Let's Make #2 - Refashioned Denim Skirt

Perfect weekend project

Hello friend! I recently shared a photo of me wearing my test-sew Friday Pattern Company Donny shirt where I was also wearing a denim skirt refashioned from jeans and received some requests for a tutorial on how to make the skirt. I took lots of photos during the making process so here it is!

You will obviously need an old pair of jeans. The best ones will be 100% cotton and a true straight leg style. I used a slightly tapered leg, ‘boyfriend fit’ jean and because of this, the maxi length didn’t work so well as it was too narrow at the bottom so I ended up making it knee length.

As well as your usual tools and thread to match your denim, I would also recommend finding some topstitching thread to match the topstitching on your jeans. This will make a big difference to the overall cohesiveness and look of the skirt, preventing it from looking too DIY.

Unpick the centre seam and a couple of inches up the crotch front so that we can overlap this to flatten the crotch. Seam rip all the way up the bum until you hit the waist band before carefully remove the centre back belt loop and cutting straight through the waistband. Set the belt loop aside.

This is what your jeans should look like once you have seam ripped and cut through waist band.

Working on the skirt front. Overlap the crotch and part of the leg of the neatest leg over the other. Make sure this lies as flat as possible. Pin into place.

I removed all of the loose bits of thread as I went along using some tape.

Using top stitching thread (and regular thread underneath), sew from the hem of the jeans up the centre seam of the overlapped leg close to the edge, pivot round the crotch corner, up almost to fly, pivot and sew a cm before pivoting again and back down the crotch corner then leg again, around a cm away from the existing line of stitching.

Pin/mark the back seam, straightening out to remove any bum shaping, trying on as you go.

You will need to note how much you took off the top of the back seam so that you can adjust the waistband accordingly.

Sew up the back seam using regular thread then press the seam allowance to one side and use topstitching thread on the outside to sew the seam allowance in place.

Moving on to the waistband, this might be a bit fiddly but what you will need to do is open it up and line it up right sides together before sewing together with a seam allowance ensuring the waist band fits the main jeans. Snip seam allowance if required then turn the waistband the right way out, pressing the seam allowance open so that it is as flat as possible in this joining point.

Carefully reattach the belt loop you set aside by sliding the bottom edge under the waistband before closing this hole with stitching, making sure the main trousers and belt loop are both sandwiched inside the waistband. Using topstitching thread, sew the top of the belt loop back to the waistband.

Cut the skirt to desired length before hemming, again using topstitching thread on the outside.

Et voilà! Let me know if you give this a go and if you have any questions :)

Love,

G x