Making this Skirt Cuter Refashion #3

I think by now, we've all seen how to turn a man's shirt into a skirt, if not...go looking, I've seen some dang cute ones linked up on my Making the World Cuter Mondays! :)

Well I wanted to make one too, but I wanted to add my own cute twist with a little insert and a little ruffle and yee haw, and I've got myself a fun little skirt!
necklace c/o Paper Trail Gallery

First thing you need for this project is a man's shirt, raid your hubby's closet for something he doesn't wear anymore or Goodwill has a plethora of these for around $3 (at least in my area). I found a green gingham that I was drawn to. Be sure that all the buttons are there, or replace the ones that aren't. Next you need to figure out the fit-the easiest way I found was to button up the shirt and put it on as a skirt. Then I cut right under the button of the next button up that didn't fit around my waist-just know that once you cut off the sleeves and the top, it will fit quite a bit looser, so size it at where it will still button, but if it's snug that's okay!

Once you know where you need to cut the top off-go ahead and cut that off, and then cut off the sleeves while you're at it. Now re-try it on-see looser! (I said looser not loser, pinky swear!)

You can mark where you want the sides to be at this point and then pin down both sides like the picture on the right.

I actually pinned down the top first folding it down a full inch because I wanted a waist band look-you could add elastic through it if you wanted, but I didn't. I sewed right along the bottom edge of that and gave it just the look I was going for. Then just sew your skirt up both sides at the seam allowance of your choice and cut off the extra pieces of fabric.

Your skirt could be all done at this point if you choose-but I wanted to take it a little further...

I took one of the sleeves that was leftover and cut off the cuff. I unbuttoned the skirt all except for the top button and laid the sleeve on top and arranged it until it had a nice insert a little shorter than the bottom edge of the skirt. Pinned it, sewed it and trimmed it. Really easy.

Then I decided I needed belt loops and ruffles. So I took the collar and cut some strips off of it to make belt loops and took the other sleeve and cut strips to make ruffles. I sewed around the edges of the belt loop and then attached it to the skirt, you could make these all nice and straight but you know me and my yee-haw kind of look when I sew...fraying is not a problem in my book! The original plan was to sew the ruffles in all the way up to the top of the skirt, but I stopped after the bottom ones on each side...a little bit because I thought it looked better and a little bit because my baby woke up and said in his cute gummy grin way that it was time to pay attention to other things.

But there you go...a different kind of shirt skirt to make your wardrobe a little bit cuter. And seriously, I don't think there could be a lighter more summery skirt than one made out of a nice thin man's shirt. Super comfy, light and now....feminine.

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Making Us Cuter Challenge

Thanks to all who are linking up with this each week! I love seeing your fashion inspiration, I really think about you when I get dressed in the morning-"remember how so and so wore that scarf?" or "how so and so wore those shoes with that skirt?"

It really inspires me to try to be a bit cuter because you are all so darn cute! :)

So I have to share with you this skirt this week-remember the lace dress I made last week? And how I had to give my first draft away because it was too small? Well it was too small for her too, but my friend Jaime made it into this FANTASTIC Shabby Apple inspired skirt, I am insisting that she make one for me now too-isn't it SO cute?This weeks inspiration photo was this one from Ruche.

Was anyone else inspired by this?It reminded me of a man's shirt made into a dress, so that's what I intended to do.

I searched my hubby's closet for something I could alter with no luck, so I went to Goodwill in search of a big and tall man's shirt-hopefully in some sort of blue plaid.

No luck again.

I did find a green gingham shirt that I really liked, though it wasn't big...so I decided to make it into a skirt instead of a dress.

I have seen that done a lot, so I wanted to add my own little cute twist and took inspiration from the photo again-see how the neck and front is another piece of the same fabric not lined up to match...I think it gives it a sweet almost hand made look itself-so I did mine like this...I also got a cute new necklace to review from Paper Trail Gallery. I got a TON of compliments on this as I ran errands around town. It's quite big, really sweet and stands out especially with a solid colored shirt. The lady at the grocery store loved it so much that she made me write down the site name so that she could get one herself...I hope she does, it really is cute don't you think?

I'll be giving away a set of 3 next Monday, so be sure to come back for that! :)

{Quick Thought: I am in desperate need of new necklaces to make my neck cuter...I have like 3 simple ones, and I wear them over and over again...my neck needs some variety! Does anyone have some suggestions for some sites to get some cute ones? Does anyone make any that they would like me to review? Leave me a comment or contact me letting me know your favorite shops...maybe we can get some giveaways going on here! }

This week I have been getting some inspiration from ads, and when I saw this cute outfit in my inbox yesterday from Boden, I was drawn to the cute pleated skirt, and the shape of it is so fun. I also love the shirt tucked in with the belt...this is a look I would really like to pull off.

What inspiration do you get from it, if any? Can you translate any of that inspiration into an outfit from your own closet or would you need to do some re-fashioning or shopping? Leave me a comment with your thoughts!

I'm going to try and stick to my own closet this week.

It will be a fun challenge I think.

Now it's time to show off what you've been wearing!

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Making this Skirt Cuter Refashion #2

Once Upon A Time my now pregnant sister got married, and I was her bridesmaid.

She got married on the beach, and we all wore white linen skirts.

It was a beautiful wedding, and I was happy to not be in a hideous dress made of taffeta or some other equally horrifying material.

But now-nearly 5 years later-the white linen skirt (from Old Navy) is a little drab.

Refashion Time!!!

1. I cut off the skirt to the length I wanted it.
2. With some of the lining of the length I cut off, I cut some thin strips (you can see where this is going right?)
3. I liked the raw edge of the skirt and lining of the linen, it gave a nice fray, so I just sewed an 1/8 inch line around the bottom to keep it from fraying any further than that-and didn't bother hemming it.
4. With my stitch width set to 4, I whipped up a bunch of cute little ruffles, this time sewing right down the middle of the strip.
5. I played around with the ruffles and pinned them where I wanted them.
6. Then I just sewed them on....and the reveal....

What do you think was mission 'Make this Skirt Cuter' a success?

I'm pretty thrilled with it! :)

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Making this Skirt Cuter Refashion

I've had this skirt from Express for as long as I can remember. It's knit, comfy and well made...it's like wearing sweat pants.

The problem is that it looks like I am wearing sweat pants, so I usually pair it with a tee shirt and zip up hoodie, and call it good. Well, I don't want to go out looking like I'm in sweats any more, so I decided it was time for this skirt to get cuter.
First, I cut it off to the length that I wanted it to be, and I don't have a picture of this, but I just sewed up a hem on the bottom with 2 straight edged stitches all the way around.Then with the remaining fabric, I cut 6 strips.

I turned my sewing machine stitch length to 4 and then I sewed a bunch of ruffles! :)

The actual hem of the skirt I made into a ruffle as well so that it could be on top an look all clean.
Taking the top ruffle I pinned it to the skirt how I wanted it.

Then I just pinned all the others below that until I had the look I wanted.

Finally I just stitched those on to the skirt, trying to stay close to the original stitch line on the ruffle.
And voila!What do you think? Was mission "Making This Skirt Cuter" a success?I think that it was, I didn't feel like I was in sweats at all! It felt very feminine & flirty, but still very comfortable. LOVE. :)

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