Make a toddler dress from a t-shirt.

This Instructable will show you how to easily make a long sleeved toddler sized dress from an adult sized t-shirt.

I have a hard time finding winter dresses for my girls, that are not too fancy, and not too expensive. I have a lot of t-shirts, none of which fit me well, so here is a great way to use them. 

These dresses go great with leggings, are nice and warm, and the kids love to wear them.

You will need:
A toddler.
A t-shirt that currently fits your toddler.
An adult sized shirt to make into your dress.
Scissors
A sewing machine.

Step 1 Try the t-shirt on the kid.

Have your kid try on the t-shirt. Make sure they are not scared of the logo, or think it's ugly or itchy, or what have you. This is also your chance to check the length, collar and sleeves. The length will be about an inch shorter than it is now. You can make it as short as you want, but you can't make it any longer. The sleeves will be the same length they are now. If the collar is too big, see the last step on this instructable, but it does make the project a lot harder. My advice is to pick a different t-shirt, or find a bigger kid.

Comments

[chachookwaus]

i love it

[goingon]

so impressed, love your ideas and your little girl

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www.dresses-shopping.com

[lizzyanthus]

Thank you for a great tutorial! I'm going to send your link to my daughter in law, who we just gave a new sewing machine to, for her birthday. Shes new to sewing, but I think this will be a great project for her, that will be easy and help build her sewing confidence! Oh, and I was looking at the t-shirt in Step 2, and thought, Why not use the left over sleeves and body fabric to make a dress for a dolly? You could just sew the two halves together, and finish off the neck and hem?

[domestic_engineer]

cute idea. dress for a dolly. or maybe a scrunchie

[jujulie_f]

Wow! Such a good idea!! And great instructions too!

[busy_as_a_bri]

I love this! Thanks so much for posting clear and concise directions :) -I'm a novice at sewing still.

[mary candy]

I love this awesome ible!

[soldiergirl83]

This has become my go to dress for my daughter. She has about 10 of them with different embellishments, lace, buttons, ruffles, ect. Thank you!

[cheeriokate]

I love this idea! I'm thinking now how I can use this design for adults... thanks for a great instructable!

[domestic_engineer]

if you had 2 t-shirts, you could keep one as is, and make a skirt out of the second one, and attatch it. it would work well if the 2nd t-shirt was really big, and a coordinating or same color.

[cheeriokate]

That's what I was thinking. I'll have to try it :)

[bluenebe]

What a wonderful idea. Thank you! It was fun to make and the result made both me and my little one happy.

[domestic_engineer]

wicked cool!

[missesbozo]

absolutely awesome instructable! i got 5 awesome t-shirts for 25c each at a garage sale, and made this one in 20 minutes...just like everyone else said! it is great as my daughter is tall and slender, and if things fit lengthwise, they don't fit around, and vicea versa. thank you, thank you, thank you for makin' it simple! i've posted this pic on my FB and put a link to your instructable so all my other crafty mommy friends can check it out as well. now on the hunt for good condition Journey or Metallica t-shirts! ;)

[domestic_engineer]

cute!

[Noymira]

Thanks for the instructable! This is the first thing I've sewn in years, it was really easy!

[domestic_engineer]

love it!!!

[xstitcher66]

i was just about to donate a bunch of clothes, including a huge # of t's when I came across your Instructable completely by accident. Needless to say, those t's are no longer in the donation box and my Granddaughter is getting a bunch of "new" dresses.

Thanks for the great (and funny) instructions. As per #1 on your needed items list, I do not have a toddler myself, but I am going to borrow one. :)

[aleena09]

Love this I will start making my daughter one Tomorrow morning this is an amazing idea and also great instructions thank you fo sharing: D

[cathyellowboutique]

This is a wonderful idea. I've been throwing so many old t shirts, not knowing it would make this cutie Little Girls Dresses Now i know what to do with them.

[Adhoss]

Thank you for the wonderful idea. My daughter told me that Santa was brining her doll clothes. I had seen this pattern a week ago and just tweaked it to make a toddler shirt into a doll dress. It only takes about 10 minutes to make the dress from start to finish. The neck is a little big for the 18" dolls, but it looks great on Cabbage Patch Kids. Happy Sewing!

[hollyml]

It occurs to me that if you want the dress to be longer, all you need is a second shirt! Use the top part of one t-shirt, and the bottom part of a second t-shirt (in a coordinating color, natch) and you can pretty easily adjust the length of both parts. I have to think about these things because my daughter is TALL. But I can't wait to try this, thanks!

[juci55]

 this really is the greatest.  i just bought a t-shirt at marshalls for $.50 and whipped this up in 20 minutes.  i could have gathered the skirt better, but the shirt was a small and fitted t-shirt and didn't know how much material i had for the skirt.  i barely know how to sew and this project was fun, fun, fun.  thank you so much.  can't wait to make more.

[domestic_engineer]

that is really cute.
I  <3 Smurfs too!

[dreamingofsunshine]

i love the smurfs too, lol, sorry, completely unrelated comment. these are really cute dresses, and a good idea. i've been looking for a way to do that.

[laughingmyopic]

She looks so agonized. :) Awesome instructable! The little sister will soon have a sweet dinosaur dress.

[porcupinemamma]

Exxxxxxxxxcellent!  where did you get the Instructables logo?

[domestic_engineer]

thanks
that's the t-shirt you get if you win a contest. the purple shirt was grey, but i dyed it.

[porcupinemamma]

You are brilliant-I will sit here in awe

[domestic_engineer]

awe, thanks. :)   (blush)

[KnittingNellie]

Rockin' idea--I was just looking at my too-full t-shirt drawer this morning and shaking my head.....

I just posted a kid-leggings-out-of-adult-sweater instructable that would really compliment these t-shirt dresses.  Very cool, and so much fun to remake unused adult clothes into useful (and cute!) kid clothes.  Cheers!

[joymama]

A 20 minute dress!!! I made 3 already!  What crazy is I have been looking for dresses like these to buy!   THANKS SO MUCH!

[poepadoe]

 This inspired me.  I've made three of these in the last day and a half (on top of all the other mom/wife/student duties I normally have).

Thanks so much!

[marc.cryan]

wicked cute. just in time for st. patty's day. I almost considered turning my "kiss me i'm punk" tshirt into a dress, but i can't part with it. but it would be SO CUTE!
good job!

[poepadoe]

 Thanks, even my teenager thinks they are cute and offered some of his hardly worn "not his style" tees for more.  I love how simple this idea is, using existing hems really cuts down on time, I joked that I did one while itunes loaded.  But there are a lot of things you could add to personalize one.  My girls are all about pockets, using the bits of left over sleeve would make that a snap.
-And yeah, I briefly considered cutting down a few of my own "collection" for dresses, but I am saving up for a t-shirt quilt in the not so distant future, so I gathered all my patience and decided against it.

[domestic_engineer]

So I just realized if you have a boy toddler, you can make this into a long sleeved shirt instead of a dress. Just hem the bottom and don't add a skirt. 

(We have twin boys coming in May, so I've been thinking about what I can make them.)

[poepadoe]

 I was also thinking that you could use this same idea to just make a frill at the bottom of the resized t-shirt top, if your girls don't want dresses or like frilly tops.  My youngest is going through a pants with pockets phase, and I think I'll try a frilly top next.

[nikholemarie]

when my husband gets a stain or a tear (hes a maintenance man) in one of  his shirts, i make summer outfits for our 2yr old out of them by cutting the sleves off, the collar  (ribbed part only) off, cutting accross the sholder seam to make it tie-able(and adjustable). i then cut down both of the sides leaving the sides open. i also cut a v(upside down) out of the bottom. i then fold the shirt in half so that the open sides match. i then cut into the body of the shirt startin under the arm pit so that it makes strips that are even. i then cut out every other strip. i do the same with the v at the bottom. when im done, i put it on my daugher and tie the sholder straps first so i know where it will sit on her, i then proceed to tie each set of strips on the side so that it holds the front and back together leavin peek holes down the side. then i tie the strips along the bottom (front strip to back strip) making leggs. cute little outfits. and they work great for boys or girls up to a certian age of course. i often cut a strip from the sleves that were removed(so that its a circle). i then cut the rest of one of the sleves into strips that are about 4-5 inches long, i tie them to the first circle i cut from the sleve where the seam is to make a headband for the little girls. and they match! lol. you can buy several shirts if they are on clearence and make matchin summer or fourth of july outfits for your kids and you!

[nikholemarie]

you should make like 20-30 of your dresses and market them to THE BLACKBERRY EXCHANGE in Columbia Mo. or at RAGZ DESIGN HOUSE in Kansas City, mo. they both buy those type of cloths and they are boutiques(spelling-sorry?) so they pay good. check it out. may be an opportunity to make some money.

[nikholemarie]

also try taking a big shirt lay it out flat, use a mixing bowl to mark around the collar and the sleves to make wide openings, cut along the lines from the mixing bowls. turn inside out and sew the bottom shut (only!! do not sew anywhere else!) turn right side out, and you have a library bag for your kids, stretchable, durable, and WASHABLE!! use the kids old shirts to make them little bags with their favs.  now they dont have to let them go.