She Wore a T-Shirt Tiered Skirt to Twirl... Upcycling your daughters outgrown tees into a skirt...

It always makes me a little sad when my kids out grow their clothes...  Not only because of the memories involved with them wearing those clothes... but it also means they're getting bigger...  And the idea has popped in my mind from time to time... There has to be some way I can reuse this...  So, as I was clearing out her outgrown T-shirts from my daughters drawer... and with Skirt Week on my mind... the idea hit me... I could make these into a tiered skirt!

Here is how I did it... It was such a quick project I can't believe I have not done it before now...

I used 4 t-shirts... but you could do this just as easily with 2... 

To make all cuts even I first folded the t-shirt in half... Making sure all layers were even... 

Using one of her skirts as a guide for the length... I used this measurement (which was 17inches) and then added 1/2inch for seam allowance (for a total of 17 1/2 inches)... 

I measured 17 1/2inches (from the bottom up) and drew a line from the folded edge... extending past the side seam and into the arm (I'll explain why in just a little bit)...

Here is what it looked like after I cut the sleeves and the top of the shirt away (laying unfolded)...

So... to achieve the length I needed, I had to extend the length into the sleeve... I cut this (sleeve section) 1/2 wider than the side seam (already there) for my seam allowance... (If this seems confusing, keep going... I think the next pictures will clear things up)...

With wrong sides together... Using a stretch stitch... Stitch from the armpit up... to the raw edge...

This is what that little piece of sleeve will look like now...

The side seam now extends past where the sleeve use to be... And if it's not prefect... no worries...This top part isn't even going to show... You can't tell, but I also removed the pocket...

Now for the other layers...  I shortened my original measurement (17 1/2inches) by 3 1/2 inches (14inches)... Drew my line across, and cut...

I then layed this layer on top of the first... matching up the side seams... 

The next layer I made 3inches shorter then the previous layer (hot pink 14inches)... and cut this layer at 11inches for the length... placed with the others... and matched up side seams... 

The final layer I cut at 8 1/2inches (making it 2 1/2inches shorter than previous layer)...

Next came the waist band... I measured a piece of elastic that would fit comfortably around my daughter's waist... I used a 1 1/2inch wide elastic...

Then from left over t-shirt I cut out a waist band piece(leaving side seams still intact)... To get this measurement I doubled the width of the elastic plus a 1/2inch seam allowance giving me the measurement of 4inches...

Now to assemble...  Fold your waist band piece in half width wise with wrong sides together... (your folding along the side seams that are already there)...

Then with pins divide into 8 equal parts (to do this fold in half... fold in half again... etc...)

Do this also with the raw edges of your skirt pieces held together...(if you are worried about your layers sliding around, and not staying even... you can first line all of your edges up and baste them together... all the way around)... 

With raw edges together match up your waistband sections... with your skirt sections... (you may have to stretch the waistband a little, to line up with the pins)... 

Stitch through all layers with a 1/2 seam... using a stretch stitch... Make sure you back stitch a couple time when you start because your going to finish about 1 1/2inches from the starting point...

Here's what it looks like... you'll want to leave about a 1 1/2inch gap in between your starting and stopping points... 

With a safety pin clipped to an end of your elastic... open the fold at the waistband (where you left the gap) and feed in your elastic... 

Feeding it all the way around to your starting point...

Making sure there are no twists in the elastic... overlap your ends 1/2inch... Pin in place... 

Then stitch together... I like to stitch a box... And then stitch once more down the center... 

With the elastic now enclosed in the waistband... Repin your layer back together(in between the unstitched gap) matching raw edges... 

Now finish up your seam... Closing up the gap...

And your done!  By using the original side seams, and the original t-shirt hem... this comes together quickly...  A good skirt even for beginners...  Please keep in mind, that these measurements aren't cut in stone... change them up and make the layers closer together... knit is ssssoooo forgiving... Just have fun!

 

My daughter had fun modeling it... She couldn't decide if she liked it better with the shirt tucked in... or out... She was however very firm, when she told me that I could post the pictures of her new skirt if at least one of  them showed her butterfly tattoo...

Silly Girl... 

Well... she made this skirt look like so much fun... I might have to raid my closet and make one for me now... so this may not be the last you see of this skirt...  And if you happen to make one yourself... post it here so we can see!  Maybe you can wear your T-shirt Tiered Skirt while Taking a Timeout... he he he...

Happy Sewing!***
Jennifer

P.S. Just to prove these are indeed old shirts... here is a pic from two years ago... with Violet wearing one of them...