Back to School Sewing

by Mary Wilkins
Sew What's New

Everyone is talking "back to school." So much to think about, paper supplies, schedules and of course - their clothes.

Every mother wants her kids to look great. This year both boys and girls have pants with pockets, lots of big pockets.

You can make these easy enough with a simple pattern for elastic waist pants. My grandson wears these with the huge pockets centered on the outer side seams. Any basic pattern with a straight leg will work fine. Examine these pockets from a ready to wear garment and take careful measurements. Be sure to include your seam allowances. You can add flaps with button or velcro closure. Sew as much of the pocket and added details before applying it to your pant. Practically everything can be done this way, right down to the button holes or velcro. Another hint is to sew on the flat. Center your pocket on the outer side seam about half way between the hip and knee. Sew it on before you sew up the inner leg seam, it's much easier this way.

The kids grow like bad weeds. Make sure you allow some extra length when sewing for them. If you are applying ribbing, make it twice the width they ask for and fold up for a neat appearance. You can also add ribbing to the top edge of a pocket to give it a professional look.

Inserting a band of trim on a dress can extend the life of the garment. Take out the hem, if there is a fade line cut the bottom off at the line. Then add a couple of inches of trim, then sew the hem piece back on. Finish it all off with a ribbon edging. Making old clothes look new is not as hard as you may think. Another way to renew a dress is to add a detachable collar. Just construct a collar and add ribbon ties at the back. A nice square collar might look good under an existing Peter Pan.

You can also split a long sleeve down the middle and sew in a co-ordinating fabric. Split about two inches below the shoulder line and stop about 2" from the bottom hem. This will give your garment a completely new look and feel.

If you would like to tell us about your back to school sewing, please join us on the discussion boards in the Children's Clothing Construction.

Mary Wilkins

Mary Wilkins is the mother of 3 grown children and the grandmother of 6 perfect grandchildren. She is also the owner/editor of Sew What's New

This article provided by the Family Content Archives

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