When reviewing your wardrobe, you find things that you would hate to throw away because of their attractive colors or fabric. If the skirt has become too big or has a “Sun” or “Half-Sun” style, with pleats, elastic or flounces, then you can rip it open and use the material for sewing shorts. Narrow and tight skirts are not suitable for work - there is not enough material. In this case, the prepared fabric is combined with inserts on the sides.
Preparing for work
Before you start sewing, you will need to prepare a place for cutting, tools, and a pattern of the desired model of the required size.
What materials and tools will be needed to change a skirt into shorts?
The absence of one or another tool during the work process complicates sewing or delays the final result indefinitely. It is important to select the necessary items for cutting and sewing. The seamstress will need:
- scissors;
- ripper;
- needles, pins;
- chalk, bar of soap or pencil for drawing on fabric;
- threads for basting and for final stitching;
- measuring tape or ruler;
- sewing machine;
- skirt;
- various decor (optional).
An overlocker is used for stitching. If it is not there, you can ask for edge processing to be done in any workshop or do the work manually yourself. This treatment must be performed so that the fabric does not fall apart during sewing and wearing.
Attention! It is not advisable to use scissors or needles that are too large. They are inconvenient to use while sewing.
Skirt selection
To make shorts, you should choose a long skirt or a medium-length model. During the sewing process, the shorts will become shorter than the skirt. Short and tight models can be converted into shorts using additional fabric. Denim options are often cut.
Which model of shorts is better to choose?
Fluffy or regular models are altered from skirts: “sun”, “half-sun”, “flared”, skirts with pleats, flounces, and elastic at the top. These options have a large supply of fabric.
For denim skirts, material of the same quality can be selected by color in the store. During the cutting process, additional pieces are inserted on the sides and decorated with stylish stitching, beads, buttons or other trim.
How to make shorts from a skirt
Having determined the future style and prepared the necessary tools and materials, you can begin to work.
How to make a pattern
Usually the pattern is cut out from fashion magazines or the current model is found on the Internet. The pattern consists of back and front halves. The elements are wider at the back than at the front. The trousers can be any length according to the desire of the fashionista.
The belt, cut off from the skirt, can then be used on a future model of shorts. The clasp is usually located at the front.
For the pattern you will need to take your own measurements, namely:
- waist size;
- hip circumference, which is measured at the maximum point of the buttocks (OB);
- length;
- leg circumference (bottom width).
Drawing a pattern for your figure is a complex and tedious procedure. It’s easier to find it on the Internet or in a printed publication and use it to sew a product for every taste without wasting extra time.
How to sew shorts from a skirt? Step-by-step instruction
When the pattern is ready, you can start cutting the fabric and making shorts. For this you will need:
- Lay out the fabric folded in two layers, wrong side inward.
- Place the pattern on the material, retreating 2–3 cm from its edge. Attach the pattern with pins.
- Circle with chalk.
- Using a ruler and a pencil (crayon or soap), trace the pattern with an indentation of 2-3 cm.
- Take scissors and carefully cut along the second line. There is no need to cut out places for darts.
- Remove the pattern from the fabric and overcast the edges.
- Take a needle and basting thread and baste the front and back legs along the side line from the wrong side. Then connect the parts along the inner thigh.
- You can try on the workpiece and check the fit. If desired, you can remove excess fabric on the sides.
- Sew seams, darts and iron.
The final stage of sewing is stitching the belt. First, the belt is attached to the fabric with a basting thread, then it is attached using a sewing machine. The belt is folded in half and finally attached to the front side. The bottom is hemmed and also stitched or left unchanged (on denim models).
How to make a short skirt. Step-by-step instructions for creating a pattern and doing the work
Skirt-shorts or Skorts differ from the usual model of shorts in that the trouser legs are not narrowed towards the bottom, but widened at will. The fabric that is cut when sewing a regular straight skirt remains unchanged in this case.Thus, you can create: flared shorts, a straight model or a half-sun. Regardless of the pattern and model, for the alteration you will need:
- Open the waistband and two halves of the skirt along the side seams.
- Fold the front of the skirt right sides inward in the middle and attach the pattern.
- Trace along the pattern, make a line with seam allowance.
- Cut out the workpiece and overcast the edges.
- Do the same with the back half of the skirt.
- Baste seams, measure and finish stitching.
A short skirt is easier to sew than the classic version. There is no need to change the pattern along the side seams. If you have experience and skill, when cutting the stitches on the side, you don’t have to unpick them at all.
Helpful tips for decorating and redesigning altered shorts
To make a quality item, you should often try on it. The finished pattern must be attached to the figure in advance and it is necessary to understand where which part of the future product will be located. The same rule applies to fabric. If the skirt was originally a small size, there may not be enough fabric for shorts. In this case, the product is remade for the younger sister.
Shorts are often customized with various trims and embellishments. Attach embroidery, lace or beads.
Denim items can be decorated with torn edges or holes within a reasonable amount. To do this, make small slits and pull out the threads.
The item is repainted or decorated with a homemade design. An original image or other decor will make the item not only fashionable, but also a unique wardrobe item.
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