[Loralee]

My 10 y.o. went through a major growth spurt in the last 2 weeks (2 weeks?) and has just this week outgrown all her pants. Yikes! I need to quickly sew some clothes for her. I did buy her one pair of jeans, her first pair since she started picking her own clothes 4 years ago. Due to her size and style preferences, I can’t go out and buy her clothes and her favorite online store, Mini Boden, takes longer to ship. She can’t go to school in her favorite O+S bedtime p.j.’s?!?! LOL

Right now, she has the jeans and 4 L/S t-shirts soon to be outgrown. I am in the process of sewing her an ice cream dress which she’ll wear with one of the t-shirts. I have fabric for a jump rope dress but that’s not quick! I have fabric on hand for 2 pairs of pants and a shirt, too.

Help! What are the quickest patterns to sew so that she will not go to school naked!?! LOL My daughter and her principal appreciate your advice.

[beachmom]

I think the Sandbox pants are a quick sew.

[Loralee]

Thank you. I just bought the pattern from fabric.com since my local store was sold out. Hope they ship quickly. 🙂

I do own the sailboat pattern which I’ll have to lengthen the pants. How speedy is that one?

[beachmom]

They’re pretty quick too, I’d say. They actually might be quicker than the Sandbox pants since you don’t have to fiddle with the pockets.

Your original post made me laugh, then I realized I’m in a similar boat with my son! He’s down to 3 pairs of pants that fit and one of those is starting to look a little short. I have plans to sew a pair of Sandbox pants for him.:)

[janimal]

I can make a Lazy Days skirt in about 20 minutes. With cute fabric and tights or leggings underneath, I could see those on a 10 year old. I can also make a Popover Dress very fast, which is easy to adjust sizing on. Not sure what your weather is like though – I won’t be sewing any for a while because it’s starting to cool down and get cold here and the Popover is a sundress. But both the Lazy Days and Popover patterns here are quick, easy, and free.

I’m just finishing off a Music Box Jumper and found it actually pretty simple. Someone in another thread said their daughter wanted to wear their Bedtime PJ bottoms as “outside” pants so suggestions were made to add some pockets to make them look more daytime than nighttime. I have that on my list as they are an easy sew and with the right fabric and pockets, I could see them as “regular” pants.

There are lots of patterns available to download so you don’t have to wait for a pattern to be shipped to you or find them at the store. My experience with 10 year old girls is that they can be VERY picky about what they wear – maybe she could browse some online patterns with you and pick some stuff out so you don’t waste time with stuff she won’t wear?

[Loralee]

Janimal, I had to chuckle since it was my daughter who said she wanted to wear her pj pants as outside pants and she just might be able to! LOL I think I might whip up a pair of the pj pants in corduroy with front pockets as one of her pairs of pants.

It’s cold here now but I think the lazy days skirt and popover dress might still be good ideas. I’ll check with her but I’m thinking that the popover as a tunic with a t-shirt and leggings would suit a 10 year old. It’s tough b/c she is very picky. I’m thankful she likes classic clothes with whimsical details, though. 🙂

Beachmom, get crackin’ on those pants! They grow overnight, apparently.

[janimal]

Loralee – oh that was you! I think it was Willow Grove fabric, right? I had just bought some in a different color when I read that post and was pretty psyched to copy you and make some pants with it. I think in corduroy with pockets is a GREAT idea. Please post pictures!

[JohannaO]

I’ll second the Sandbox Pants as a fast pattern, and the Nature Walk pants are a breeze. I’ve got those down to 1 hour or less, with interruptions. (I’ve made four so far.) Which way did she outgrow her pants? Could you add a ruffle or a cuff on the bottom to lengthen them until your projects are done?

[Loralee]

I just got the sandbox pattern in the mail. That was pretty quick, I think. 🙂 I’ll copy the pattern to fabric ease and hope to have at least a pair made for Monday. Nothing like sewing as she needs them. Monday, Ice Cream Dress. Tuesday, Sandbox pants. Wednesday… ??

[JohannaO]

If you have a rotary cutter, and know which size she needs, try cutting two or three at a time with the rotary cutter to reduce your prep time. Just stack the fabric lining up the folds. It’s one of my favorite tricks.

[Loralee]

The rotary cutter! I have looked at them at JoAnn’s every time they go on sale. But they scare me a wee little bit. I must get over it because I really think that pants and the bedtime story pj’s would be super quick with them. And the idea of cutting more at one time is fabulous! Maybe I’ll head over there first thing in the morn to pick up one.

I am accident prone though… :-/

[JohannaO]

If you go, make sure you grab a mat to go with the cutter or your table will suffer. I have only cut myself once, but that was enough. I keep a ruler handy, and I put my non-cutting hand on the ruler, so there is a “bump” that the rotary cutter has to run into before it can accidentally hit my fingers. I also curl them in like when I’m chopping veggies.