How to Make a Long Skirt Out of Jeans
Maybe you have a pair of old, cherished jeans that are becoming frayed at the edges and you want to preserve them in different form. Or maybe you just need a cute denim skirt and want to make your own. Maybe you want to take on a new sewing job and this sounds like fun. Whatever the reason, making a long skirt out of jeans is fun and creative. With a few materials and the proper instructions, you'll have a new skirt in no time.
Things You'll Need
- Pair of jeans you intend to make a skirt out of
- Pair of cloth-cutting scissors
- Sewing needle (one that can handle denim)
- Thread in your choice of color
- Seam ripper
- Piece of cardboard
- Sewing pins
Instructions
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1
Decide where you want your skirt to hem. For a longer skirt, the skirt will hit just below the knees, but make sure that whatever the length, you leave enough of the jean legs to use for middle panels in the front and back of the skirt. Cut the jeans straight across where you want it to hem.
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2
Rip out the seams of the inner thigh/crotch area of your now cut-off jeans using the seam ripper. Start at the crotch and go down both legs, methodically ripping out seams. Go down both sides of the seam--this means you will essentially be ripping the seams of the inner thigh area twice, once on each side of the seam.
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3
Bring the sides of your skirt together, with the zipper on the left, belt loop on the back and the skirt inside out. Lay the skirt down on a clean working surface. Cut away any excess fabric that may stick out from below the yoke (the portion where the back panel and belt loop section come together in a cross) to make it a smooth line.
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4
Rip the seam at the back of the skirt that goes from the crotch to the yoke, stopping 2 to 3 inches below the yoke. Lay the skirt right side out with the back facing you.
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5
Cut apart the leg ends you kept when you cut off the jeans, removing the seam. There is no need to use the seam ripper here. Lay the jean panel under the V-shape opening in the back of the skirt, folding the edges of the ripped seam of the skirt under, and pin it into place carefully. It is easy to make puckering or lumps if this step isn't done correctly.
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6
Place the piece of cardboard between the front and back of the skirt and carefully stitch the leg panel to the skirt, removing the pins as you go. Be sure to back stitch at the ends of the row of stitching to make sure they won't pull out. Smooth and check for puckering and lumps as you go.
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7
Repeat steps 5 and 6 at the front of your skirt, using the other leg you cut off the jeans. Trim both the front and back of the skirt and panels to make sure they are even.
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8
Hem the skirt to the length desired.
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Tips & Warnings
If you want to hem your skirt, leave plenty of room for that when you cut the jeans off.
Always practice extreme caution when using scissors, needle, seam ripper and sewing pins to avoid injury.
