A New Shirt From an Old Skirt

Do you ever look in your closet and think "I have NOTHING to wear!!"  Well, that happens to me.  All. The. Time.  And since I'm broke, I try to change the old things into new things.  This shirt, for example, went from being a skirt that I NEVER wear, to a fun summer top... In FIVE minutes!

Here is the skirt I started with.  It's a stretchy knit.  It looks innocent enough, but the waistband (which is SUPPOSED to fold over) always manages to unfold itself throughout the day, adding an additional few inches to my waist.  Who wants that?  Not me.

I have known that I wanted to make this into a shirt for a few days now.  But I was unsure how I wanted to fashion the top.  Finally I saw this black sash peeking out of a mysterious pile in my closet.  It used to be a waistband to an old maternity top.  It matched, and it was already sewn, and so... I was sold.

The waistband of the skirt became the bottom of my shirt.  First, I tried it on upside-down and gathered it up in the front so that I could see how much fabric I would need to gather in the front in order to give me enough modesty in the back.

Speaking of modesty... yes that is me standing in my yard with a skirt on my top being help into place.  Sorry neighbors... husband (photographer) was outside when I needed this shot.

Next I put a safety pin where my hand was holding it up.  Using that place marker as a guide, I folded down, to create a small casing in the front.  I pinned that casing down before sewing it shut.

My apologies for the picture quality.  I think I already mentioned my photographer was outside at the time.  All I had to do next was pull my sash through the casing and VIOLA!   Instant shirt!

Seriously.  Five.  Minutes.  :)