Jeans Into Tiered Skirt

My six year old is going to a birthday party tonight and she needs a gift. My plan was to go to Walmart today and get one for her to take, but then I went into my laundry room and saw the three pairs of jeans that have been sitting there for two years, just waiting for me to make something with them. An idea to save me $20 was forming...

I started by cutting the legs and crotch out of one pair, like so.

I chose some pretty lightweight courderoy to make the skirt out of. I used the whole width of it for the first tier, so it measures 19 x 7, cut on the fold. Then I used two pieces of 24 x 9 for the bottom layer. In retrospect, it would've looked better with a fuller bottom layer. I should've done the whole width of the fabric for each of the two pieces, but with the same 9 inches in length that I did use.

The next step was to sew the two short edges together on the bottom layer and then hem it. I did a basic rolled hem. I avoid iron and pinning at all costs, so I've gotten pretty good at just rolling and sewing as I go. This is about 1/4" folded up and then folded up again. If you want to iron and pin, be my guest. Do the same thing with the top layer of fabric, on the top edge if your fabric has a top and bottom to the print.

Next, I needed to gather the top edge of the bottom layer, so I turned up the tension on my machine and used the widest stitch I could to baste it. Then I was able to pull on the bobbin string and adjust it to the width I needed it.

I found the middle of the top layer and pinned the seam of the bottom layer to it to keep it even. Then I was able to shift around the bottom until the edges lined up and it was all even. Then I used my serger to sew the two pieces together. Make sure you have the right sides together.

If you don't have a serger, just zig zag it and then go back over the edge with an overcast stitch to finish the edge.

Then you'll need to line up the outside edges and sew the skirt into a skirt. Here we again have the serger or overcast option.

Then sew a basting stitch on the top edge of the top layer and pull it in so that it will fit around the bottom of the jean body.

I finished the bottom edge of the jeans with my serger, but again, you could use a zig zag or overcast stitch if you don't have a serger.

Use lots of pins to attach the skirt to the jeans and be careful to make it level all the way across. I ended up picking some of it out and straightening it out. Oh, how my disdain for pinning comes back to bite me sometimes.

Finally, I made some cute clips out of fabric yo-yo's, using this tutorial. I covered the alligator clips with ribbon and then glued the yo-yo's to the middle. I love them!

Unfortunately, I don't have anyone to try the skirt on right now since Jenna, my 6 year old, is at school and I won't be home when she gets home and goes to the party. I tried to get Jack to try it on, but he just wouldn't!