Need a Unique Holiday Outfit? Make This Festive DIY Tinsel Skirt

Tools and materials:

• Non-stretch, tight skirt with a zipper
• Tinsel trim
• Scissors
• Pins 
• Ruler
• Marking or tailor’s chalk
• Fabric glue
• Non-stretch tight-fitting pants (optional)
• Sewing machine (optional if doing the pants version)

Tips: Make sure the skirt you use is non-stretch, tight-fitted, and with a zipper because if it doesn’t have a zipper, you won’t be able to get in or out of it. 

Try to get the single-layer tinsel trim. Some tinsel trims come with a mesh-type top. Remove it by either yanking it off or taking scissors to it.

1. Marking the bottom

Decide where you want the bottom to be first. Try the skirt on and hold the tinsel trim to see where it falls. Place a pin where the top of the trim should be attached.

Line up the pin with the ruler and mark with chalk all around the skirt. You can draw a sloping line if your skirt has more of a rounded shape.

Double-check that the right and left sides are even. Make sure the attachment line is even.

2. Glue the tinsel to the skirt

Start applying the tinsel trim right at the zipper. The skirt I’m showing you has the zipper on the left side and that’s where I start.

Fold the tinsel trim over a tiny bit right at the line with fabric glue to create a nice, clean, finished edge right next to the zipper. Lay a thin line of glue and then drop the trim onto it.

Tip: You don’t need a lot of glue for this trim - use a thin line.

I recommend stretching the skirt slightly when laying the trim down so it doesn’t bunch up. Slight tugs help make sure it’s as flat as possible. Make your way around the front and end where you started. Keep the zipper fully accessible.

Cut the end a ¼ inch longer so you can fold the end for that finished look at the zipper’s edge.

Tap down on the glued edge to make sure everything is securely glued and flat. Give a little tug just to make sure.

You can stop there with just one layer but why not go for a full, multi-layered tinsel skirt?

3. Add a second layer of tinsel

If you’re doing multi-layer (and I hope you do) you need to figure out where the next layer will fall. I like to split the difference between the top and bottom, but you can customize the amount of layers. 

Mark the line with chalk working with the ruler to make it as straight as possible. If your skirt has non-functional pockets, just glue right over them. Remember to fold the trim over just a bit at the beginning and the end of the layers. 

4. Glue the top layer of tinsel trim

Take your time here because this layer is the most visible and nothing goes on top of it. Lay the trim right up to the edge of the waistline - fully flush so you don’t see the skirt’s waistband at all. Be extra careful to have the trim as straight as possible by the zipper.

Now, if you’re sane and not too much of a perfectionist, you’re done! If you’re a little like me, read on:

5. Flat iron the tinsel (optional)

Sometimes the tinsel doesn’t behave by crinkling outward and not laying flat and shiny, leaving weird kinks in the skirt. So, I actually flat ironed my DIY tinsel skirt on the very lowest setting with my flat iron!

Note: Set the iron on the lowest setting. Test out a strip before you touch the skirt to make sure it doesn’t crisp or fry up. Technically you could do it with a regular iron but I feel a flat iron gets both sides perfectly smooth. You can see how sparkly and shiny it looks!

6. Add a double layer of tinsel at the top (optional)

You can add a double layer of tinsel at the top. If you’re gluing trim on top of trim, put the glue to the very top rather than the middle of the trim.

7. Trim the tinsel skirt

Trim any stray or scraggly tinsel threads.

Bonus: Tinsel trimmed pants

But wait, there's more! You can also add a tinsel trim to pants. Here's how to do it...

1. Prepare the pants

It’s best to use an old pair of pants or well-fitting pants from the thrift store. Measure where you want the tinsel to fall by your ankles. You’ll need to hem and cut the pants so the trim lays properly. 

2. Sew tinsel to the pants

Lay the trim tape on the raw edge of the right side of the pants with the tinsel facing up to the waistband. Pin in place. Sew the trim tape to the pants with a zigzag stitch.  

3. Glue the new hem

Mark the hem line and place glue on the line on the wrong side. 

Fold the trim-lined hem up and push it down to secure the glue. Make sure the trim and hem are nice and taut.  

4. Finishing touches

Flip the pants right side out. Do not iron. I thought it would help but instead it made the glue show through the pant fabric. Trim any loose tinsel.

DIY tinsel skirt tutorial

Festive and fun! I hope you try making this DIY tinsel skirt or pants! 

If you try out these DIYs, please share your photos and comment below! Happy tinsel-y holidays!