This tutorial will show you how to make use of those men's shirts you may have laying around the house. You can even pick up a few cheap ones from your local thrift store to try this out. I had a stash of shirts that my husband didn't want anymore. I also have a stash that my dad gave me, so you'll be seeing a few refashioned skirts around the blog. :)
STEPS
1. Cut your skirt where you want. I suggest cutting it right under the armpits. I cut it a little above that.
2. Sew those sides closed.
3. To make the skirt longer, I made a grey ruffle with lace trim. This is totally optional though and I suggest you add this later on, if you wish to do so. I'll let you know during this tutorial when you should add it. :)
5. Next, chop off both sleeves.
6. Also, chop off those cuffs. Save them for a later project. :)
7. Sew the two sleeves together as shown and cut into a rectangle. This is the start of your new waistband. Since I wanted a 1" waistband, I made this rectangle about 3" to account for seam allowance and folding in half. The length of the it depends on your waist measurement. For example Mine was 28", so I made it 29" to account for seam allowance.
8. Along both edges, fold twice and press.
9. To shape your new skirt, you can do one of two things. You can try it on and pin it, or you can lay a skirt that fits you over the new skirt and pin along the sides. Honest truth? I just eyeballed it, pinned, and sewed haha. :) Afterwards, I cut off the excess fabric and zig zag stitched.
Look, this is what the new waistband will look like when attached to your new skirt. Save it for a few steps later. I will show you how to attach your zipper first.
10. Remember in step 3, I said I had added a grey ruffle for length? Well, don't add it just quite yet. When I made this skirt, I added the ruffle BEFORE doing this step. I mean, you can add it, it's just easier if added a few steps later.
So in order to add in a zipper, you need to make a new seam. Simply cut through the center back of your skirt as shown. *If you added a ruffle, DON'T cut through it. Just seam rip a few inches to the left and right of the cut seam and sew it closed later.
11. Next step is to put in the zipper.
Here is how to sew on the zipper.
12. Sew one side of the zipper first.
13. Once you reach towards the end of the zipper...
... simply pull it up and finish sewing the rest of the zipper. :) Don't sew all the way down, leave a little un-sewed in order to close the seam.
14. Now, it's time to sew the other side of the zipper. Sew it on as shown.
Close up look.
How the zipper will look like when it's sewed on and closed.
15. Okay, now back the waistband!
Here it what it looks on the inside of the skirt, when pinned.
And this is what it looks like the on outside of the skirt.
Finally, this is how it looks like on the front. :)
16. The final step is to conceal the zipper and fold the waistband.
Fold down the waistband with the top of the zipper inside. Then, sew along the entire waistband.
How it'll look on the outside when finished.
All done!
