Tutorial: T-shirt into Shorts

So may daughter needs to wear shorts under her skirts. This is understandable seeing as to how she's only 7 and still likes to jump, crawl, climb and do somersaults regardless of what she's wearing (and she prefers to wear skirts and dresses). I have made her shorts to wear under them using tank tops and t-shirts that I and my husband are getting ready to take to Goodwill. It's quite easy and I thought I'd post a tutorial in case someone is interested.



First lay out your shirt and make sure the part underneath isn't wrinkled.







Fold the shirt in half.







Lay your pattern on top if you have one. If not, this works just as well. Be sure to leave enough of a seam allowance and go an inch over the waistband so you have enough to create a waistband.






Now open up up what you've just cut out. I've indicated your seams where the white lines are.




Once those seams are sewn, open up the shorts so that the seams end up in the center front and center back. Now you're going to sew the crotch seam at the bottom in once continous line.




Now fold the shorts this way. You are going to create a very shallow smile. You need only do it half-way. So, from the right edge to the middle of the shorts.




You can see it very slightly here.









But when you open it up you can see that it is about an inch lower. The lower side will be the front, belly part.





You will then make a casing by folding down 3/4" to 1"inch. You will sew all the way around, leaving open enought space to thread the elastic through. Once you do that, sew the elastic together and sew the opening closed.




I used foldover elastic because I have tons of it.