Reconstructed Jeans -- Into a Skirt

Okay, I don't know why I even had these jeans in
my closet -- they were probably from the 80s -- they had tapered legs with zippers on the bottom! I know, right? EWWW! Anyway, I fixed them.

I cut them off below the zipper. I probably should have cut closer to the zipper but I can always go back and fix that. The fabric I used for the bottom was sort of a mesh with the pattern flocked on it -- (see the out-of-focus close-up) -- so I lined it with burgundy cotton broadcloth. I wish I had made the skirt fuller, too, but I didn't have enough fabric. I used the standard gathering technique -- baste and pull -- I pinned the skirt to the yoke, right sides together -- and pulled the stitches until it fit, and then I stitched it. Then I sewed up the back seam and hemmed it and voila!

The One-Hour $5 Skirt

I made this skirt last night in about an hour and it really did only cost $5. I got clearance fabric at $2/yd, and as you may have noticed, I'm not exactly petite, so I bought 2 yds. Another $1 for the elastic. No pattern and hardly any measuring or even pinning, thanks to my trusty iron!

Basically, I wrapped the fabric around myself one and a half times and cut. Since it was a plaid, I just marked it and cut along the line in the pattern. I laid it out flat and folded the top over for a casing that was slightly wider than the elastic. I used 3/4" elastic, so the casing was probably about an inch. Again, I used the lines in the fabric instead of measuring. Then I folded it over again. Yes, I know that's not the proper way to make a casing, but i was in a hurry! :) I just sewed it closely to the edge.

Next, I held it up and marked it for length. Again, I just used the lines in the plaid to cut. I folded it over twice, roughly a half-inch each time and sewed it again for the hem.

I pinned the two raw edges together -- the only pinning I did for the entire skirt -- wrong sides facing -- and sewed them together with a standard 5/8" seam. Be sure to stop just short of the casing -- it's important to leave that open so you can put in the elastic!

I attached a safety pin to the elastic and work it through the casing, making sure not to twist it. When it came out the other side, I put the skirt on and adjusted the waistband to suit myself and sewed the elastic accordingly. To ensure that it wouldn't twist later, I sewed vertically through the fabric and the elastic in the waistband in a few random spots. The last step is to close the openings in the casing. You have to sew this by hand.

And today, I have a new skirt to wear to work. Please feel free to contact me or leave a comment if you have any questions.