turning pants into a skirt (aka - Abi! HELP!)

Bethanial

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I was thrilled to walk into Old Navy yesterday (their jeans fit me best) and find not 1 but 2 pairs of these jeans IN MY SIZE on clearance! (I only paid $11.98/pr in the store!)

I've been toying with the idea of doing this for awhile now (with a panel in both the front and back, though), modeled after my all time favorite jean skirt (which I paid full price for before I knew any better :rolleyes: ) that was cut just like a pair of jeans, with fabric inserted in the middle, and the most comfortable piece of clothing I've ever owned.

So I then went to Joann's and bought a yard of this wonderful denim fabric with pretty sparklies :p Realized on the way home I paid more for the yard of fabric than I did for the pair of pants :lol:

The above article talks about ripping the crotch seam up to the zipper in the front and the back up as high as the waistband! I DON'T want to do that. I guess I'm willing to open up the crotch seams a couple inches each way if that's necessary to make the seam be flat (see how I just avoided the whole "do I use lay or lie" bit there :hide ), but the whole point of this is to mimic that all time favorite skirt, in that the biggest part of the comfort factor was that it fit exactly like a pair of jeans through the seat/rear.

Conveniently, the denim fabric is 60" selvage to selvage, and the jeans have a 30" inseam :woot I've got figured out to cut in the middle of the selvages so I have 2 30" yards of fabric. Sew the sides to the opened up inseam of the jeans, but what do I do with the yard of fabric at the top and that little bit of space at the crotch?

Unfortunately, I can't look at said favorite ankle-length denim skirt because I sold it (bad news) when I lost so much weight (good news) it looked ridiculous on me. But I am a visual person, and figuring out that top bit of fabric in the crotch part of the inseam would be so much easier if I could see it. I get that it'll need to be gathered/pleated/something, and maybe even to cut down on an angle simply because a yard of fabric just won't fit in 3" of space :hu

So I repeat, Abifae! Help me! (Or anybody else with great sewing/imagining skills :ya )

If ya need more info on any of the above, let me know - and TIA!
 

Bubblingbrooks

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I've done it a couple of times with mixed results.
First time was perfect, but the second not so much.

I think it helps to not cut off everything right away. Clip seams, and then pin or baste it together first, so you can see if its hanging correctly.

ETA
I did this method the second time, and I used overalls, so it did not work out so well.
I plan to remove the panel and sew it into actual pants.

I found this method, and am intrigued by it.
http://savvymuslimah.blogspot.com/2010/06/modified-skirt.html
 

Bubblingbrooks

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Open up the crotch seam almost to the zipper. Then lay the sides one on top of each other so that its flat.
The piece you are adding in, is cut in a triangle, so no pleating or gathering.
Have you looked at the various tutorials online?
 

Bethanial

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I have, and the one I posted the link to is the ONLY one I was able to find that leaves the jeans full length. I was definitely planning on pinning/basting before cutting anything off. I do plan to start by just opening the inseam, and then seeing how much of the crotch seam I really do have to let out.
 

Bubblingbrooks

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Bethanial said:
I have, and the one I posted the link to is the ONLY one I was able to find that leaves the jeans full length. I was definitely planning on pinning/basting before cutting anything off. I do plan to start by just opening the inseam, and then seeing how much of the crotch seam I really do have to let out.
I think that is basically how everyone has to do it, due to every pant being different, never mind every persons shape is different.
This is why I want a dress dummy.
 

Bethanial

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Thanks y'all - I'll let ya know how it goes once I actually find the time to sit down and do it. (Have to "help" finish my son's solar system project first!)
 

abifae

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I have soooo many sewing projects to do.

First on the list is sloper. Because I want to design my next dress from a sloper :)

sloper-sized3-563x600.jpg
 

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