Wearing: Modcloth midi skirt/bag, Forever 21 shoes
Most of you who have been following me for a while now know that I am a huge fan of altering my clothes and adding a DIY twist. I absolutely love showing how many outfit possibilities one single garment can offer simply by styling it differently. Even though I went to design school I am NO expert in sewing but my basic sewing functions definitely come in handy. I love being able to take an old piece of clothing and give it new life by making simple alterations.
For this post I want to show how I took my awesome colorful midi skirt from ModCloth I got last season and made it into a full mini skirt outfit. I love ModCloth because not only does it go up to a size 4x but it has amazing accessories like this ice cream bag! In honor of preserving the extra colorful fabric cut off from the skirt I made a simple matching ruffle detail that I then added to a standard lycra tank top. Since I still had extra fabric even after the ruffle top detail I decided to make a simple matching choker and headband. When it comes to altering anything yourself just know there will probably be a few hiccups in your DIY adventure and practice makes perfect! Let me know what you guys think!
xox Margie
DO IT AT HOME
BEFORE:
What you will need: Scissors + Measuring Tape + 1'' elastic + Marking Chalk+ Pins + Sewing Machine!
Step 1: With measuring tape measure the length you want your midi skirt to be ( mine is 17'') and mark on your skirt with a 1'' seam allowance and cut.
Step 2: Fold the new skirt hem up one inch and sew the new hem down.
Step 3: Measure your shoulder circumference for the ruffle top (mine was 46'') and add 8-10'' more inches to the ruffle top length to assure the fabric is not too tight. Take the extra fabric from the skirt hem and measure your ruffle top length and cut.
Step 4: Take the ruffle top fabric and sew down the raw edges so that the fabric is now one circular piece. Measure the new top of your circular fabric down 1.5''and fold. Since the elastic is 1'' wide the extra .5'' seam allowance will allow the elastic to fit nicely. Pin along the full fabric and sew down leaving a 2 inch opening where we will be inserting the elastic.
Step 5: Take one side of the elastic and insert it in the 2'' ruffle top seam opening until it goes through the full length of the top. Once the full elastic is in the top take both edges of the elastic and sew them together. After the elastic is one complete piece finish sewing your 2'' hem opening down to complete the top. Since there is less elastic then ruffle top fabric this will create the ruffle effect. Since we are using the old hem of the skirt the bottom of the ruffle top is already finished for us.
Step 6: Attach the ruffle top to the tank top by using a hand needle to tack it down to each strap of the tank top. If you are running low on time safety pins will do the trick as well.
Step 7: For the choker I cut along my extra fabric where the old hem was so I didn't have to sew anything for it. I attached my choker and headband by taking the extra fabric, cutting it to size, and simply tying in a knot for closure.
Follow my DIY adventures and more on Snapchat: Margieplus !
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