Repurposed slip tutorial

Here is the guest post that I shared with Liberate Your Creativity. 

Today I am sharing a simple project that was important to me as a mom of two girls.  I cannot find slips for my girls anywhere!  I want them to be modest and for their dresses not to stick to their tights.  The other day, I found a ladies' slip at Goodwill, and I had a "lightbulb moment".  The result is this tutorial.

• Level: Intermediate, you need to be able to sew a zigzag stitch and backstitch.
• Expect 1 hour or less!

 (I was able to make two slips, one for my toddler and my seven year old, from one ladies' slip.)



First, gather your materials.  You'll need:

• A thrifted ladies' slip
• Matching thread
• 1 yard of matching lace, at least 1" thick OR 1 package of 3/8" wide elastic
• Sewing supplies, including your sewing machine, scissors, pins, and seam ripper (just in case).
• You'll also want some shorts/skirt for the child you are making the slip for to use as a guide.

Step one. Determine the length and width you want. 
I measured the length of my girls' dresses and found a good average length, and then subtracted two inches.  I also measured their waists, and added 3 inches. 

Step two.  Cut out the size you need. 

You can work this two ways.  Either preserve the waistband, and you'll add a hem to the bottom, or you keep the hem, and add a waistband.  This is how I got two slips from one.  You'll be preserving one of the side seams.

To give you an idea of sizes:
Size 7-8, 17" wide by 16.5" long.
Size 2-3, 13.5" wide by 9.5" long.

Step three.  Add a hem or waistband. 
If you preserved the waistband, you'll need to add a hem.  Take the lace and pin it to the bottom of the slip (right side of the fabric), having about a 1/4" of the lace overlapping the fabric.  You'll want the lace to be completely showing on the outside of the slip. 



Sew with a medium zigzag stitch.

If you need to add a waistband, take the waist measurement, and add one inch and cut the elastic to length.  Find the center of your elastic and pin that center to the preserved side seam.  Secure each end of the elastic to the opposite ends of the slip. 

To begin sewing your elastic, carefully backstitch to secure the beginning of the elastic and then stretch the elastic to fit the length of the slip.  Using a medium zigzag stitch, carefully sew the elastic to the slip. 

The elastic will be on the outside of the slip, and should look like this when you're done:

Step four.  Sew the side seam. 
Last step, with right sides together, pin the sides of the slip together.  Sew with a medium straight stitch, at 1/4". 

Optionally, you can zigzag stitch the side seam to give it a finished look. 



You've done it!  Such a simple solution to a problem, and it only cost me $4 for two slips. 

I hope this is helpful to another mama out there who wants to keep her girlies looking their best.

I'm working on another tutorial, too!  It's been a crazy week, so it will have to wait a few more days. 

Featured on Craft Gossip and One Pretty Thing!

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Creative Jewish Mom