Upcycled – Dress into Skirt
I made this dress many years ago. I haven’t worn it in a couple of years as a dress but liked the fabric – it is a cotton knit – and didn’t want to get rid of it. So, I decided to convert it into a skirt since I seem to wear more skirts than dresses. The following steps are listed below if you are interested in how to do this to one of your own dresses.
Step 1: Measure from your waist down to see how long you want to make your skirt – I wanted a long skirt so I decided on 30 inches.
Step 2: Place on a cutting table or surface and measure from bottom hem up to waist 30 inches plus 1 1/4 inches for the fold over for the waist band casing – My total was 31 1/4 inches.
Step 3: Mark with a chalk pencil all the way around 31 1/4 inches from bottom hem.
Step 4: Cut on the chalk line just made in step 3.
Step 5: Serge cut edge with your serger or zig zag on a regular machine to prevent fraying. Not totally necessary with knit fabric but I think it makes a more finished look on the raw edge.
Step 6: Turn down waist band WS(wrong sides) together 1 1/4 inches – pin and/or press.
Step 7: Sew using straight stitch close to serged edge, or approx. 1 1/8 inch from folded edge, leaving about a 1 to 2 inch opening for inserting elastic.
Step 8: Measure elastic around your waist and cut to size needed.
Step 9: Use a safety pin on one end of elastic to guide through casing.
Step 10: Stitch elastic together by overlapping 1/2 to 1 inch and zig zag over overlapped edge to secure.
Step 11: Pull elastic back into casing and evenly distribute fabric over elastic.
Step 12: Use a straight stitch to close up casing opening.
Step 13: (optional) Stitch in ditch, or side seams, of skirt seams to prevent elastic from rolling.
I have also done this to another dress and made it into a short skirt just above the knee. This is a quick and easy update to your wardrobe.