How To Turn Jeans Into a Skirt

Let me just get something out of the way here…..I hate low-rider pants. I do NOT understand them. Why on earth would someone want their pants to ride low? Really. I was given two pairs of jeans that were of the low rider variety….and I wore them because that’s what I had. I do not wear jeans often, instead opting for skirts most of the time. It just makes me feel girly and pretty – and Barry likes me in skirts. I like making him happy…and I like feeling girly. End of discussion. BUT, I had these jeans and I wore them occasionally…..let me clue you in on something – if you bend over to pick up a toy and you feel a breeze of air on your rear, YOUR PANTS ARE RIDING TOO LOW.

I shouldn’t be wearing low riders….and quite frankly neither should most people. If you bend over to get a can off the bottom shelf at Food City and I wonder if you’re a plumber – YOUR PANTS ARE RIDING TOO LOW.  I couldn’t stand the occasional breeze I was getting out back. I was going to get rid of my jeans, and then I bought this skirt for Annie at Wee-Cycle It….and my wheels started turning.

I thought; I can do that with my jeans instead of getting rid of them! Then I can pull my skirt up as high as I want. Problem solved. Wait – another problem….I can’t sew. Yes, I have TWO sewing machines, but who’s counting? This is exactly the project for my awesome Mama. So, I asked her to help me…meaning Mama did it while I took photos. *Cough*

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First, you need to take the seams out of the jeans. Do it up the entire length of the leg, like so. It might take a million years. You might think your fingers are about to fall off. You might reconsider this whole silly project….and then you’ll watch a video online that just tells you to cut down the seam instead….and you won’t see that video until you’re done ripping seams. So, moral of the story is….cut down the seams in both legs – all the way up to the zipper.

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Arrange the crotch (it’s weird to say crotch) so that it lays flat like so, on the front and back of the jeans. Pin it down. If you forget this part, you’ll have a weird pooch in the front and we’re not even going to go there.

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Take it over to your trusty sewing machine and sew along the hem, so that this section is now flat and you don’t have to worry about it anymore. Take out the pin and stick yourself. Yelp.

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Now, you’re going to have to adjust the length. Taking out the seams is going to make it really long. We just measured my favorite skirt to get the right length for this one and them mom cut off the bottom of both pant legs….and I took photos. I’m super helpful like that.

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Pick a piece of material that you like and that you think would match a wide variety of tops. You need enough fabric to have the center covered on the front and the back. Lay the material under the skirt and trace out the triangular center. This is actually part of a dress that I can no longer wear….I had a baby and my upper body suddenly got a bit larger and my clothes didn’t fit….if you catch my drift. But we’re repurposing that material so it doesn’t go to waste! Waste not, want not.  Make sure you also do this same tracing on material for the back of the skirt.

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Cut out both of your pieces – front and back – leaving a 1 inch allowance around the outside edges for the seam. I always forget this part….nice to have my Mama to get things done right.

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Put the fabric in place on the front and back and pin it. Those pins are sharp. Those pins draw blood…I’m a klutz.

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Sew the fabric into place. My mom did a double seam, but that’s up to you. She’s also an over-achiever. 

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When your fabric panels are sewed in the front and back, you’ll need to make a bottom hem. I think mom usually does a ½ inch hem. Pin and sew.

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TA DA!!! No more breezes out back! And I have to admit, it’s very pretty. Mom did a great job…and I’m a stellar helper.

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I just wanted to share with you all the only thing I’ve ever sewed….a bunch of squiggly lines on an old scrap of material. It’s beautiful. I’m an artist. Ahem. I was practicing….so, give me a break. I WILL learn to use that sewing machine…..eventually.

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Here I am, in all my modeling glory. What do you think? About the skirt, not about my modeling glory.

If you need something more in depth because my WIDE KNOWLEDGE of sewing just didn’t cut it for you (ha, ha! Cut it…get it?), then I have some links for you.

Here’s a link with in depth instructions from All Free Sewing.

If you’re more into the video thing, we watched this one like four times….and I laughed every time I saw the misspelled words – bless her heart. And if you don’t like music while you think, you might want to turn off the speakers.

*This post is linked at Frugal Days Sustainable Ways at Frugally Sustainable, at Homestead Barn Hop at The Prairie Homestead, at Think Pink Sunday on Flamingo Toes, and at Works for Me Wednesday on We Are That Family.