How to Turn Pants Into a Skirt
Grab a pair of pants you no longer wear., Cut off your pant legs at the crotch., Cut a strip of another fabric to fill out the length of the skirt., Pin the fabric to the edge of the skirt and sew., Add any final, stylized flairs.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Grab a pair of pants you no longer wear.
They need to be your size or bigger than you.
If you don't have the perfect pair, take a trip to the thrift shop! Jeans, khakis, chinos, slacks
-- all types will work.
If the pants are too big, you'll need to rip up the side seam, cut out the unnecessary fabric, and sew it back together to match your waistline. -
Step 2: Cut off your pant legs at the crotch.
Make sure it lies flat; you don't want any material bunching or bubbling
-- it should naturally lie flush to the table.
If your cut isn't perfectly straight, that's fine! As long as it's a clean line, it doesn't matter what angle it's at.
In fact, a steeper angle can give your skirt a more refined, less patched-together look.
If you want to use the legs for the rest of your skirt (right now it's too short), don't throw them away just yet! , You probably want another six inches (in width) or so of fabric, if not more.
If you have some scraps lying around from an old project, use those! Or you can use the pant leg of the ones you just tore up.
Does the thigh or the calf give you the width you'd like? Cut 1/2" (1.25 cm) wide than you need for a seam allowance.
Make sure the fabric is long enough to wrap around the entirety of the skirt.
If you're using your old jeans, you may need to rip out the seam that meets the skirt
-- otherwise that's a lot of thread going on in one place.
And because of the cut of the jean, make sure the fabric lines up (width-wise) front and back. , Using your 1/2" seam allowance, pin your fabric to the edge of the skirt, leaving the extra on the inside, rendering it invisible.
Flip the skirt inside out and begin either hand stitching or blazing through with a sewing machine.
If your fabric requires it, create a seam on the bottom edge, too.
Just don't make it too short! If your fabric is giving you any guff, iron it flat.
It'll be much easier to work with then. , Your skirt's done! But if you want to make it more "you," add a ruffle, some fabric paint, or a bit of material along the sides.
And then there's always dye, glitter, iron-ons, ink transfers, and screen printing! -
Step 3: Cut a strip of another fabric to fill out the length of the skirt.
-
Step 4: Pin the fabric to the edge of the skirt and sew.
-
Step 5: Add any final
-
Step 6: stylized flairs.
Detailed Guide
They need to be your size or bigger than you.
If you don't have the perfect pair, take a trip to the thrift shop! Jeans, khakis, chinos, slacks
-- all types will work.
If the pants are too big, you'll need to rip up the side seam, cut out the unnecessary fabric, and sew it back together to match your waistline.
Make sure it lies flat; you don't want any material bunching or bubbling
-- it should naturally lie flush to the table.
If your cut isn't perfectly straight, that's fine! As long as it's a clean line, it doesn't matter what angle it's at.
In fact, a steeper angle can give your skirt a more refined, less patched-together look.
If you want to use the legs for the rest of your skirt (right now it's too short), don't throw them away just yet! , You probably want another six inches (in width) or so of fabric, if not more.
If you have some scraps lying around from an old project, use those! Or you can use the pant leg of the ones you just tore up.
Does the thigh or the calf give you the width you'd like? Cut 1/2" (1.25 cm) wide than you need for a seam allowance.
Make sure the fabric is long enough to wrap around the entirety of the skirt.
If you're using your old jeans, you may need to rip out the seam that meets the skirt
-- otherwise that's a lot of thread going on in one place.
And because of the cut of the jean, make sure the fabric lines up (width-wise) front and back. , Using your 1/2" seam allowance, pin your fabric to the edge of the skirt, leaving the extra on the inside, rendering it invisible.
Flip the skirt inside out and begin either hand stitching or blazing through with a sewing machine.
If your fabric requires it, create a seam on the bottom edge, too.
Just don't make it too short! If your fabric is giving you any guff, iron it flat.
It'll be much easier to work with then. , Your skirt's done! But if you want to make it more "you," add a ruffle, some fabric paint, or a bit of material along the sides.
And then there's always dye, glitter, iron-ons, ink transfers, and screen printing!
About the Author
Emma Gibson
Creates helpful guides on lifestyle to inspire and educate readers.
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