Making children’s clothes from used garments
Even someone with modest sewing skills can turn adult clothes that are no longer worn or out of fashion into something new for a child: a wide dress or shirt can become a child’s dress or blouse, worn trousers a skirt or shorts, a jacket a light child’s jacket. The main rule: every piece of the new garment must fit onto a whole, well-preserved part of the old one. That is why styles made of several small pieces are often chosen – a large one-piece part may not fit on the old pieces. If the right side of a garment is faded or worn, its reverse can be used as the right side. Order of work: 1) carefully unpick the seams, clear off threads, wash well and iron; 2) lay the children’s pattern on the ironed pieces and cut; 3) if the main fabric is not enough, use a helper fabric matching in colour and texture (a combined item); if the helper fabric is new, wash and iron it before cutting (so it will not shrink); 4) draw the clothing model first, then make the pattern. Enlarging a pattern: equal squares (a grid) are drawn over the original; a matching rectangle is drawn on clean paper and divided into the same number of squares; key points are copied square by square and joined with smooth lines; numbers are put on the sides. After sewing, clean off threads, iron, make the buttonhole and sew on the button. Safety: use a seam ripper or sharp-tipped scissors for unpicking only as the teacher shows, with the fabric on the table and the blade turned away from your wrist; used clothes are washed and ironed well for hygiene; clothes for little children must have no neck cords, long ties or loose small buttons and beads – a child could swallow them or choke; secure buttons with extra stitches; work with the iron and machine under the teacher.
Reuse plan: with an adult at home choose one old garment and draw what children’s clothing can come from it. The garment should have no cords and no small parts. Do not cut anything without an adult’s permission.