I live outside of Chicago, where we take our winters seriously. And for those of you who live in the Northern Hemisphere, I don’t need to remind you that (sigh) winter is coming. But you’d never know by the “winter” clothing that is sold for girls–thin little cotton skirts and leggings that would chill the body long before the first snowflakes fall. So I decided to make our 5-year-old daughter some reversible pants with either two layers of flannel or one layer of denim and a layer of flannel. Best of all, if she spills something while we’re traveling or out somewhere, you turn ‘em inside out in the bathroom and presto chango your child is presentable! It’s this magical feat that caused her to name them her “Fancy Pants.”
She lived in these pants and others like them last winter and they only took an hour and a half or so to make. I used a simple elastic-waist pants pattern with three or four seams. I made two pair and sewed them together before I put the elastic in the waist. The added bonus is that I made one a size larger and then turned up the fab Pucci-esque print for added style and more wearings next year.
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My sis and her family live in Chicago and I know what you mean about the cold!!! I will make my lovely niece a few of these I think!!! Thanks for the idea!
Very cute! I need to ramp up my sweing skills before I attemt those, though.
Also, I didn’t know you were outside of Chicago. I am down in central Illinois (Charleston) and I will be up taking my son to the aquarium on Tuesday. Anywhere cool we should go while we’re in town?
What a fantastic idea! I think I need some ‘fancy pants’ myself for next winter (alas, here in Brisbane it’s hotting up too fast)
wow that’s awesome! i’m going to have to make some like that for my daughters!
Very, very cute and very practical.
Do you recommend a particular pattern? I have been sewing a lot lately for my own 5 year old daughter and I don’t have a the skill to look at a pattern and know that it will be a good one. I like the pants idea because my only solution I thought of was the denim jumpers I made with sweat pants underneath.
too cute! as winter is inevitable here in Germany I would love for you to post a small tutorial for these if possible? I´ve never sewn pants before but THESE I would definitely try to make for my almost 5 year old daughter (she saw the picture and immediately told me she wants those.. lol).
I will work in the next few weeks on a tutorial of how you can make these pants. They are shockingly easy. The key is to find the simplest pattern possible, but I’ll do a series of photos as I make another pair for our daughter.
yay! yay! pattern and tutorial please. these are d’lish. thanks for sharing.