If you have an old sweater that you are no longer wearing, let’s repurpose it! Let’s learn how to sew your old sweater into a kid’s rompers.
I sewed another pair of clothes for my daughter, and this time it is a romper with ribbon shoulder straps.
What are rompers? Rompers are simply a top that is attached to shorts to form a one-piece suit. It is commonly worn by children and is also known as a playsuit. Rompers have been in trend for recent years. Be wearing it as it is for the hot weather, or add a cardigan and a stocking or tights during the colder weather.
The main material of these rompers is from my old knitted sweater, my once favorite clothes before it showed some signs of wear on the neck’s ribbing. Instead of donating it away to the needy, I think it is better that I recycle the material into something wearable for my daughter.
The approach to how to sew this romper out of an old sweater is pretty straightforward. The top of the rompers is the body of the sweater. The shorts of the rompers are made from the sleeves. Just add some ribbons and elastic bands to complete the rompers. Let’s get the details in the pattern and tutorial section below.
What’s Next
- Start sewing and share your completed handmade on Facebook and/or Instagram. Remember to tag us, @craftpassion, so that we are able to see them.
- Pin it to Pinterest for future To-Sew List
- Share with your sewing groups for a sew-along event.
- Learn more about the basic of hand sewing and how to choose a sewing machine for beginners.
- Browse more free sewing patterns to sew, especially sewing for summer wearables.
Sew A Romper From An Old Sweater
The approach on how to sew this romper out of an old sweater is pretty straight forward. The top of the rompers is the body of the sweater. The shorts of the rompers are made from the sleeves. Just add some ribbons and elastic bands to complete the rompers.
Enjoy sewing them!
Materials
- Woman Knitted Sweater
- Ribbons, 4 yards
- Fabric scraps for waistband and chest band lining, 2″ wide, 2 x sweater width plus some allowances
- Elastic band 1″, waist + chest-length + some allowance
- Elastic band 1/4″, short length for shorts side seams
Tools
- Sewing Machine
- Over-locking serger
- Matching color sewing threads
- Carbon and tracing wheel
- Pins and needles.
- Safety Pin
Instructions
Measurements needed:
1. Low waistline
2. Upper chest at underarm level
More Details on Sewing A Romper From An Old Sweater
- I found this burgundy-purple machine-knitted sweater in my wardrobe which I haven’t been wearing for quite some time.
- a. Lay the sweater on a flat table, adjust and smooth out according to seam lines and hem.
b. Cut across chest line at the underarm level.
- Cut out sleeves and slit open their inseams with a pair of scissors.
We only need the sleeves and body parts of the sweater.
Keep the rest for other projects. I think the knitted rib on the neckline should be nice for making a rosette brooch.
- a. Trace a shorts pattern from a pair of pants or shorts, or download a 7-year-old & 3-year-old shorts’ pattern from this post and this post respectively.
b. Lower the waist-line 3″ below the shorts pattern. Shorten the shorts length to your like or able to fit in the sleeve area. Mine is about 1 1/2″ from the crotch point. c. Adjust the width of the shorts to fit the sweater width.
d. Pin paper pattern and cut the shortened low waist shorts pattern from the sleeves with 1/2″ seam allowance.
e. Trace seam lines with carbon and tracing wheel.
f. Remove pins.
- Sew front and back of the shorts at the side seams, neaten the raw edges with 4-thread over-lock stitch.
- Insert right-side pair into the wrong-side pair of the shorts, sew and serge the center seam and inseam.
- Sew and attach ribbons to the hems of the shorts. Leave enough length for tying a bow at the side.
It is fine if the shorts are slightly bigger or smaller than the width of the body since it is a knitted material, you can stretch a little to get them fit together.
- a. Insert shorts into the body, with right side facing each other.
b. Pin and sew together with the waistband lining, with 3/8″ seam allowance.
c. Leave a side opening on the waistband lining for elastic band entry.
- a. Fold the waistband lining up and fold the raw edge in at the level of the ribbed edge.
b. Sew.
- a. Measure the wearer’s under the waist and add about 2″ for loose fit low-waist rompers.
b. Insert the elastic band by using a safety pin, through the lining opening, into the pocket and come out from another opening.
c. Zig-zag sew the elastic ends by overlapping them 1″.
d. Close the opening.
e. Sew some short vertical lines on the elastic band to set it in place so that it won’t fold inside the pocket.
- Sew the chest lining to the chest line of the rompers, add a pair of ribbons about 7″ apart at the center of the front rompers and 6″ apart at the back.
- a. Turn the lining to the wrong side of the rompers, fold in the raw edge, and sew about 1″ wide of pocket for the elastic band installation.
b. Leave a side opening for elastic band entry.
c. Measure the wearer’s upper chest at underarm level, add 1″ for elastic band joining.
d. Insert the elastic band into the pocket, join and sew as you did for the waistband.
- a. Cut 2 short lengths of 1/4″ elastic bands, around 1/2 the length of your shorts side seam.
b. Pin them on each side of the shorts’ seam lines with ends align to the top and lowest point of the shorts seam.
- a. Stretch the elastic to match the side seam length.
b. Sew it on the seam to create a gathered effect on the shorts’ sides.
~DONE~
Aurelia Lugo
Saturday 28th of July 2012
with the way the economy is going it is fantastic that you come up with ways of economizing thanks you are very talented.
Peace T.
Wednesday 22nd of February 2012
Wow, great work, i'm amazed as inspired. I love creative work and this is so great. Keep it going, it's awesome.
sweta sharma
Saturday 28th of January 2012
i need to stich a romper for 0ne year baby boy .i can provide you the image. if yes then what meaurements are required? what it costs in rupees? i am from india.
Gelia
Monday 29th of August 2011
Woooww, lovely! The modella is so beautiful! Love the rompers! Such a great work!
Craft Passion
Monday 29th of August 2011
Hee..hee thanks :)
Penny
Monday 8th of August 2011
My Goodness that is so creative and such a great idea! I would definitely need a pattern piece for the shorts though. It looks great.
Craft Passion
Monday 8th of August 2011
Hi Penny, there is a 7 and 3 year old basic shorts pattern & tutorial link in the post :)