We have a super adorable tutorial today!
Check out how Nichole from Bluebird and the Boy transforms old button ups into cute skirts!
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Big Shirts to Girl’s Skirts
Using an adult sized, button down shirt, you can come up with some unique & whimsical skirts for your little girl…all the hemming and buttonhole work done for you!
Hello, Mouse House readers! I’m going to be sharing a fun, easy tutorial with you today:
For this project, you will need:
*an adult sized button down shirt
*elastic (size of your choosing)
*various trims/buttons
*seam ripper
So gather up those button downs that your husband never wears anymore, or hit a thrift store for some inexpensive & brightly patterned women’s button downs, and let’s begin!
First, let’s touch on sizing. I used two women’s xxl shirts to create skirts for my daughter, who wears a size 8. A smaller size could get away with a men’s large, or maybe even a generous medium. The waist of this skirt is a simple, easy elastic, so you’ll definitely have room for some play when dressing up your little one.
Begin by carefully removing the pockets of the shirt with your seam ripper. You can save it for another project, or use it later on the body of the skirt, as I did with my two.
Next, fold your shirt in half (for ease of cutting). Make sure to smooth out any unwanted puckering and creasing in both layers, and to lay it flat and evenly aligned on your cutting mat. Using a straightedge to guide, you will cut across the shirt from the underarms of the material to the folded center.
On one of my shirts, the buttons lined up perfectly, leaving me with plenty of fabric to fold over for a waistband. On the other, I later removed a button, to give myself allowance for folding a waistband. I left myself 1.5″ for each waistband.
Next, create your elastic casing by folding the top edge down about a quarter of an inch and ironing, and then folding it down again to fit the width of the elastic you are using. Press to hold, and stitch around the bottom of the casing, making sure to leave an open space for inserting elastic.
Once you’ve inserted your elastic, close the opening in your casing, stand back and admire! You’ve got a button down skirt! At this point, you can choose to secure the elastic inside the casing by stitching closed the front of the skirt, alongside the placket.
Now it’s time for the fun part! Pick out your favorite trim, and give your skirt a little something extra special! Reattach your pocket. Add a pop of color by replacing the basic buttons for more colorful ones. Embellish the hem with ric rac, bias tape or tulle. Have fun!
Now you’ve got an easy, brand new skirt…just in time for school!
I hope you can get some use out of this tutorial, and that you’ll swing by Bluebird & the Boy to browse around for more inspiration!
Hayley
Hayley Crouse is a wife, mother and multifaceted designer. Her love of sewing, crafting, cooking and interior design infuses her daily life and naturally spills over into her online presence. She pushes the envelope of her creativity and hopes that others will be inspired to do the same. She currently authors the Welcome to the Mouse House Blog, is the pattern designer behind Mouse House Creations and is a collaborative designer with Willow & Co. Patterns.
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I love this idea! I wish I was better with a sewing machine!
Thanks for sharing!
Gemma
gemmarosea.blogspot.co.uk
I love this darling skirt! I had already picked up a bunch of mens dress shirts and was searching for some good ideas and found yours!! I cant wait to try it. Great idea:)