I found this beautiful 100% linen Gap skirt at the thrift store. It was in perfect condition, and I loved the print. It was size 0, which would fit my older daughter, but it would have been a bit short for her. I just couldn’t leave that beautiful skirt at the store, since it only cost $1.59! Suddenly, I had an idea: I could alter it to fit my younger daughter! She had requested a skirt for her birthday, and pink is her favorite color–perfect!
The skirt has a waistband that forms a sort of hollow casing, and it also has a left side zipper. I realized that I could easily open the casing just a little on each end and insert some elastic, making the waist narrower so that it would fit my little girl with a very small waist.
I started by measuring the waistband of a skirt she has that fits her well.
Then I carefully unpicked a portion of the waistband on each side (and you have a nice view of some chipping nail polish on my thumbnail!). ๐
I attached a safety pin to one end of the elastic, and fed it through one side of the waistband…
Pulling it through to the other side.
I held the other end of the elastic down with a pin, to keep it from getting lost in the casing.
Then I put a pin at the other end of the elastic, to hold it in place.
I stitched straight down through the elastic.
And then I stitched the other side.
Then it was time to close the waistband casing back up.
Voila! The waistband is now smaller! Here is the front view:
And here is the back view, so you can see the gathered section.
It fit her perfectly, and she loves it. I was very happy to have a beautiful linen skirt for only $1.59!
ุฎูุงุทุฉ ูุชูุตูู says
July 7, 2012 at 1:34 pmthank you so much ๐
Joy Kincaid says
March 10, 2012 at 9:00 pmThanks, Natalie! Hope your weekend is blessed!
Natalie says
March 10, 2012 at 5:20 pmWhat a fun tutorial! Thank you for linking it up to All Things Girly on VW! Have a wonderful week end!
Joy Kincaid says
October 27, 2011 at 9:49 pmYou're welcome, Jessica! It's really easy to do. ๐
Jessica says
October 23, 2011 at 2:41 amWow! So easy!! I'm definitely going to have to try this. It seems like so often things in thrift stores don't fit quite right and this is a great way to make more of them useful! Thanks for the tutorial.
Joy Kincaid says
September 15, 2011 at 10:52 pmHi Collette~
Thank you so much for this lovely comment! I am so thankful for your encouragement. To God be the glory!
Blessings and hugs to you!
Collette says
September 15, 2011 at 1:13 pmHi, Joy!
I've been offline for several weeks, getting ready for the schoolyear…and am just now catching up on all of my blog-reading ๐
I think I always say this when I leave comments here…but I really want to say it again, how blessed I am by your blog! Your post (below) about treasuring your children was just the encouragement I needed to hear this morning.
{{Hugs}} and a big thank you for sharing your thoughts and encouragement! ๐
~Collette
Joy Kincaid says
September 13, 2011 at 7:02 pmHi Gae!
Thank you!
Thanks for tagging me…I have been thinking of doing a homeschoolish post soon, so maybe I can incorporate the meme into that.
I hope your day is blessed!
Gae says
September 13, 2011 at 12:12 amDear Joy,
A wonderful tutorial, thank you for sharing
BTW I have tagged you in the current homeschool meme running around. Would love to hear what you have to say
Blessings
Gae
Joy Kincaid says
September 9, 2011 at 2:15 amGrace~
That's a great to turn the shorts into a skirt! Every time I see Mrs. R's skirts, I think I should make one. I've made one before, but it's been a while. Mrs. B gave me a skirt that someone gave to her that she thought I could use for one of the girls. I hope to make it soon. It's so cute and it has a lace petticoat underneath.
Maria~
Thank you! Yes, I always feel happy when I can reuse something. ๐
Maria says
September 9, 2011 at 1:41 amOh Joy, what a clever Mama you are ๐ The skirt is so pretty! Recycle clothing is the best ๐
maria b.
Grace Mae says
September 9, 2011 at 1:19 amI think that is a great idea. I have thought of taking a denim pair of shorts I have which I don't wear because I love skirts and cut it off and sew a bunch of different colors of fabric to make a skirt out of it. It would look like the one Mrs. R made for her girls to wear at the music fest. Thanks for the idea.
Joy Kincaid says
September 8, 2011 at 9:08 pmYvonne~
Thank you! Yes, I was so happy to be able to have such a nice skirt so inexpensively. ๐
Lisa~
Thanks for visiting…we remake lots of clothing here, too. I love it!
Lisa~
Thank you, and thanks so much for stopping by!
Jodi~
Isn't it great to get something for such a small price?! I plan to look for more skirts at the thrift store to use in this way. And a friend just gave me a great ladies skirt to remake for one of the girls. ๐
Beth~
Thank you so much! I would only feel bad about giving a gift from the thrift store if the item looked well-used or not very nice. But when I can find things that look new and in great condition, I just love it! Our children love going to the thrift store, too, and they even buy things for each other from there. ๐
Lynnie~
Thank you! She's already worn it several times, and always receives compliments on it. ๐
Lynnie says
September 8, 2011 at 3:40 pmWhat a great idea! I know she must be thrilled to have this cute skirt in her closet! I do love the color of the fabric!
Beth says
September 8, 2011 at 2:58 pmHow very pretty and nice that you could SAVE money and get a beautiful skirt for your little girl!! Sometimes I feel very guilty by buying things at a thrift store for gifts for my children…then I realize that it is foolish to spend money when God has given me that opportunity! It's like laughing at a gift that God gave us, right? I'm going to be your newest follower! Blessings, Beth
Jodi says
September 8, 2011 at 3:39 amWonderful! Most of our daughters skirts come via this method! It has given us unlimited access to beautiful skirts for only a few dollars a piece..thanks for sharing!
Jodi
lisa says
September 7, 2011 at 3:28 pmJoy,
This is a wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing!
I'm stopping by from the Raising Homemakers link up. Stop by and visit me. ๐
Blessings,
Lisa
DoleValleyGirl says
September 7, 2011 at 1:35 pmI do this all the time for my daughter! Great tutorial and photos! Blessings, ~Lisa
Yvonne @ StoneGable says
September 7, 2011 at 12:10 pmYou little girl must be so happy to have such a pretty pink skirt!
What a brilliant idea! Don't you feel wonderful when you can create something so lovely and useful out of your ingenuity?
Great job!
Yvonne
Joy Kincaid says
September 7, 2011 at 1:56 amThank you, ladies, for your sweet comments!
Paula says
September 6, 2011 at 10:41 pmGreat idea! Thanks for sharing!
Ellen says
September 6, 2011 at 3:28 pmThat is such a pretty fabric on the skirt Joy. What a bargain too! I never thought about this before as sometimes out local consignment shop has things for great deals but they may be a bit large. Abby looks so sweet wearing it! โฅ
Sarah says
September 6, 2011 at 1:28 pmWhat a great idea, Joy! I don't think I would have thought of doing something like that . . . I'll be keeping it in mind for future reference. ๐ Thank you for sharing!
Mrs.Rabe says
September 6, 2011 at 11:53 amBrilliant, Joy!
What a wonderful skirt, and no wonder you didn't want to pass that deal by!
Thanks for the tutorial, as well!
Deanna