Making a Jean Skirt
Instead of throwing out an old pair of jeans, save them by making them into a jean skirt. Creating a jean skirt out of material that is already in your home is a cheap way to add a new garment to your closet. The process is fairly easy, if you know your way around a sewing machine, and the effort will be worth it when you're wearing your new jean skirt outside on those warm summer days.
Things You'll Need
- Old pair of jeans
- Seam ripper
- Scissors
- Pins
- Sewing machine with a strong needle
- Thread
Instructions
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1
Place the pair of jeans down on a table. Straighten the legs and flatten the denim. Use scissors to cut the jeans off right around the knee caps. The length of the skirt can be adjusted in later steps.
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2
Use a seam ripper to rip out all of the seams that are on the inside of both legs, including the crotch. Remove any thread residue that might still be stuck in the denim.
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3
Turn the jeans inside out and lay them flat on the table, so the back of the skirt is facing upward. Fold the crotch of the jeans inward and pin it down, so it does not stick out once it is sewn. Use scissors to cut the crotch down, if needed, so it can be folded without looking bulky. Then pin the two back sides of the legs together, leaving at least ¼ inch allowance to sew the new seam.
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4
Turn the skirt so the front side is facing upward, but is still inside out. Repeat the cutting and folding of the crotch area, then pin the front leg seams together. Again, leave at least ¼ inch when pinning.
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5
Use a sewing machine to sew the back side of the skirt, following the pin line created in step 3. Hold the denim straight when sewing, and make sure the new seam falls within the ¼-inch seam allowance created in step 3. When sewing the crotch fold, help the sewing machine by holding down the fold as it is sewing---without getting your fingers too close to the sewing needle. Since denim is tough, the sewing machine may need some extra support.
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6
Sew the front of the skirt by following the pin line created in step 4. Make sure to stay within the ¼-inch seam allowance created in step 4. Sew the crotch fold down, as on the other side.
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7
Flip the skirt right-side out and try it on. If alterations are needed, use the seam ripper to undo the seams and re-pin them until the skirt fits as desired.
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8
Decide the length of the skirt. For a more formal-looking garment, hem the skirt by folding the bottom up on the inside of the skirt and securing it with pins. The fold should be at least half an inch. Flip the skirt inside out to sew the hemline. When done, flip the skirt right-side out again. For a more relaxed look, cut the hem with scissors and leave it to fray.
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References
- Photo Credit jeans image by Westa Zikas from Fotolia.com
