Refashionista | Denim Skirt with Ruffles

This was a photo inspired project (see link at bottom of this post!). I have wanted to make this skirt for a few months, but I didn't know exactly what the finished product should look like. After completing the Thrift Store Finds | Capri's to Skirt project with the ruffles in the back I knew I wanted ruffles in this skirt. Ruffles are not the easiest thing to make, but because they are ruffles they don't have to be perfect!

What I Used

White Eyelet Fabric

1 White Pillowcase (you can use white fabric instead, this is just what I had)

A pair of jeans that fit you well

1 White dress shirt (you can use a different type of white fabric, this is what I had)

1. Rip open the inside seams of the jeans. On the front of the jeans don't rip anything extra out.

2. On the back of the jeans rip out up to an inch from the line in the back.

3. Cut open the pillow case into two pieces.

4. Overlap and tuck in the excess fabric at the zipper of the jeans.

5. Start with the front of the skirt. Put a piece of pillow case in the center. Position it to where the bottom is even and meets up with each side of the jeans. Make sure it is straight. Pin the pillow case in place at the bottom to keep it from moving too much when you pin in the ruffles.

6. Cut the eyelet fabric into wide strips to make the ruffles for the front of the skirt. Cut the white fabric/shirt into strips to make ruffles.

7. Fold the raw edges of both sides in and sew a straight line. Repeat for each strip of fabric.

8. Pick one edge of each strip of eyelet that has been sewed to ruffle.

9. Ruffle the eyelet and white fabric strips.

10. Lay as many ruffles as needed for the front of the skirt in the order they will be pinned. (Make sure to overlap each piece a little so there will be no gap! I used 11 pieces in the front of my skirt.) Pin in place where the bottom of one ruffle meets the top of the next.

11. Sew along the edges of the jeans. You will have to do this twice. Sew one line with the presser foot on the edge of the seam where the ruffles are. Then sew a line in closer between the edge and the previous stitches. Repeat for the other pant leg side of the skirt.

(Sorry for the funky color here, I was having trouble with the camera flash.)

12. Now secure the front ruffles. Start with the top and work your way down. The very first ruffle should be secured by the overlapped denim. If it isn't carefully add a few stitches to make it secure.

13. Turn the skirt inside out. Trim all excess fabric off. It should now look like a triangle.

14. Time for the back! Overlap and pin the back of the skirt.

15. Pin the back as far down as you can, but don't pin too close to where the piece separate.

16. Sew the two seams for the part of the back you just pinned. Leave enough space for the raw edge to be tucked under later!

17. Add in the second piece of pillow case. Line it up and pin the bottom of the pillowcase to the bottom of the jeans to keep it in place when pinning ruffles.

18. Make the ruffles for the back if you didn't make them all earlier. (Repeat steps 6, 7, 8 and 9.)

19. Pin the ruffles in place for the back of the skirt.

20. Sew the seams as shown in step 11.

21. Secure the ruffles as shown in step 12.

22. Trim the excess fabric as shown in step 13.

23. Finally, trim any threads which may be hanging from the ruffles in the front, back and inside of the skirt.

Your skirt is now finished! Enjoy!

Notes
~I went through 2 bobbins of white thread.

Links
The Inspiration Photo for this Project

This Post Was Shared!

• Refashion Co-op: October 25, 2012.