A Pumpkin Skirt Made for Twirling

I bought this pumpkin fabric over a year ago in the last trimester of my pregnancy. I thought I could make something cute before the baby (Elodie) got here. The problem was I was too mentally tired to decide on what to make and too physically tired to make it.

A year later I pulled it from the pile I keep of things that need to be mended or finished up. I asked Harlow if she wanted a Halloween skirt to match the sequin pumpkin shirt I got her at Walmart. She said yes!

Instead of cutting a rectangle and sewing it up, I cut a sort of trapezoid shape to give more fabric at the bottom to make it twirl. I’m not sure I would go that route again, but it definitely twirls more than a rectangle skirt. I might try a circle skirt next time. I put elastic in the waist to make this an easy project. 

Now, what else has been waiting for me in that to-finish pile…

Buffalo Plaid Skirt from a Men's Shirt

Here’s your weekend project— an easy skirt made from a shirt!

There’s no pattern, and it’s beginner friendly. It’s just two flat pieces sewn together!

Grab a shirt that has plenty of room to fit around your hips and enough fabric for a seam allowance. You can use your waist and hip measurements to trace out the skirt, or grab a skirt that you already have and trace it onto the shirt fabric, adding seam allowance.

I did French seams, but you can just do a straight stitch down each side and not worry about finishing the seams inside the skirt.

I made a waistband, but you could fold the top over and stitch it in place. Just be sure that you don’t sew the top closed where it buttons since you need to unbutton the skirt to put it on.

Don’t have a sewing machine? There are fabric glues you can use until you work up the nerve to learn sewing. Learning to piece fabric together and understanding garment construction is a good place to start, and I won’t tell anyone you used glue!

I didn’t have to hem the bottom, because I left the original shirt hem.

You could use a seam ripper to remove the pockets, but I liked the look of leaving them.

If you make this or any recycled men’s shirt, tag me in your photos so I can see!