Recycled Denim Mini Skirt

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  Step 1

  Cut the legs off your jeans. i'm using a pair of black jeans + a pair of pink jeans. Jeans sideseams are quick thick, so i just cut the side seams completely off. I was left with a pile of strips

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  Step 2

  Here's my strips. They're not perfect, but that's ok :D

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  Step 3

  I kept the hems of the jeans and I'll be using them as the hem on my skirt. I've got four legs which is a perfect size for me for front + back including a tiny seam allowance.

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  Step 4

  Stitch the short ends of your strips to make long strips. I made one loooong black strip + the same in pink. Serge the new seams.

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  Step 5

  My long black strip :D

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  Step 6

  My piles of strips ;D

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  Step 7

  Grab a skirt that fits you well

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  Step 8

  Lay the strips over them. I'm going to have alternating stripes of black + pink. Remember to leave about 1cm on the edges and overlap them by one cm when you lay them down for seam allowances. Cut the strips to size. It doesn't hurt to be a little generous with this, just in case.

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  Step 9

  You should get something that looks a little like this. I added an extra strip across the top in the end because it was a tad too short.

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  Step 10

  Flip over each strip + pin it the strip below it - you're matching the right sides together.

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  Step 11

  Stitch it!

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  Step 12

  Topstitch it! This helps your stripes lay flat.

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  Step 13

  I usually always topstitch the seam down. Because I wanted the pink to stay pink + not have a seam through it, I did all my topstitching on the black stripes. This means on the inside, some seams are sticking up, but because I only used small 1cm seams, it doesn't really affect how the skirt sits or feels.

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  Step 14

  All your strips sewn together should look like this. Not perfect I know ((I realised my black jeans were slightly stretchy + the pink was not!)) Now you have a front of your skirt

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  Step 15

  Fold the base skirt you're using in half. This is going to be the back of your skirt.

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  Step 16

  Start laying your strips down. Make sure you have seam allowances like you did for the front. I'm doing an exposed zipper on this skirt, so I only need one cm down the centre back on each side for the seam allowance. If you're inserting the zip properly, you'll need to add about 2cm for the seam allowance. Remember you need to do double for both sides of the back, make sure you don't two of the same side! The strips need to be mirror images of each other ;D

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  Step 17

  You should have this! Try to keep the centre back edges as straight as possible. When you stitch them you'll prolly have to trim them back to make them straight again so again - be generous with your seam allowances.

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  Step 18

  get distracted by your adorable cat

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  Step 19

  Stitch your strips together as you did for the front, remembering to top stitch.

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  Step 20

  If you need to trim the centre back edges to make them straight, do it now. Then serge them.

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  Step 21

  You should have two of these now ;D Hopefully they are mirror images!

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  Step 22

  Now we're going to make facings as this skirt doesn't have a waistband. Facings help the top of the skirt to sit nicer + looks neater too. Go to your box of scraps and get some fabric. It doesn't matter if it matches or not because no one will be able to see it. I always make my facings or pocket linings in totally outrageous colours just for fun ;D

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  Step 23

  Fold your scraps in half + lay one of the back pieces on top of it, matching the centre back edge to the fold. Cut across the top of the scrap and down the side about 4-6 cm. Now cut down the fold so you have two seperate facings. Do the same for the front piece of the skirt, cutting one long facing out.

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  Step 24

  Here's my facings. Usually they're a little curved to fit your body better. I was being lazy >.<

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  Step 25

  Cut out matching pieces for the facings out of interfacing. I use iron-on interfacing because it's much easier to work with. You can use the sew on one, but it's a little fiddly. Interfacing strengthens the fabric a little, makes it tougher. I always use interfacing for my facings.

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  Step 26

  Iron the interfacing to the wrong sides of the facing pieces. REMEMBER that the shiny side goes down face first as the shiny stuff is the glue! Always check 529572975 times to make sure you're not going to melt interfacing onto your iron!

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  Step 27

  Stitch the side seams of your facings together + serge, make sure you don't accidentally sew the straight centre back edges instead!

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  Step 28

  Serge the lower length of the facing.

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  Step 29

  It should look like this :D

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  Step 30

  Stitch the side seams of your mini skirt together - the backs to the front. You'll need to trim the edges a little to make them evenish. Serge the edges.

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  Step 31

  Pin the facing to the skirt, right sides together. Make sure you match up your side seams!

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  Step 32

  Stitch + Serge it!

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  Step 33

  Topstitch!

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  Step 34

  Pin your zip to the edge of the centre back of the skirt. Remember I'm doing an exposed zipper!

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  Step 35

  Stitch it! Do the same for the other side + you're done!

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  Step 36

  TADAAAA!

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  Step 37

  Grab some Nerds Rope + prance around your place in the glory of your awesome recycled skirt!

  ((Please Note:: Nerds Rope was the closest I could get to being drunk while pregnant. ahaha. Yes, would you believe I was at least 4 months pregnant in these photos!))

Comments

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Bat Ma'am · Seattle, Washington, US · 13 projects 7th June 2012

That IS an adorable cat! And nerds rope is amazing xD
Awesome tutorial, glad I found this

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Dian · 9 projects 24th August 2010

Wow its very good idea to use old jeans. thanks for upload the how-to!

Reply

Zombie Blood Glows in the Dark · 17 projects 18th August 2010

perfection! <33 -_*

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