Sew 4 Bub

Ninja style up-cycled tracksuit in action

So, I mentioned in my post Super quick and easy up-cycled toddler tracksuit that I had salvaged more than one tracksuit top from my husbands charity bag, well this little number is the results of my second toddler tracksuit transformation.

This project is much the same as the other one but with a few alterations worth mentioning as they will mean you will be able to use a larger variety of different tops to start with.

This is the top I started with this time:

What dads jumper used to look like

I started out in much the same way as last time with cutting out, but found that using the pattern for Size 1 tracksuit from a man’s tracksuit top the pattern piece for the tracksuit pants was to wide to fit into the sleeve of this slimmer fitting tracksuit top.  So, I have devised a pattern to use with slimmer tops like this.

This is where the Ninja part comes in – the crotch part of the pants is a separate pattern piece, like it is in martial arts uniforms and I thought ‘Ninja style’ rolled off the tongue a little better than ‘Martial Arts style’. If you don’t know what I mean here, don’t worry it will soon become clear.

First things first then – cutting out

Using the Size 1 tracksuit from a man’s tracksuit top pattern, cut out the body of the top from the upper portion of the man’s top. If your top has a zip like this one make sure the zip is done up, as you will be cutting through the zip and sewing it into the bottom seam later – if it is undone this will not work.

Then cut the waistband off the man’s top along the seam and cut it to a length just shorter than the bottom of the childs to you have just cut.

Lastly (for the top) cut 2 strips of fabric 3cm wide and long enough to go around the armholes of the childs top with some to spare  (I just cut them from the width of the back of the mans top at the botttom)

This is what all the pieces for the top will look like:

Cut pieces for toddlers tracksuit top/vest

Next use the Ninja Tracksuit pants pattern to cut the main part for the pants, as shown below. You will notice that they are pretty much straight up and down, so should fit on pretty much any tracksuit top.

Cut the main pants pattern piece from the sleeves - you will notice that it is pretty much straight up and down

Next cut the crotch portion of the pattern from a spare piece of the man’s top, as you are not cutting sleeves there should be plenty to spare. I cut the crotch piece from an unused part of the waistband (sorry there are no pics)

ok, on to sewing…

For a more detailed description of how to sew the side seams and waistband of the top check out my previous post Super quick and easy up-cycled toddler tracksuit – PART 2 Tracksuit Top.  Other wise…

Use your overlocker to secure the armholes and lower edge and sew the side seams - it should look like this.

Pin the binding to the armholes as shown and then overlock around ensuring that the seam ends up on the inside. Then topstitch the seam so that the overlocked bit stays neatly tucked away (have a look at the finish in the next pic)

Attach the waistband using your overlocker, making sure that you stretch it evenly as you attach it to the body of the top

Ok now on to the pants, for more detailed instructions on inserting the waist elastic check out my previous post Super quick and easy up-cycled toddler tracksuit – PART 1 Tracksuit Pants

Overlock the two pants pieces together down the front and back seams to the crotch mark

Next attach the crotch piece to one side lining up the crotch mark with the seam. Then sew from ankle to ankle sewing the inner leg seams and attaching the other half of the crotch piece to the other side as shown in the picture.

Insert elastic at the waistband and your done

So there you have it – Ninja tracksuit.

At this point I am happy to concede that this is a fairly masculine tracksuit and that my daughter would be better served by wearing something a little prettier, but I still think it is super cute and couldn’t resist posting a few more pics.

Ninja Tracksuit

Full length view

This is the finished product in action

Here is the second part in  the Super quick and easy up-cycled toddler tracksuit

PART 2 The Tracksuit top. Click here to view PART 1 – The Tracksuit pants

Ok, so this is what I started with:

A much loved tracksuit top once belonging to my husband

And we have printed and cut out the pattern, free to download  here , and used the sleeves to create our size one toddler traksuit pants.

Cut the body of the pattern from the top as shown, keep the neck portion of the original top intact and joined at the shoulder seams)

Cut the sleeve from the main body of the top(the waistband of the top forms the cuff)

The pattern piece in the free pattern download should be lined up evenly with the cuff (I was using a makeshift pattern here)

Cut the second sleeve as close as possible to the first

Cut the remainder of the waistband off along the seam.

The cut pieces for the tracksuit top

OK, so on to sewing. These instructions are written as though you have an overlocker, if you don’t you will just need to sew this with your sewing machine as you would any other stretch fabric.

Open out your pattern pieces and overlock the shoulder seams

Open out the sleeve pieces and the body pieces of the top as shown. Line up the shoulder seam and overlock the sleeve to the main body of the top. Repeat for other shoulder seam.

 

 

 

 

Overlock the underarm and side seam

Now arrange the top as though it were inside out , as shown in the photo, and overlock the underarm seam from the wrist to the lower hem of the top.

 

 

 

 

Open out the band that you cut from the lower edge of the original top

Next, open out the band that you cut from the lower edge of the original top. this should be just shorter than the distance around the bottom of the size one top (if not trim a little bit off)

Overlock the short edges together with the right sides facing one another.

 

 

Fold the band back up with the seam inside

Now fold the band back up with the seam that you just created on the inside, hidden from view.

 

 

 

 

Pin and overlock the band to the size one top

The last thing to do is to pin the band that you just created evenly around the lower edge of the size one tracksuit top.

Overlock the band to the top (on the inside) stretching the band as you go.

 

 

Finished top

Now your done – One super cute tracksuit top to match the pants,

and…

all for the grand price of about 20cents (for elastic and thread)

This is the finished product in action

I was on my way to my workroom this afternoon to get started on the tutorial pictures for a lovely little size one hoodie (which I will get around to so stay tuned), when my husbands bag of clothes for charity caught my eye.

I had a bit of a rummage and found a tracksuit top that I just couldn’t resist doing a conversion on. I also found a few other pieces that will probably feature in future posts (so much for making more space in our appartment).

I had a play around and it turned out really well so I thought I would share.  This is a fun and super easy project – the finished product looks much fancier than the sewing involved.

Although this is about a 15 min project if you sew a lot, and around 30 min if you don’t, It turns out that it takes a lot longer than that to explain (or maybe I am just a bit wordy) So I have broken this down into 2 parts. Part one is the tracksuit pants.

Ok, so this is what I started with:

A much loved tracksuit top once belonging to my husband

The thing that is make or break on this project is the neckline of the original top. If it is not something similar to this one it will probably work out too big for your little ones head, so choose your top wisely. This was a (generous) medium size.

Other things you will need:

• The pattern (you can download it in pdf format from here)
• A piece of elastic the correct length for your little  ones waist
• Matching sewing machine thread(or something that will be inconspicuous anyway:) and
• All the other normal stuff – sewing machine, over locker (could do without this but it is much easier with it) scissors pins etc.

Cut the pants pattern piece from the sleeves of the top (the wrists of the top form the ankles of the pants)

Repeat for the other leg of the pants

Cut pattern pieces for pants

OK, so on to sewing. These instructions are written as though you have an overlocker, if you don’t you will just need to sew this with your sewing machine as you would any other stretch fabric.

Overlock the inner leg seam crotch to ankle

To make the pants. Turn the pieces inside out and overlock the inner leg seam from the crotch to the ankle as shown in the pic (I left the wristbands of the top intact so I only needed to sew down to where I started cutting). Repeat for both legs.

 

 

 

Slide one leg inside the other and then overlock the crotch seam

Then turn one leg in the right way and then slide it into the other leg so that the right sides are together and the crotch seam lines up, as shown in the picture. These pants are the same front to back so you don’t need to worry about which side is the front.

Now overlock the seam all the way around.

 

 

Finish the top raw edge

Next, turn turn the pants inside out and finish the  top raw edge.

 

 

 

 

Create an elastic casing

Create a casing for the elastic by folding the waist over about 3cm and sewing all the way around, close to the edge. (I do this with a double needle on my sewing machine, it gives a really great finish) Remember to leave a gap to insert your elastic.

 

 

 

Super cute tracksuit pants

Next, thread your elastic through the casing you have created and then sew the ends of the elastic together. Then sew the space in the casing closed.

Now your done – One pair of super cute tracksuit pants that even have room for a cloth nappy if you need it.

 

and…

Stay tuned for PART 2 of this post – Cutting and sewing the top.