How to Make a Suspender Skirt Out of Men's Pajama Pants

Recreateful
by Recreateful
9 Materials
$10
3 Hours
Medium

In today's upcycle video, I’m going to show you how to make a suspender skirt from an old pair of men’s pajama pants!


This DIY suspender skirt is not hard to make at all. If you do like wearing skirts, I highly recommend you give this one a go.


Curious to learn more? Read on and let me show you how.

Tools and materials:

  • Loose pajama pants
  • Sewing machine
  • Matching thread
  • Marker
  • Pins
  • Scissors
  • Measuring tape
  • Paper
  • A dress that fits well
Men's pajama pants


Tracing a dress for the skirt pattern

1. Make the pattern

Grab a skirt or dress that fits you well and trace the lower part onto a piece of paper.


It’s important to note that the dress I'm copying and the pajama bottoms have roughly the same amount of stretch. 

Freehand drawing a pattern for the suspenders

Freehand the suspender part of the skirt on each side, as shown. 

Measuring where the suspenders should go

I felt they should be further apart than I initially thought, so I simply cut them out and stuck them where I wanted them to be. 

Tracing the skirt pattern for a second time

Next, trace your pattern onto the second piece of paper as you’ll be needing more than one pattern piece for this suspender skirt tutorial. 

Cutting out a pattern for the skirt

Fold your pattern in half and cut right through the middle for the back piece. 

Drawing and cutting seam lines for the front

For the front piece, use a ruler to create the seam lines. Then, cut the pieces out.

Paper pattern pieces for the suspender skirt

You should now have these pieces to work with. 

Cutting the pajama bottoms

2. Take the pants apart

Now, cut the pajama pants along the seams so that you have flat material to work with. 

Placing the paper pattern on the fabric

3. Cut the pattern

Lay the fabric flat, place the patterns, and cut accordingly. Add a little seam allowance, too. 


Tip: Cut the fabric straight if your pajamas have a checkered print. 

Sewing the skirt panel pieces together

4. Sew the pieces

Sew the respective panels right sides together. You should now have a front and backside to work with. 

Sewing the sides seams of the suspender skirt

Layer the front and back right sides together and sew the side seams. 

Hemming the bottom of the suspender skirt

Next, roll the hem at the bottom and sew for a lovely finish. 

Measuring the suspender straps

5. Measure the suspender straps

Now place the skirt on you, pin the tips onto your shirt, and then measure how long you need the suspender straps to be with a measuring tape.


My measurement was 67cm (26.37 inches). 

Cutting strips of fabric for the suspenders

Use the remaining fabric to make the strips. Here, I joined four thin, equal-sized strips together. Each strip is around 8cm (3.14 inches) wide. 

How to make a skirt with suspenders

Now, pin and sew the ends of two strips to create one long strip. You should now have two long strips. 

DIY suspender skirt tutorial

Place both strips on top of one another. Measure the length at 69cm (27.16 inches) and cut. I added a 2cm (0.78 inches) seam allowance. 

Folding the suspender straps

Fold the suspender straps widthways, so they’re right sides facing and sew along the raw edges. 

Flipping the fabric right sides out

Flip the right sides out with the help of a safety pin. 

How to sew a suspender skirt

6. Assemble the DIY suspender skirt

Trace the top part of your skirt onto some leftover fabric and cut it out. 

Making a DIY suspender skirt

Copy the first piece one more time and cut. You should have two pieces. 

Waistband pieces for the DIY suspender skirt

Sew both pieces together at the short ends on either side. Now you should have one circular piece.

Pinning the waistband to the skirt

Place this piece on the top part of the skirt and pin it all around. Make sure they're on the right sides touching. 

How to sew a skirt with suspenders

Next, sandwich each strap’s ends between the two layers. Make sure to not twist them while pinning. Everything should be aligned. 

Attaching the suspenders to the skirt

Sew all around the edges. 

Ironing the seams

Lastly, flip the skirt right sides out and iron the seams. 

How to make a suspender skirt

How to make a suspender skirt

I love how this DIY suspender skirt came out. It is rather tight, but there’s still a comfy stretch to it.


I really enjoyed this DIY project, and I hope you did, too. Let me know what you think of it in the comment section below! 

Suggested materials:
  • Loose pajama pants
  • Sewing machine
  • Matching thread
See all materials

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