Make a DIY Two-piece
In this DIY tutorial I’ll show you how I flipped a $5 thrift shop skirt into a matching two-piece shorts and crop top outfit.
Tools and materials:
- Long skirt for working material
- Crop top and shorts for measurement
- Measuring tape
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Thread
- Waist elastic
- Sewing machine
Measure your crop top
Using a long thrift shop skirt, turn it inside out and lay it on your worktable. Lay your crop top on top of your skirt fabric, with the top of the crop top just below the waistband of the skirt. That waistband will become the elastic at the top of your crop top. Mark the bottom of the crop top in pencil on the fabric and then draw a straight line across the fabric as your guide for cutting.
Cut the basic crop top
Cut your fabric, both layers together, along the cut line.
Create the crop top shape
Lay your crop top over your newly cut fabric. Mark the outside bottom corners of your crop top on your fabric. Draw a diagonal line on your fabric from the top left outer corner to the left bottom mark you just made. Repeat on the other side.
Sew and trim the sides
Sew along the diagonal lines you just created and then cut the excess fabric off on the outside of the seam.
Make the straps
Determine the length and width you want your straps to be to go from the front to the back of the top. Using extra fabric from your original dress, cut pieces for your crop top straps.
Pin the ends of the straps to the front and back of your top on the inside, then sew them on in two places to make them secure.
Measure the shorts
I used the same fabric for my shorts as I used for my crop top but turned the stripes vertically. Turn your fabric inside-out. Fold your shorts in half and lay them on top of the fabric, so the straight side of the shorts is along the edge of your fabric. Draw an outline around the outside of your shorts. Now turn your shorts upside-down and line the straight edge up with the other edge of the fabric. Now the top of your shorts will be at the bottom of the fabric. Outline that side of your shorts.
Cut the shorts
Using pins, mark all cutting lines on the fabric about 1 inch larger than the outline you made, so you have a seam allowance. Make sure your pins have gone through both layers of fabric, because that will ensure a nice even cut. Cut the fabric along the outside of your pin line so that when cut the pins are still holding the two layers together.
Sew the shorts
On each piece of shorts fabric, sew only the curved line. Do not sew the crotch area below the curve. Once you have sewn that seam on both pieces of shorts, open each piece and you’ll see that it is beginning to take shape!
With both pieces open, put one on top of the other with the outside of the shorts facing in. Pin the layers of the outside edges and the V-shaped crotch area together.
Sew the side and crotch seams together about 1 inch from the edge (that’s the extra inch you allowed for when you cut.)
Make the waistband
Measure your waist and then cut a length of elastic a couple of inches longer than your waist measurement. Now, starting in the middle of your shorts, pin the elastic to the shorts, leaving enough fabric above it to cover the elastic plus a bit extra when folded over. Leave a bit of the elastic hanging out where you start and finish pinning.
Fold the top of the fabric over the elastic and pin that together all around. Sew the folded piece of fabric down at the bottom edge, making sure that you are not sewing on the elastic. Once you are finished sewing, tie the extra pieces of elastic as tight or loose as you want for a comfortable fit.
You’ve done it! You’ve transformed a long skirt into your own DIY two-piece shorts and crop top set. Thank you so much for watching this tutorial and come back for more videos!
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