Burda Style For people who sew

I don't know about others, but I am not a big fan of the technique available all over the Internet for turning a pair of jeans into a skirt by cutting the legs off at mid-thigh level, opening the inside seams and then sewing in triangular pieces of either the jean's material cut out of the leg portion or some other fabric. And yet, for reasons discussed later in this how-to, I had to turn a pair of jeans into a skirt and did it in my own way, which I would like to share with you. Hopefully, it will help someone. My jeans were straight – I don't know if this will work on narrow ones. I apologize in advance for any mistakes in spelling or grammar I might have made, since I am ethnically Russian and English is my second language. Finally, posted the finished skirt on here!!! Here's a url for it (sorry, I don't know how to link the two together or how to create a link) - http://www.burdastyle.com/projects/another-ex-jeans-skirt

Technique Materials

A pair of jeans, thread (strong enough for denim sewing), sewing machine with denim needles, scissors, ruler, fabric marker or even a pencil, seam ripper (easier, but scissors can be used instead, since you won't need to be perfectly careful when ripping).

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16 Comments

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  May 4, 2011, 12.18 PMby LovelyLondon

  Very nice

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    May 5, 2011, 05.00 PMby almatinka

    Thank you very much!

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  Mar 17, 2011, 07.59 PMby beckj28

  Thanks for sharing your great idea! I don’t care for the other kind with straddle sewn on top either, so I never had any desire to recycle jeans into a skirt. I love this! It looks like a designer skirt instead of something cobbled together. I have to try this. So glad you posted it!

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    May 5, 2011, 04.59 PMby almatinka

    You’re most welcome! I am sorry, but I didn’t see this comment before. I am glad you now have a way to recycle your jeans that you actually like! :-) And thank you for the compliment about the skirt looking like a “designer skirt” – I am extremely flattered! ;-);-);-)

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  Feb 17, 2011, 08.41 PMby Linda Roland

  I made my skirt by just cutting the legs off, ripping out the leg seams and sewing the two flaps together, as close to the edge as I could, A quick hem job and now it’s my favorite skirt! It’s comfortable and fits perfectly just like the jeans it was made from.

  1 Reply

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    Feb 17, 2011, 11.43 PMby almatinka

    That’s an interesting idea too! :-)

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  Dec 3, 2010, 05.02 PMby samcooks

  Made this yesterday…..love love love it! Thanks so much!

  1 Reply

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    Dec 3, 2010, 05.22 PMby almatinka

    You are most welcome and thank you!!! Hope to see yours posted soon!

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  Sep 22, 2010, 04.54 AMby 5294sandras

  Great technique – I plan on trying it this weekend.

  1 Reply

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    Sep 23, 2010, 12.02 PMby almatinka

    Thank you – I am looking forward to seeing your version!!! And I hope to finally post pictures of mine too (it’s been done for a couple of weeks now – embroidery done, whew! – I just haven’t had the time to pose for my photographer yet ;-))

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  Sep 3, 2010, 04.17 AMby stellarbreeze

  http://m.flickr.com/photos/shannc/4953239998/sizes/m/
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  Sep 3, 2010, 03.04 AMby stellarbreeze

  I just finished a skirt using this technique… I tweaked a bit to include some colour panels between a couple of jean sections, and I left the jean panels as rectangles instead of cutting them all to the same sizes. I love how it came out! Thanks for the idea!

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    Sep 3, 2010, 11.58 AMby almatinka

    You are most welcome!!! That looks awesome!!! ;-) I like the little inserts of another fabric – they make the shape even closer to what I originally wanted than my own skirt ended up with. ;-) I have a few stitches to finish on mine and I’ll finally post it! ;-)

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  May 23, 2010, 11.21 PMby flowergirl22

  just transformeed my velvet trousers into a skirt

  1 Reply

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    May 24, 2010, 02.40 AMby almatinka

    Do you mean using this technique? I certainly hope so, but whether yes or no, I’d still like to see your skirt! (And I really hope to have time soon to finish mine)

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  Dec 29, 2009, 01.53 PMby cat6

  I did a nice skirt with this technic. ı dont know how can I add it’s photo here.. can anyone help me? :)

  1 Reply

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    Dec 29, 2009, 06.58 PMby almatinka

    I am so glad that the “how-to” helped you!!!! I would love to see your skirt and I am sure others would do!!! Try uploading it as your own project. For that click the link on your own page – there’s one on your main page, I think, but I KNOW there’s one if you go to your own studio – that says “Add a project” and then fill in all the fields that apply. Good luck! Looking forward to seeing the skirt!!!

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  Dec 16, 2009, 03.54 AMby rheay

  Love it! I’ve been making recycled jean/skirts for a while now. I have tried many ways and want to try yours!

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    Dec 16, 2009, 04.55 AMby almatinka

    Thank you! I hope you like it!

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  Nov 24, 2009, 01.26 PMby nicoya

  I’ve never wanted to make the “recycled jeans skirt” with the triangle technique because it looks like it drapes weird to me, but this looks like it would have better drape and fit. Maybe after all my Christmas sewing is done I’ll get to try it :)

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    Nov 26, 2009, 01.27 PMby almatinka

    Thank you for liking my idea. And also thank you for reminding me about the skirt – with my new projects, I have forgotten that I hadn’t finished it!!! :-) So I will try and finish it soon and post it as a project, for everyone to see how it drapes on me.

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  Oct 24, 2009, 12.51 AMby anelly

  yeah your so right i dont like the tecnique of the triangle in the middle it dosnt look right to me

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    Oct 24, 2009, 02.54 AMby almatinka

    Thank you. I hope you’ll like this one better – I just need to put in a few finishing touches and I’ll be posting pictures of the actual skirt…

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  Oct 19, 2009, 05.51 PMby countessiad

  Really nice!

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    Oct 19, 2009, 07.36 PMby almatinka

    Thanks! :-)

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  Oct 15, 2009, 06.27 PMby lala86

  Thanks! I like this version of jeans skirt as it’s less seen and you get a longer skirt

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    Oct 15, 2009, 06.59 PMby almatinka

    Thank you! I am glad you like it!

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  Oct 13, 2009, 12.08 AMby ietextiles

  I don’t think you have to apologise At All for your English. It’s better than many native speakers’

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    Oct 13, 2009, 04.37 AMby almatinka

    Thank you! I just get really irritated when I make “silly” mistakes (like just now I corrected “to” into “too” in “waaaaay too short”)! :-) I am an awful perfectionist and that’s why (most probably) it takes me so long to sew a project – everything I make has to be just right or else it’s not worth making. ;-)

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  Oct 7, 2009, 04.01 PMby marcy75

  Great! It’s a very good how to’s, well detailed and clear. The sketches are very useful. A good example for all of us! Finally I’ll be able to re-invent my first hand-made jeans, with some trouble rightr in the legs, and to wear them!

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    Oct 8, 2009, 11.58 AMby almatinka

    Thank you, marcy75, for your warm comment. I’m glad this how-to might help you.