Aug 14, 2012

High Waist Maxi Skirt from Bed Sheet



Remember here how I promised I had another project to show you that I made from a bed sheet?

Tada!

Have I ever mentioned that I could wear skirts everyday of the week?

Tada, Tada!


I have had this sheet for at least a year. I picked it up on clearance. Tons of different projects have been assigned to this sheet. However, time and time again I pushed all of them to the back burner.

I know why now. Subconsciously, I knew that this skirt was in my future.

Hahaha, that is totally realistic right?

It just took awhile for my brain to catch up to this fabric. I mean how could I miss it just begging to be made into a high waist maxi skirt with pockets.


I have been all about high-waisted skirts lately. I recently made a stripped summer skirt. I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE maxi skirts. I have several stretchy ones, but recently I have seen quite a few more lady-like ones.

So again, as this sheet was speaking to me saying, "I am a skirt, I am a skirt!"...Is anyone else worried sheets are talking to me? Did I mention I do not get tons of sleep...you know with the baby and all?

Anywho, thanks to the talking sheet and my love for both high-waisted and maxi skirts, I was bound to come up with this idea.

It really was inevitable.


I may or may not have already busted out a couple. This skirt is super easy to make. Since it is made from a sheet, some of the work is already done for you. Woohoo, just how I like it.

Another bonus, these sheets only cost $5 a piece. Add a zipper for just over $2 and you have a $7 skirt. A fabulous looking $7 skirt.


All you will need:

1 twin flat sheet
1 coordinating invisible zipper
coordinating thread


After taking out your sheet, find the top of the sheet. Cut off the entire top. This will be your waistband. An instant waistband. Woohoo. Measure around your waist where you want your skirt to hit. Add 1/2". Then cut that length from the top strip.


Next take the rest of your sheet. If it is not already folded in half side to side, then fold it in half. Measure how long you want your skirt. Measure from your waist to just below the ankle. Subtract the height of the waistband. Then add an inch at the bottom for the hem.

Cut the length from the folded sheet.

Then cut the sheet in half along the fold.

For the skirt piece, I didn't quite double my waist measurement. I didn't want it that poofy. It probably worked out to be 1 and 1/2 times the measurement of my waist. I actually just kept the original width of the sheet. If that works for you, then set aside one rectangle of your cut in half sheet.

Fold the other piece in half lengthwise. Cut along the fold again. These will be the back two panels.

If the width of the sheet will be too much, made the necessary adjustments to the front and side panels.

When all is said and done you should have a larger front panel, and two smaller and equal sized back panels.


Now it is time to make the pockets.

With the left over sheet material still folded in half, place your hand so that it is in a way that would comfortably fit in a pocket. Trace liberally around it. Cut out. There should be two pieces.

Then reverse the pocket and cut out another one from the sheet. Now you should have two more pieces.

Four pieces in total. Two complete pockets.


Pin each individual pocket piece to the pieces of the skirt. Two pockets for the front panel and 1 each for the back panels.

Measure down from the top 4 1/2" and pin the pocket to the skirt right sides facing.

Sew the pocket piece to the skirt panels.

Once the pockets are all attached to the panels. Pin the two back panels with pocket pieces to the front panel with pocket pieces.

They should match up. Remember when sewing around the pockets to sew around the outside not straight down the side seem.


After you are done attaching all the panels you should have one long piece without the back panels sewn to each other.

Now is the time to attach the waist band.

First sew along the top of the skirt with a basting stitch. Then gather. Gather so that the skirt piece is the same width of the waist band. Also make sure that the panels are gathered evenly, so that the pockets are on the sides of the skirt.

Pin the waist band and skirt pieces right sides together. They will be pinned at the raw edges. Start by pinning the mid point of the waist band to the middle point of the front panel. Again, this will help make sure that the pockets are in the right place.

Sew in place, giving enough of a seam allowance to cover the gathering stitch. Mine was about 5/8".


Now time for the zipper. Whew...

I am new to zippers and still feel lame-o at explaining how to do it. Luckily I have the easiest tutorial that I follow when I sew in a zipper.

HERE is that tutorial.

Maybe you already know how to sew in a zipper like a pro...I am jealous and bow down to your sewing superiority.

I sewed in my invisible zipper and then finished the skirt by sewing the back to panels together with a 5/8" seam allowance.

One lady like skirt done.


Imagine that. All from a inexpensive sheet from The Mart.

I am now obsessed with looking at sheets. I just can't stop myself from perusing the bedding aisle every time I go now. A whole new world has opened up.

I hope you take time to notice the lovely sheets around you now.

Sharing Here:
Craft O Maniac Monday: Craft O Maniac
Making Mondays Marvelous: C.R.A.F.T.
Made By You Mondays: Skip to My Lou
Just Something I Whipped Up: Project Inspire
Take a Look Tuesdays: Sugar Bee Crafts
Craft and Tell: Cherished Bliss

12 comments:

M. Jorgensen said...

Cutttte! I seriously want to know how your babe will let you do all this fun stuff.....mine simply will not alow it! Grr. I so want to make one though! And I knee length one too!! I saw some cute sheets at walmart on friday, I know have to go purchase them!! Haha wanta help me??haha you know you do! Hahahahaha

Melanie said...

So cute Rissa. Now that is something I could do.

Larissa@Just Another Day in Paradise said...

Megan, you know I will!! It really is pretty easy. We can put my baby in the swing and I can hold yours!

Thanks Melanie!

Amanda said...

You are too creative my friend!

Katie said...

I saw this on Craft Gossip... I love it! SO many endless possibilities. I might need to make one stat... I leave for Europe in a month and need some longer skirts for the churches we will be visiting.

Larissa@Just Another Day in Paradise said...

Katie..

Seriously it is a way easy skirt to make...AND super jealous you are going to Europe!

Anonymous said...

This maxi skirt from a bedsheet looks great, and we’d love to feature them on CraftFoxes.com as a how-to. Interested? Feel free to email me at bethany@craftfoxes.com.

Just Jaime said...

LOVE that blue! Beautiful skirt and who knew it was a bed sheet?!

Kara @ Mine for the Making said...

OMG LOVE this!! I cannot believe it was a sheet. Beautiful job. Would love for you to link up to my fashion party tomorrow!

Kara
www.mineforthemaking.com

mollyt said...

Hi, I found your tutorial via Pinterest...I just happened to have a sheet in the Goodwill pile! This is my first time making anything that is gathered and am wondering if you have any brilliant thoughts of how to get it even all the way across the top. It keeps shifting around on me...at least until the fabric randomly started getting caught up on the thread and then I can't move it all! My basting thread is now broken from the tugging. I'm going to give it another try tomorrow. Perhaps some sleep will make it go better :) Thanks for the tutorial. Love your skirt and am looking forward to wearing mine!

Larissa@Just Another Day in Paradise said...

Molly,

The best trick I learned when it comes to gathering is to use your right hand to lightly hold the thread at the top of the machine from where it is on the spool and where it start to feed down into the machine.

If you lightly hold onto it while sewing then the fabric will automatically gather as you go.

ALSO, make sure to use the biggest stitch.

Hope that helps and that after some sleep you and the skirt will make up.

Good Luck.

mollyt said...

Thanks for your response! I got my skirt gathered up and then screwed up the zipper :) This is my first zipper install and I actually got it in, but it was super tight to pull it up past the seam between the skirt and the waistband. I pulled on the zipper so hard to get it up, I actually pulled the zipper pull right off the teeth! ARGH!! Sewing and I simply do not get along well. Tomorrow I'm off for another zipper...probably going to use a regular one instead of an invisible to see if I have better luck. Still excited to wear my skirt. Eventually. :)

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