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How-To: T-Shirt Yoga Pants
By Bernadette Noll and Kathie Sever
Future Craft Collective
Kathie and I are both in the same place again -- after many weeks of working from opposite sides of the country. It is amazing, even with communication being what it is -- phone calls, Facebook, email and all the like, it feels so good to be in the studio together again. The ideas get ping-ponged back and forth, one of the many beauties of collaboration, and the conversation and the projects just flow "sew seamlessly". (Sorry, I just had to put that in there!)
This week we were going to do a t-shirt skirt, bowing down to the over-abundance of t-shirts in this world. But as we pondered we realized perhaps the t-shirt skirt patterns are also out there in over-abundance as well. Or at least out there enough. And don't get me wrong, we LOVE a t-shirt skirt, just don't want to inundate you with more.
So instead, along the same theme but with a twist, we present to you the brainstorm of our yoga loving Kathie Sever, T-shirt yoga pants. These are so comfy and easy you might want in every color!
We made these in kid and adult sizes so you can get out your matchy-matchy sun hats from last week and whip up these matchy-matchy pants together! This is a simple pattern that a kid with basic sewing skills can do with a little guidance.
Materials
Oversized T-shirt (we used a men's xl)
Sewing machine
Thread
Scissors
Pattern for Adult-size and Kid-size yoga pants
Directions
Step 1: Lay your T-shirt flat on the table.
Step 2: Place your pattern piece on top of the tee.
Step 3: Cut out your t-shirt according to your pattern and be sure to save the sleeves as you'll need them later on.
Step 4: Place the two pieces out flat, good sides together. Sew up the armholes which will actually be the crotch of your yoga pants.
Step 5: Grab the center of each side of the tee and pull them away from each other so that what was the center, will then become the sides.
Step 6: Lay out the pieces and match up the legs. Sew them together in one continuous seam. Be sure to back stitch at each end so that they don't pull apart. You can now turn these right side out.
Note: You can hem if you like, or leave the edge raw. If you do trim them later, just be sure to redo your backstitch so the legs don't come apart.
Step 7: Trim the sleeves into long rectangles, approximately 6-8" wide. Make sure you keep one side the finished edge of your sleeve, as this will be the finished edge of your turned down waistband.
Step 8: Place the sleeve pieces together, good side to good side, and trim the waistband to fit, leaving 5/8" on either side of finished pants to allow for seam allowance. Sew up both sides.
Step 9: Pin waistband: Right side of waistband to wrong side of pants.
Step 10: Sew the pants and waistband together using a zig-zag stitch so that it has some stretch.
Step 11: Put the pants on and fold the waistband down over the top of the pants. Now get moving!
About the Authors:
Future Craft Collective is brought to you by Kathie Sever and Bernadette Noll. Kathie is an accomplished seamstress, creator of Ramonsterwear Custom Western Wear, artist, and mother of two. Bernadette is a writer, co-founder of Slow Family Living, and mother of four. They have found renewed energy in their collaboration and are continuously amazed by the ideas, inspiration, and a-ha moments that have come from this shared effort.
Hi, I just completed making the yoga pants..opps I used the adult measurements and they were too small for me (I am a Petite 6) so I think I measured wrong. (However my daughter is a pleased recipient.) Thanks for this pattern, I will try again...I'm a novice seamstress so it's a good one to practice with. blessings!
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Hello Agnes,
Sorry about the confusion. What you can't see perhaps is that the waistband is pinned inside the pants and folded down. Then you sew them together. Then when you unfold the waistband it's wrong side out. As in the photo. When you wear the pants you fold the waistband down so that then the good side is out. Here's a picture at this link...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramonster/3793713780/
Let me know if this helps.
Bernadette
Future Craft Collective
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help I'm stuck on step 9. The pic shows wrong side of waistband to right side of pants, but directions say right side of waistband to wrong side of pants. I just can't see how it's supposed to pin together, or in what way it folds over. more pictures or verbal description please?
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oops, nevermind, I figured it out. you tuck the waistband piece inside the pants piece, I forgot about that trick. I made my fine pair of yoga pants today :) thank you!
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I'm excited to see a child sewing! I have way to many friends that need me to sew things for them. It was dying art! This is new inspiration!
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Thanks everyone - the pattern headings are fixed.
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I love this! We're over-run with t-shirts (like most other people), but we always need new pants. Thank you!
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Those pants look so cozy -- and I love seeing your daughter using her own sewing machine. I wish more people would trust kids like that.
Erika
http://tryhandmade.com
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The measurements on the kids' pattern appear to be larger than those on the adults' pattern. Why is this?
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Clearly you haven't dealt with kids in a while...
Naw, I'm just pulling your leg. They're probably just mislabeled. :)
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Oh doh!!! So sorry about that. Yes, of course they should be reversed.
Bernadette of Future Craft Collective
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