This very successful experiment was a variation on the easy elastic-waist skirt for a little girl. I started with an extra large cotton tee shirt from the thrift store, cut it across the body just below the sleeves, then made an elastic casing at the waist. Softer, drapier, and even easier than a skirt from a rectangle of woven fabric, because there's no hemming necessary, and no finishing--the jersey won't ravel.
Which leaves you time to do the fun part: sew pink beads around the bottom. Even that goes quickly, and you can do the whole skirt during a half-hour piano lesson.
I love that it looks like those candy buttons, or a stylish wedding cake with the little rounded dots.
What a wonderful idea! I have a four year old that will love this. :-)
ReplyDeleteI agree with the wedding cake part. I like this idea and I think my girl would love these for summer skirts rather than shorts.
ReplyDeleteDo you just sew on beads with the same idea as buttons or do you use a running stitch and not knotting inbetween? I was thinking that given how I like to do handwork, I should try adding sequins to something. Free labor! With big stylish impact.
Margo, I did a running stitch using doubled quilting thread. And I made sure not to cinch the thread too tight, but to keep the tension nice and neutral as I went.
ReplyDeleteDaisy's hair is looking so long and thick! I love the skirt. :)
ReplyDeleteI have also seen this as a "floor length" skirt for a toddler. Then there is the version where you sew a skirt onto the bottom of a t shirt to turn it into a dress.
ReplyDeleteLove the beading on the bottom. We have a little girl in our family who would love this, in pink, of course!
What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
I think I could do this!! What a fun and easy idea for summer skirts!
ReplyDeleteVery cute.
ReplyDeleteLisateresa
Ha! This is perfect. My 3 y.o. wants a new skirt and my best friend gave us a whole stack of his old T-shirts that are still mostly fine but a little worn and stretched around the neck. I wanted to turn them into pants, but skirts sound a whole lot easier :-)
ReplyDeleteLove the dots!
ReplyDeletegreat solution for t-shirts which have gone through the dryer before treating oil stain, too.
dmeyers
What a wonderful idea! I have made some simple elastic skirts for my daughter, I will definitely give this one a try--thank you for sharing it. Now I will be going through my husband's t-shirts to see if there are any that need to go--he has some that are quite worn, this will be such a fun way to get more use out of them!
ReplyDeleteThis is an adorable idea! I'm only five feet tall... think I could pretend to be a little girl? *smile*
ReplyDeleteI love your "can-do" approach to so many of your projects. I own an arts and crafts store and I have directed more than a couple of customers to your excellent directions for finishing a quilt without tears!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! Wish I had a little girl to make one for!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful skirt! I love it! It's a challenge finding little-girl skirts ~ and two of my girls are the perfect size for this idea! Thanks for the simple inspiration!
ReplyDelete~ Susie
Adore! I'm off to find a shirt to deconstruct/reconstruct.
ReplyDeleteI really don't know how to sew clothing, so I could make this up ... but is there is a little tutorial for how to do the waist somewhere? It's darling and after four boys ... it'll be fun to sew for a little girl. It seems so much easier.
ReplyDeleteooh, I'm going to try this!
ReplyDeleteAnna, my teen daughter, Charity, took your idea and ran with it to make a skirt we sold to help raise funds for the adoption we are in process with. I'm planning to post a photo or two on our blog--should be up in 30 min. or less if you want to peek. Thanks for the inspiration! http://bringingkatyahome11.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI just did this the other day for my little 10 month old! I used one of my old shirts, and it turned out great. A little long, but it can grow with her. Vosslers, I did a tutorial on my blog, which includes directions for an elastic waist.
ReplyDeletewww.simplynel.blogspot.com