• Seworsergeeachlegseam,rightsidestogether,witha¼"seam.

• Turnonelegrightsideout.Tuckthelegthatisrightsideoutinsidetheotherleg,meetingrightsidesandmatchinglegseamsandcurvedcrotcharea.

• Stitchorsergecrotcharea,usinga¼"seam.Foraddedreinforcement,restitchtheseamclosetotheoriginalstitching.

4. Preparethewaistline.• Quartermarkwaistlinewithpinsor

afabricmarkingpen.• Trimthelengthofthe2¼"wide

waistbandthatwassetaside.- Measurethewaistlineofthe

shortsandadd½"forseamallowances.

- Trimwaistbandtothemeasuredlength.

Britches for BoysT-shirtMakeoverforShorts

Form564DL(Rev.Jan.2012) ©2011,Nancy’sNotions®;333BeichlAve.,POBox683;BeaverDamWI53916–0683

Forpersonaluseonly nancysnotions.com 800.833.0690

Use these simple instructions to make a T-shirt into comfortable knit shorts for boys in Africa—the shorts will become a prized possession. Please use a new or “like-new” T-shirt for this project. (There are restrictions in some countries regarding used clothing and import taxes.) Mail completed britches to Britches for Boys, c/o Nancy’s Notions®, 333 Beichl Ave., Beaver Dam WI 53916-0683, and we’ll ship the britches to their destination. For additional information, go to littledressesforafrica.org/blog/.

Supplies: • AdultsizedT-shirt(Approximatesizes:SmallT-shirt=size

4–6shorts,Medium=size8–10shorts,andLarge=size12–14shorts.)

• Rotarycutter,mat,andruler• Matchingall-purposethread

Instructions:

1. PrepareT-shirt.• LayaT-shirtflatonatableinfront

ofyouwithhemtowardyouandneckclosesttotheoppositesideofthetable.

• Laysleevesflatandtoeachsideoftheshirt.

2. CutlegpatternfromtheT-shirt.• Cutoffbothsleevesneararmhole

seams.Theseroundedcutswillbecomethecrotchoftheshorts.

• Determineshortslength.Cutoff3"–6"fromthebottomoftheT-shirt,dependingonshortslength.

Free Instructions

• 1yd.drawcordelastic• StretchNeedle,size75/11• Optional:TwinStretchNeedle,size4.0mm/75• Optional:SeamsealantsuchasFrayCheck™• Optional:1½yd.cottoncording

• Cuta2¼"bandfromthefabrictrimmedoffthebottomoftheT-shirtandsetaside.(waistband)

• Markastraightlineacrosspatternjustunderthefrontnecklinerib-bing,thesamedistancefromeachshoulderseam.CutalongthislinethroughbothlayersoftheT-shirt.

• Cutopeneachsidefromthehemtotheunderarm.Thesetwopiecesarethelegsoftheshorts.

Note: This technique is especially good for shirts with logos as they will remain intact on the sides of the finished shorts.

3. Completetheshorts.• InsertaStretchNeedle,size75/11.

Cutoffsleevesnear

armhole

Cutoff3"-6"

Cutstraightacross

underfrontneckline

Cutupbothsidesfrom

hemtounderarm

Wrongside

Fold

Wrongside

Stitchcrotchseam

• Clipthecordsandknottheendofeachcord.Optional:Applyseamsealanttocordends.

• Whenwearingthegarment,pullupthecordstofit.Tieendsforacomfy,adjustablewaistlinefinish.Cordstieontheinsideoftheshorts.

8. Hemshortsusingyourfavoritemethod.ATwinStretchNeedlemakesagreathemonknits.Foldupthehemandstitchfromtherightside,follow-ingyourmachinemanualinstructionsfortwinneedlestitching.Trimexcesshemallowance.

• Stitchshortendsofthenewwaistband;pressseamopen.

• Quarterwaistbandwithpinsorafabricmarkingpen.

• Matchwaistbandtowaist,rightsidestogether.Positionseamataside;stitchwitha¼"seam.Presstowardwaistband.

Note: If you prefer to make a corded waist instead of using drawcord elastic, eliminate steps 5–7. Simply leave an opening in the waistband seam for the cording and match that seam to the front of the shorts. Turn down and stitch waistband casing so that it measures about 1" from the seam to the fold, and stitch in the ditch of the seam. Trim excess waistband fabric and add cording through the opening in the seam.

5. Preparethedrawcordelastic.• Cuttheelastic4"–6"smallerthan

thewaistlinemeasurementoftheshorts.

• Joinshortendsoftheelasticwitha¼"seamallowance.

Openseam.Ifdesired,stitchdownedgesoftheseams.

• Quarter-marktheelasticwithpinsorafabricmarkingpen,usingtheseamasoneofthequartermarks.

6. Attachtheelastic.• Meetrightsideoftheelasticto

rightsideofthegarment,position-ingelasticseamatthecenterbackofthewaistline.

• Matchquartermarksofelasticandgarment.Pin.

ProjectDesign:ModifiedinstructionsprovidedbyTheLutheranQuiltingGroup,NecedahWIEditors:DianeDheinandPatHahnIllustrations:NatalieNguyenandLaureNoe

• Stitchorsergetheupperedgeoftheelastictothecutedgeofthewaist-band,removingpinsasyoucometothemandstretchingelastictofit.Ifyou’reserging,becarefulnottotrimtheelastic.

• Foldtheelastictothewrongsideofthewaistband.Pinatsideandcenterseams.Useasewingmachinetozigzagtheloweredgeofelastictothegarment,usinga4.0lengthanda4.0width,stretchingtheelastictofit.Stitchfromtherightsideofthegarmenttokeepstitchingjustabovethewaistlineseam.Asanoption,useastraightstitch.Stretchelasticandstitchintheditchfromtherightsideofthewaistband.

Note: To make sure the waistline seam is covered on the wrong side, you may want to baste the elastic in place from the wrong side first.

7. Completethedrawcords.• Pullupcordsthroughmiddleofthe

elasticatcenterfront.

Joinelasticwitha

¼"seamallowance

Stitchdownedgesofseamallowance

Quarter-marktheelastic

Rightside

Rightside

Rightside

Rightside

Pullupcord

Rightside

Clipandknotcordends

Rightside

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