Pants to Skirt: reuse, restitch, remarkable!

I'm so happy that I picked up the new February/March 2012 issue of Vogue Patterns magazine. In there your can find Erica Bunker's article Pants to Skirt: reuse, restitch, remarkable!

The article inspired me to dig through some of the clothes that I have outgrown but can't seem to give up.  And I found what I was looking for, a pair of high-waisted, wide-legged pants.

The title of the article took me back to the seventies and when our neighbour turned old jeans into a skirt. Erica's was no seventies jean skirt remake. She made a stunning faux crocodile embossed leather skirt. And her stunning re-production of a designer crocodile embossed leather pencil skirt had me thinking.

Why can't I turn my once favourite pair of pants into a skirt.








Of course there was that issue of weight gain over the years. Damn you menopause, gluten-free beer, and oh yeah, my sweet tooth.


 I figured that I could use Erica's instructions as a guideline and use the extra fabric to give the skirt some much needed width.

So away I ripped the inside leg seams and up the curve of the crotch.

I stitched up the front and it was starting to look like a skirt. That was all the encouragement that I needed.

I figured that it would be easiest to put the extra width at the centre back. And that is where I put the plan into play.

So, I got to work on the back.  I cut the curved crotch seam so that it eased into a straight seam for the back piece. Then I took the seam ripper up further all the way up to the waistband.  And I din't stop there, I opened up the centre back of the waistband.

With the centre backs opened I was able to interface a piece for the waistband and sew it into place. I also created a centre back skirt piece for my booty.

Then to fix up the missing section for the waistband facing.

Stitch in the ditch and I have to say I was quite thrilled at this stage. I realized that it worked and it fit.

You can't imagine how thrilled I was about this project. I love the cotton blend fabric and the high waisted detailing. I didn't think that it would turn out to be a cute skirt. But it did.

A narrow hem and it is finished.

I can't wait to wear it.

And maybe, I'll get a proper photo. We'll see.