- A t-shirt (preferably without side seams)
- 2 inch wide elastic the same length as your waist measurement
- The pocket piece found here. (Note that you may have to adjust this piece to fit your individual body and shirt. But this is a starting place)
Start by trimming off your sleeves. Use the fabric from them to make your pocket and pocket facings.
Stitch the facing to the opening, then flip it to the inside of the skirt and press the edge.
Do this just to help the skirt hold it’s shape while you attach the waistband.
Sew your elastic into a loop using a 1/2″ seam. If you are making more than one, you can label them like I did.
Do this by holding your waistband with the seam on one edge, and place a pin on the opposite edge. Then hold the waistband so that the pin touches the seam, and place pins on the two edges. Mark your skirt the same way, starting by lining the pockets up on top of each other so that the center front and center back are at the edges. Then fold the skirt so the two pins touch, and you should be able to mark the center of each pocket easily.
Lay the waistband over the skirt top, right sides together. Line up and pin the quarter circumference marks. Then stitch close to the edge, stretching the elastic so it is the same length as your skirt. This will make gathers in the fabric when you release the elastic.
For the hem, if your t-shirt was the right length, you could just use the existing hem (that’s what I did). If not, cut the skirt off to the length you want and hem. You might use a twin needle or you might do a lettuce edge (good tutorial for that by Googie Mama HERE). If you do cut the skirt shorter, you might even end up with a snazzy scarf accessory, like my sister-in-law is wearing in the photo at the beginning of this post – yup, that’s the bottom of her skirt.
Either way, this can be a fabulously easy and cheap way to get yourself some new layering pieces!
eat. sleep. MAKE.
Great idea! I have tons of my husbands tshirts just waiting to be turned into skirts! -Jen
Cindy
Brilliant! Thanks. I love skirts with pockets.
Lisa Mittelstaedt Lopacinski
Great idea, and easy!!! I’m a beginner sewer but love these kind of projects that don’t need much measuring. http://www.delicateconstruction.com/2013/01/delicately-constructed-friday-cricut.html
clod
wonderfull idea!! Great…
by Clod
Sally
Thank goodness for you and your generous knowledge!! I’m heading to southern California tomorrow and my thighs are not in any shape for shorts …… So a couple of tshirts, your tutorial and some sewing and I’m off in cute skirts!! Take that thigh master!
Lily
Very cute and looks simple, i want to try it soon and will send you guys pictures…
Lily in Texas 😀
scarlet
Good ornig to you,i ask something what kind of needle that i use for this skirt? Im a biggener to teach my self to sew. Please answer my question. Thanks.
Geraldine
I’ve had the same idea, just didn’t/couldn’t figure out – how – to create the proper pocket pouch. Thanks so much!
N
Hi! I’ve followed this tutorial and it came out great! The pockets look terrible lol but that’s probably my fault because I’m new to sewing and I’ve made all kinds of mistakes hahah but it still looks great on me 🙂
Thank you for sharing this idea <3
Hazel
I am excited to make this. I have cut off the sleeves and neck and am trying to cut the pocket and pocket facing, but my sleeves do not seem to have enough fabric for the pocket patten. Should I make it smaller or use another old tshirt for the facing? Thanks for your prompt advice. I am in the middle of it right now and hoping to finish tonight. Thanks!