How to Sew a Ruffled Jean Skirt
Do you have a pair of jeans that are a bit worn or are too short? Don't throw them out--instead, convert them into a fashionable, DIY ruffled jean skirt. To make your own ruffled skirt, all you need are some basic sewing and cutting skills, an old pair of jeans that still fit you around the waist, hips, and thighs, and a free afternoon. You can make the ruffles out of the jeans' legs or from a different fabric.
Things You'll Need
- Jeans
- One yard patterned, midweight cotton (optional)
- Fabric marker or tailor's chalk
- Scissors
- Seam ripper
- Thread
- Sewing machine
- Serger (optional)
Instructions
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Cut Out Your Materials
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1
Cut the legs off of the jeans about an 1 1/2 inches below the zipper. Make sure that you are cutting above the crotch. Set the cut off legs aside. Do not panic about how short the skirt seems to be at this point. It will get longer once you attach the ruffles.
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2
Measure the circumference of the lower edge of the jean skirt. The fabric used for the ruffles needs to be 1 1/2 times this length. If the circumference of your skirt is 42 inches, then the length of your ruffle fabric needs to be 63 inches. A simple formula to use is C + 1/2C=length of ruffle, where C is the circumference. Add 1.25 inches to the length as a seam allowance.
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3
Determine how long the ruffles will be by trying on the short jean skirt. You can either use the legs of the jeans, cut open along the inseam, for the ruffle or a cotton print fabric. Cut the ruffle fabric to the appropriate width and length.
Sew Your Skirt
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4
Sew the lower edge of your ruffle. Fold the fabric up a half inch, press. Then fold the edge up another half inch, so that the raw edge is tucked under. Press this edge, pin it, and then sew.
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5
Sew along the top of the ruffle, 1/2 inch from the edge, using a long stitch. Leave about 3 inches of thread hanging on each end of the fabric. Gather the ruffle fabric by gently pulling on the threads, making sure the gathers are even, until the fabric is the same length as the circumference of the lower edge of the skirt. Press the gathers so that they stay.
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6
Fold the ruffle fabric in half width-wise, right sides together. Sew the open side together using a 5/8 seam allowance. If you would like, you may serge this edge to finish it. If you do not have a serger, finish the seam using a zigzag stitch.
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7
Pin the top edge of the ruffle to the lower edge of the jean skirt, lining up the side seams and making sure that the right sides are together. Sew using a 5/8 seam allowance. Press the seam toward the jean skirt.
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8
To finish the skirt, top stitch along the edge of the jean skirt, so the seam allowance is attached to the skirt.
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