Your fellow Superwoman

Jan 19, 20184 min read

DIY Baby Skirt Using Recycled Sweaters

One of my many goals for this new year is to REALLY clean out my closet and donate items that I haven't worn in over a year. There's always a group of clothes I NEVER wear but every time I go through my closet, I think I'm going to need to wear it someday so, I don't get rid of it. I told myself , I cannot allow that to happen this year! No matter how much I think I may wear it, if it hasn't been worn in years it's going straight to the donation box!

As I began my troublesome task, I was quickly side tracked by the load of sweaters I was about to dump into the donation box. I reminisced on my college days at FIT (The Fashion Institute of Technology) at my first sweater class. All of our projects were made out of old recycled sweaters that we dug up from thrift shops, the salvation army, our closets, etc. As I glanced over at the pile again and noticed the beautifully knitted fabrics, I thought to myself, I can make something for my little girl out of these. I picked out a blush pink mohair H&M sweater which had a very soft hand feel and decided to experiment with that one. I thought I'd make a cute circle skirt for my baby. To my surprise, it worked out well for the both of us. She has a new knit skirt and I have a new cropped sweater to wear. I decided to share it with all of you in case any of you would like to give it a try before you dump any old pieces from your closets the next time you do a closet cleaning.

*Materials you will need:

-An old/unwanted sweater *Or a sweater you'd like to make more trendy!

-Scissors

-Chalk or something light in color to make markings with

-Sewing pins or clothespins

-Tape measure

-One of your baby's bottoms

-Home Sewing Machine (& Overlock Machine *If you have) -Thread

-Elastic (between 1/2" to 1" wide)

Step 1:

Grab a bottom from your baby's clothing that still currently fits and has an elastic waist. This can be a pair of pants, leggings, or a skirt. Using the tape measure, measure across the elastic waist and jot down the measurement. Next, measure down the length you would like for the skirt and add 1 1/2" to the measurement. Jot down that measurement.

Step 2:

Measure up from the bottom hem of your sweater the length measurement taken previously and mark with a chalk or marker across the full length of the sweater. I used a length measurement of 9" for my daughter who is 3 months, 11 lbs. I would say this is a good measurement for babies who are 3 to 6 months old.

Step 3:

Using pins, pin through both front and back layers of the sweater. Be sure to pin directly below the marked line previously made.

Step 4:

Cut through both layers of the sweater exactly on the line marked.

Step 5:

Using your sewing machine or overlock machine (if you have one), clean finish the top edge of the piece. On a home sewing machine you can use whatever cover stitch your machine has or the zig-zag stitch. This stitch will keep your fabric from fraying and coming apart. *Be sure to not sew the opening at the top closed.

Step 6:

Measure in 1 1/2" from each side seam of the piece and mark all the way down to the bottom edge vertically. Pin at the mark both layers together. (If the sweater you are using is very oversized and wide, I would take in more than 1 1/2" to avoid the skirt being too bulky.)

Step 7:

Sew each side together at the mark and cut all excess fabrics. These will become the new side seams for the skirt.

*This image shows both new side seams.

*This is a close up image of one side seam of the skirt.

Step 8:

Take your elastic and fold back the top opening to make an encasing big enough to fit your elastic. My elastic is 3/4" wide so, I am folding back 1" for my encasing. Pin the fold all around the top as seen below. (Be sure to fold back on the wrong side (inside of the skirt) and not the right side.

Step 9:

Using a regular straight stitch on your sewing machine, sew the fold back elastic encasing closed, be sure to leave an opening of about 1" in order to put the elastic through the band.

*This shows the inside of the elastic band/encasing once it's sewn.

*This shows the outside of the elastic band/ encasing and the skirt once it is sewn.

Step 9:

Using the waist measurement taken from your baby's bottom clothing, measure your elastic and cut the piece needed for the skirt.

Using a clothespin, insert the elastic into the waistband opening. Push it through until you get the elastic inside the entire skirt waistband and out the other end of the opening.