How to Make Kids Clothing Out of Pillowcases
Making clothes for kids out of pillowcases is a creative and fun way to sew while creating a completely new, inexpensive, wardrobe for them. The material from the pillowcase is durable; it lasts long and washes well. Create kid's clothes with just a few things and imagination.
Things you need:
- Sewing machine
- Pillowcase
- Thread
- 12 straight pins
- Pinking shears
- Tape measurer up to 5ft
- Ribbon for sleeves
- Buttons or beads for decoration
- Wash and iron the pillowcase.
- Cut a piece of the pillowcase off, leaving the hemmed end, using one of these measurements: 6 months - 14 1/4 inches, 12 months - 16 1/4 inches, 18 months - 17 1/4 inches, 2T 18 1/4 inches, 3T 19 1/4 inches or 4T 20 1/4 inches.
- Cut another piece of fabric that is 1 1/2 inches wide and 30 inches long, then set it aside for later.
- Fold up a half an inch along the bottom of the large piece of fabric. Press it in place with the iron. Then fold up another half an inch and press that too. Stitch the top fold to hem.
- Fold the fabric vertically touching the two right sides together, lengthwise. Pin and stitch 1/2 of an inch from the unjoined edge, creating a tube of the fabric. Use pinking shears to trim off excess fabric.
- Lay tube seam side up with the seam in the middle. Then press seam to one side with the iron.
- Fold the tube in half, vertically to cut out armholes. From the top, unhemmed edge, measure 1.5 inches across and 3 inches down for sizes up to 2T. For 3T and 4T, measure 2 inches across and 4 inches down. Mark your measurement and cut a “J” shaped armhole through all four layers of fabric.
- Unfold the dress and align the 1-1/2 inches X 30 inches piece along one armhole. Place the right side of the strip to the wrong side of the dress. The dress is still inside out at this point. Fold the top of the strip down about 3/8 inches. Meet the top of the fold with the top of the dress. Stitch the strip all around the armhole. When you get close to the end of the armhole, fold another 3/8 inches to meet top of the fold to top of the dress. Cut off the excess fabric. Use the rest of the fabric on the other armhole and repeat this step.
- Fold the strip in half so that the raw edge is touching the raw edge of the armhole.
- Fold over again to the other side of the armhole to create a binding. Hold together with four pins. Then stitch along the binding. Do the same for the other side.
- Turn the dress inside out again.
- Fold the top of the front and back 1/4-inch and then 5/8 inches. Press with an iron. Stitch along the bottom fold like you did for the hem.
- Thread one yard of ribbon or less (if child is smaller) through each casing. Use a safety pin to pull it through.
- Tie your ribbon to complete the sleeves. Sew on buttons or beads if you want. You just make your daughter a beautiful dress.