How to make a skirt from jeans: features and instructions for creating different models

Why you shouldn't throw away your old jeans

The household is constantly in need of something: kitchen towels, some rugs, bedspreads, all kinds of covers - the list can be endless. Therefore, old trousers or a jacket can become a source of material for such things. Thanks to their properties, old jeans may well find a second life in the form of a kitchen oven mitt or an “indestructible” apron for dirty work.

Even without special sewing and needlework skills, you can repeat similar ideas!

A rug for the hallway, a stylish wallet, a pincushion - is it really necessary to buy all this? A simple example: every home needs an item such as a bag - after all, everyone goes to stores. Why not make one from old pants or transform jeans into a skirt with your own hands. In most cases, this is not as difficult as it seems. Moreover, the scope for imagination is unlimited here, if only you have the time and desire.

The practicality of denim fabric is so great that pants can serve not only for their intended purpose, but also in the form of other clothing attributes and accessories.

Master class: How to turn old jeans into a skirt

Place the jeans on your work surface and cut the legs to the desired length for your skirt.
Then move your legs to the side. Note. Be sure to include a seam allowance when choosing your skirt length. This means you should leave at least 0.7mm of fabric for the seam.

2Unstitch the inner seam.

Turn your pants inside out and use a seam ripper to do this step neatly. A seam remover is a small tool to help you avoid tearing the fabric.

3 Open the seam up to the zipper.

Open the front seam to the zipper. Then repeat with the back seam, going up the same distance. Your pants should now lie flat and be completely open under the zipper.

4 Add an insert.

Turn the pants right side out again and use fabric from the remaining pants to fill the wedge-shaped cavity in the center of the skirt, both front and back. Secure in place.

5 We stitch.

Now sew around the center of the fabric. Use a contrasting colored thread if you want your stitches to have a finishing look.

6 Hem the bottom of the new skirt.

Hem the bottom of the skirt and your new creation is ready!

Workshop author: Erin Huffstetler (www.thebalanceeveryday.com).

Even more options and patterns in Burda (https://burdastyle.ru/master-klassy/yubki/kak-sshit-yubku-iz-dzhinsov-5-master-klassov-raznoj-slozhnosti-15271_15271/)

Denim: features

Having appeared at the end of the 19th century, denim quickly gained worldwide popularity due to its durability and unpretentiousness. This state of affairs continues to this day!

Denim is a very fertile fabric to reuse.

It is most valued because of its advantages:

Natural origin - made mainly from cotton.
Wear resistance.
Retains heat well.
Allows the body to “breathe”.
Perfectly processed.
It wrinkles slightly.
Not electrified.

Everyone can come up with their own cool idea to give old jeans a new life.
Known disadvantages:

Sheds a lot when washed.
Has a high degree of shrinkage.
May become deformed (loses shape) over time.

A backpack made of jeans is original.

The simplest models

The options proposed below do not require the use of complex technologies and greater professionalism, which greatly facilitates their implementation.

Option No. 1. A detachable skirt with a lower part made of light fabric.

The easiest way is to cut off old jeans at the end of the codpiece and sew a piece of light summer fabric to this cut.
The seam connecting the top and bottom of the skirt can be decorated with finishing braid, cord or lace.
You can stitch the top part of the skirt onto the bottom by simply fraying the edge, and carefully hem the bottom of the skirt using a machine.
The result is one of the simplest options for summer skirts.

Option No. 2. Skirt made of ripped trousers.

Another no less simple and original model is a skirt made from old ripped jeans with or without an insert along the front.

In order to get such a skirt, you need to cut off the excess from the bottom of the jeans to the desired length of the skirt and rip the crotch seams in the front right up to the codpiece, and in the back to the upper corners of the pockets.
Thus, we get the front and back halves of the skirt, sewn on the sides.
Then you should stitch the corners of one pant leg onto the other.
The amount of overlap depends on the width of the flare of the skirt along the bottom that you want to achieve.
The smaller the slope, the wider the flare of the skirt and, accordingly, vice versa.
In the resulting triangular cutout at the back, you need to make an insert from the cut off lower parts of the legs; at the front, this insert is optional.
If you decide not to cover the neckline, then as a decoration, it is better to fray the edges of the opened seams, and the upper corner of the neckline can be secured with a triangle of thread.
Quite often, so that the cuts do not tear or rip apart beyond the made tack, satin triangles are used - “flies”.
"Flies" are also used as finishing. If the fabric is soft, then to tighten it, put a piece of fabric and embroider the satin triangle with contrasting or matching threads, wool or silk.

Option number 3. Long skirt with inserts.

This skirt differs from the previous version only in that the corners of the ripped legs are not adjusted to each other, but the excess is cut off so that when they are subsequently sewn down, strictly vertical seams are obtained, which are a continuation of the central seams at the front and back of the skirt.

After the width of the skirt at the bottom has been determined and the excess width from the corners of the trouser legs has been cut off, these sections are ground down and overcast.
Since in our case the skirt is long, for inserts we will need another full-length jeans, from which for these purposes we need to cut off the legs, rip them along a single seam and sew triangular cutouts in the front and back of the skirt.
These inserts can be decorated as follows: cut off the hem from the bottom, rip it apart, iron it and sew this strip in at some distance from the bottom.
You can decorate such a skirt using fabric decoupage.
In order to do this, first of all you need to select the appropriate fabric, then cut out a small piece of fabric with the selected pattern and glue it with hot-melt film using an iron without steam.
Without removing the layer of protective paper from the hot-melt film, carefully cut out the design and only then remove the paper from the design.
Place it on the skirt with this side and stick the cut-out design onto the denim using a hot iron, also without steam.
To fix the edges of the appliqué and protect them from fraying, it is necessary to apply a special relief varnish along the entire contour of the cut-out design, after which the voluminous edge is preserved after drying. There is no need to apply special fixing glue over the design.

DIY skirt made from old jeans

In most cases, such a modification is not anything too complicated. Basic skills with a needle and scissors are enough. It all depends only on the idea and intention to complete the job. Unfortunately, perseverance and patience will be necessary here. However, even if it doesn’t turn out exactly the way you wanted, it can always be attributed to an artistic idea.

We suggest you sew a stylish denim skirt from your unwanted pants.

Additional Information! Today, even well-known companies are not afraid to experiment and produce their products in the style of “I’m my mother’s craftswoman” - so you shouldn’t worry too much about the fact that the clothes were sewn somehow “wrong”.

Classic version

It is assumed that this will be a fairly short skirt (straight style), at least revealing the knees.

The simplest option, which even an inexperienced seamstress can easily handle, is a miniskirt.

In general, you can convert jeans into a skirt with your own hands using the following procedure:

Decide on the length. It should be remembered that you will need to add another two or three centimeters to the measured allowance.
Unravel the inner seam.
Near the zipper, open the central seam.
Connect both parts. Turn the fabric right side inward, fold the edges and pin.
Sew side seams. It is better to use a sewing machine here.
Finish the center seam. To do this, the parts of the pants need to be overlapped and sharpened.
Form the bottom. Cut off the excess, tuck the rest a little and finish the edge. You can make an additional edging from the remnants of the fabric - it will look like a collar.

By carefully studying the instructions and preparing the necessary tools, you can easily add a new stylish item to your wardrobe.

Model with wedge and seam

This option is good when a DIY skirt from old jeans needs to be made quickly and without any special tricks. The general principles of preparing pants are similar to those described earlier. The only difference is that the opposite ends are not deeply overlapped, but are fastened along the seam.

It doesn’t matter whether the trousers are torn, out of fashion or just tired, there is a use for every pair.

The resulting opening in the form of a triangle can be closed with part of the leftovers: cut a piece of fabric so that it covers the slot, protruding slightly beyond the edges, and stitch or stitch this area. The excess will be cut off when processing the bottom. In principle, this gap is allowed and not closed, here everyone decides for himself.

Sewing a skirt from jeans is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.

Flared skirt

In this case, the top (waist part with a snake) will not be needed, since it is quite possible to make a flared skirt from jeans using just the legs. The only difficulty is the pattern, which needs to be made in the form of a trapezoid. To build it, measurements of the waist (top), hips (bottom) and the desired length are used. In this case, everything except the length must be divided by 4.

From jeans with wide trousers such as “tubes” or “flares”, you can make a flared skirt of medium length.

Then everything is not so difficult: rip and iron the jeans, arrange the pattern so that you can cut along it four times, then cut everything off, combine the parts and baste. For the belt, you can take an elastic band, which also needs to be covered with jeans. Try it on, fix it, try it on again and sew it on the machine.

The bottom edge is processed as usual.

How to convert jeans into a mini skirt with your own hands

This option is not much different from the classic one or with a triangle. The only difference is the level of courage, which will ultimately determine the length.

With the right combination of textures and colors, using different fabrics to create, you get an option that deserves attention.

Boho style

This style is good because it allows you to “legally” combine incompatible things. You can make the same miniskirt and sew the hem of a robe to it. Or attach a light bottom to a dark top.

One of the most popular styles of recent fashion seasons is boho.

Among the most common ideas is a “cross” of jeans and a sundress, a cotton dress or even a wedding dress. In principle, it is possible to combine different fabrics. The main thing is not to go too far beyond the limits.

Things in the boho style are multi-layered skirts, colorful sundresses, vintage jewelry.

How to make a patchwork skirt from jeans

An excellent solution if none of the pants are suitable for sewing entirely. In this case, it is enough to simply connect parts from different trousers. You can go even further and cut neat flaps, from which you can then “assemble” the skirt.

If earlier household items were created using the patchwork technique - rugs, bedspreads, etc., today patchwork clothing and accessories are popular.

A “striped” version would also be a good idea - you need to cut off parts of the legs from different jeans and connect them in series, gaining the desired length. Again, it all depends on imagination and possibilities.

Our thrifty ancestors have long been engaged in sewing from scraps of fabric - for them it was important to find a use for every piece of fabric.

Patchwork style

With a combination of denim and bright silk, this skirt once again proves that the denim style continues to be in fashion.

Master class on how to alter jeans into a skirt:

Cut off the top of the trousers. Cut the jeans at the end of the zipper; the upper part will be used for a new skirt.
Cut the bottom of the trousers into squares of approximately 5x5 cm, and do the same with scraps of multi-colored silk. The color scheme of silk pieces can be very diverse, but it’s still better if it matches the tone of the denim. It is not necessary to overcast them; this will give the product a certain charm.
Prepare the bottom of the skirt. To do this, in addition to pieces of jeans and silk, we will need light cotton fabric for the base. Any thin plain fabric will do - it can be chintz, cambric, voile. When altering, the length of the lower part of the skirt, made from jeans, is chosen arbitrarily.
In order to cut it, the fabric is folded in half with the right side inward and two identical panels are cut out in accordance with the desired length and width of the skirt, which exceeds the volume of the hips by 15-20 cm. The width of the bottom of the skirt is chosen as desired. It can be either a straight silhouette or slightly flared. The resulting panels of the skirt are folded with the right sides inward, stitched along the side seams, overcast, hemmed at the bottom and turned inside out.
Sew pieces of fabric onto the petticoat. On the front side of the skirt, alternating in any order, place the prepared squares and sew on a machine, while adjusting their location.
Connect the bottom and top parts of the skirt in a patchwork style. To do this, turn the lower part of the skirt inside out, insert the upper part into it (like a pipe) with the belt down (front side to front side), aligning the top edge of the skirt with the cut edge of the jeans. Baste the edge of the skirt, slightly gathering it, stitch and overcast. Turn the product inside out and sew the joining seam along the upper part of the skirt with a finishing stitch.

What are old jeans good for?

With the right approach, you can make more than just a rug or a napkin from old pants. How about upholstery for a chair or cat bed? The top of trousers or the bottom of a jacket with pockets will make an excellent organizer for small items or a stylish children's backpack.

An ottoman of their denim scraps will save you from a whole stack of old jeans and will decorate your country house or cottage.

Since today not everyone is interested in making a denim skirt from old jeans, many housewives prefer to expand the field of experimentation by making:

Serving accessories.
Baskets for remote controls for household appliances.
Pillows.
Blankets.
Unusual jewelry.
Gift wrapping.
Kids toys.
Stylish covers for books and albums.

It turns out that worn-out items can be put into use. Of course, knowing how to make a denim skirt with your own hands will not save you from buying new things - it will not replace an exclusive from a newfangled boutique. But it will be a thing made with love. Let it be for some small things, even for wearing around the house - it’s not so important. The main thing is to be able to feel like a Creator, and this is worth a lot!

If desired, the product can be decorated with buttons, ribbons, lace and other decorative elements.

Skirt design

For a more delicate design, lace is suitable. It can be purchased at fabric stores, or maybe you have some unwanted lace lying around. Lace in the form of a ribbon can be sewn onto the bottom of the skirt, or you can decorate the pockets of the skirt with lace stripes. It all depends on your preferences.

You can use patches for clothing. They will create a fashionable, bright thing. You can sew them in a chaotic order.

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If you want something more exclusive, then you can decorate your skirt with sequins yourself. You should think about the design first, what you will depict with sparkles. It can be either just a pattern or some kind of image. You can also decorate your stripes with sequins, this will make them more organic.

In general, you shouldn’t restrain yourself in decorating; try combining different decorations together, maybe it will look good.

If you have such a talent as the ability to knit, crochet or knit, then the hem of the skirt can be knitted. This is another interesting solution in the design of your product.

To find something new for yourself, you can look on the Internet for photographs with examples of the skirts of their old jeans. And add something of your own to what you see.

As was said, you can fantasize a lot here. The more love you put into your work, the better the quality of the thing you will get. Now you know how to sew a jeans skirt with your own hands. Good luck to you.

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Photo of 50 options for original skirts made from old jeans

Pleated skirt

To calculate the width of the fabric you will need the following formula:

OT+2 cm (seam allowances): (fold width) = (number of folds);
(number of folds) * (2*fold width=fold depth)+FROM+seam allowances (based on 1 fold=+1 cm)

Enter the data into the formula according to your data and those that correspond to the style (for example, the number of pleats on the skirt, the length of the product, etc.)

As a result, we get the amount of consumables in width. We lay out the fabric, make cuts along the edge where we will bend the fabric (we divide the width of one fold by two). We begin to fold the fabric, securing it with pins. Then we go through the top of the skirt with a machine and decide what we will do on top: sew on a thick elastic band or make a belt.

In the second case (if you plan to make a belt), we calculate the fabric for the belt: (FROM + 4 cm for seam allowances), choose the width yourself. We go through the edges of the fabric with a machine and sew it to the skirt. All that remains is to go through the folds with an iron.