I did get in and make some pants for my 8 year old daughter. I had bought a piece of blue corduroy back in the fall, so I made those pants. Some one gave me some heavyish chambray and brown corduroy so I made those pants-I made the blue cords and the chambray at the same time using the same pattern and same thread. The brown cord were very simple and best of all it goes with her Girl Scout stuff. (Girl Scout stuff is way expensive!) She earned money for her sash, Her Aunt bought her a G.S. Shirt for Christmas, and now she has pants to go with. So she's set there- and that will last all next year until we have to trade brownie brown for Jr. Green.

She had a pair of pants with good knees but too short. I pegged these, and hemmed them up a bit more, made a little decrative slit in the side, and added trim, and now she has a pair of "new" cropped pants like her friend Danielle.

She had a pain of pants with a ripped knee-I hemmed these above the knee, added trim-trim and embroiderery is "in", and I have tons left from other projects-and this gives her a pair of "walking " shorts-they are allowed to wear these kinds of shorts to school.

Her brother had a pair of navy pants too small for him, but these were pull-on pants with elastic back waist-they didn't have a fly frount, and they fit her perfectly. Add some pink trim around the bottoms and on the pockets and no-one will every know they were "boy" pants. These were dress pants for him and as he would (if he could) get out of his dress clothes in the car as we are leaving the church parking lot-they didn't have any significant wear on them.

So this week, without spending a penny, I came up with six pair of school-wear pants for Rachel. (Of course, at some point, I did buy the corduroy, but that was on a sale table at Wal-MArt, and besides, we're talking money this week, right?)

I also patched two pairs of jeans for her to wear at home, and re-inforced the seams in some pajamas and sweat pants.

This really didn't take much time at all-I did a little each day through the week.

-- Kelly (homearts2002@yahoo.com), March 16, 2002

Answers

Kelly, you remind me so much of myself when my kids were small. They are all grown now. It's amazing what all you can do if you make up your mind, isn't it? I admire you for the things you do - that is so rare today. God bless.

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), March 17, 2002.