How to Turn Old Curtains Into Skirts

Some fabric stores now sell material that looks like a tiered curtain. The precise use of this material is to make skirts. But you don't have to go buy this material if you have old curtains hanging around the house. Follow these steps and make a new skirt for each female in your family.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sewing machine
• Thread
• 1/4 inch elastic
• Old curtains

1. Wash the material. Curtains are known to collect years and years of dust. Many of these materials are washable and can be easily cleaned on a gentle wash cycle. Clean the curtains, dry them, and iron the material.

2. Decide on a length for your recycled skirt. Measure from your natural waistline down as long as you wish the skirt to hang. Add two inches to the length for the bottom hem and the elastic for the waist.

3. Measure your waist. Double this number to come up with the width of the old drapes and cut accordingly. The skirt will be gathered at the waist and flow outward in an A-line skirt. If you do not want an A-line skirt and wish to have a straight skirt, follow Step 4.

4. Measure your waist and add three inches to the width of the skirt. Then, cut the curtains. Some of this extra room will be wiggle room while some will be for the side hem.

5. Fold an inch of the waist over. Place wrong sides together and pin down. Use a sewing machine to sew along the edge of the material making a pocket for the elastic waist band.

6. Thread the elastic waist band through the opening and pull tight. Pull the elastic so it fits around your waist comfortably. Use a safety pin to hold the two ends of the elastic until you can sew the elastic together.

7. Sew the two right sides together all the way up to the elastic waist band. Then hem the bottom of the skirt and try on your recyclable work of art.