Outgrown pants? Let's make a purse! Sew Along

My daughter is finally growing like a weed. I say finally because she has been shorter than the other girls her age pretty much her whole life. I can't see on top of the fridge so she comes by her size naturally. LOL

She outgrew these pants. SO! Lets make a purse. This is a pretty easy sewing project. It didn't involve any measuring. The inches depend on the size of pants you are cutting up. These are size 7 lined pants from Old Navy.

 

You will need:

Sewing machine and thread

Sissors

pants, skirt or shorts your little one has out grown

Optional:

Ribbon and Humor

  

(1)Cut the pants off at the crotch area. If you want to save the pockets so that you have them  as functional on the purse be sure to slide them up before cutting. Turn inside out, sew straight across. (2) Line the bottom seam you just made up to the side seam ans sew across it, pretty sure this is called a gusset. All I know is that it makes the purse have a flat bottom.

   

Turn it right side out (3). You can be done at this point by jsut putting a strap on, running ribbon through the belt loops and tying a pretty bow.

  

If you want a flap lets keep going.

Cut down one seam on one of the pant legs (4) and lay that fabric out. This will be the flap. Cut it to the size and shape you would like. If you want rounded flap, use a plate to draw the shape into the back of the fabric before you cut. We did a straight flap because it's basic and basic is what we do! :) Make your hems around the flap.

  

Aurora's pants have that elastic band in them to adjust. We decided to keep the elastic. If you are too make sure you up hook it for this next step. Lay the flap in where you would like (5). Mine ended up with the cargo pocket off center, this is where I tell you that pinning is a good thing. ;) lol Sew it on. If you're keeping the elastic go ahead now and tighten it up. 

   

(6)Use the other pant leg to cut a strip for the purse strap. Sew it into a tube and turn it out. Then top stitch the sides down like any purse strap or camera strap. You can just leave it as a tube. You could even cut 3 strips and braid them or use ribbon.

          

Whatever you make as a strap, sew it on (7)

You could add a button or velcro to the flap if you feel that you need it as well. Decorate away!

You can do this with just about anything your kids outgrow. We made a blue jean one a while back. 

 So that's it. Here's my daughter, Aurora modeling her purse. She loves things being made into other things. She's pretty easy to please. :D

Happy crafting! I hope you all have a great Halloween!! We are having amazing weather here in AR, so this is going to be great!