said...

adorable clothes and creative use of what you had.

Liz said...

okay first, she is adorable!
second, my sewing is not always thrifty (I have a fabric addiction) :) but aren't you just so proud of yourself when it is!
such a good job and so smart! I love the shorts idea-all the shorts I'm finding are like daisy dukes or hot pants for my girls, so I'm kind of thinking, duh! I could make my own cutoffs!

Stephanie said...

What a great idea! I've never even thought about doing this! I especially love the idea of making pants shorts or capris, because my daughter is the same-once they finally fit her in the waist they are too short! Thanks for sharing!

Claire said...

Such a cute idea!!! I might have to try this for Cecelia. The problem is, pants never fit her in the waist... today she wore a pair of 3-6 month capris that never fit in the waist... now they fit perfectly as shorts.

cally said...

You are awesome.