How to Transform a T-shirt Into a Drawstring Skirt
Are you ready for a simple DIY drawstring skirt? In this tutorial I will show you how to make a skirt out of a recycled t-shirt in under 5 minutes! This is a great DIY for a quick costume, play clothes, growing kids, and just everyday wear. And best of all, there’s no sewing involved, just cutting! Hope you enjoy and get inspired!
Tools and materials:
- Oversized t-shirt
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Fabric chalk
- Wooden skewer
1. Find your skirt length
Turn your oversized t-shirt inside-out and upside-down.
Wrap the t-shirt around the back of your waist where you’d like the waist of your skirt to sit. Then mark the length of your skirt with fabric chalk.
The maximum length you’ll be able to get is down to where the sleeve of your t-shirt begins.
2. Create your skirt pieces
Lay your t-shirt on a flat surface and use a ruler to draw a straight line across the shirt where your skirt hemline will be.
Draw a second horizontal line about a half-inch above your first hemline (closer to the top of the t-shirt).
3. Cut your pieces
Cut through both layers of your t-shirt along both lines.
Now you have a large rectangle of t-shirt fabric, that will be your skirt.
Cut the long thin piece into two along a short edge, and then pull those pieces tight to stretch them into drawstrings.
4. Assemble your skirt
Turn the rectangle so that the hemline of the t-shirt becomes the waistband of your skirt.
Turn your skirt right-side-out and lay it flat. If you notice that one side is shorter than the other, make the shorter side the front of your skirt.
Mark two small holes at the front, center of your waistband to insert the drawstrings.
Snip those drawstring holes by rolling the fabric between your fingers so that you are snipping just the top layer of waistband fabric, not all the way through.
5. Add the drawstrings
Tie the two drawstrings together tightly and snip the excess fabric from the tied end.
Wrap one end of your drawstring around the end of a wooden skewer, and use the skewer to insert the drawstring into your waistband.
When you get to the side seams, cut two small holes on either side of the seam on the inside of the waistband.
Pull your drawstring out one hole and back in through the other.
Finish pulling your drawstring all the way around your waistband, so the knot sits at the bag and the ties fall down the front of your skirt.
DIY drawstring skirt
That’s it! Just put on your DIY drawstring t-shirt skirt and tie it up.
This DIY skirt also works with patterned t-shirts. Just remember that your t-shirt pattern will be flipped upside down when you make your skirt.
It really did take me less than 5 minutes to make this drawstring skirt, and I bet you’ll make yours just as quickly. Leave a comment to let me know how you liked this DIY t-shirt to skirt tutorial.
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I'm going to try this out this weekend!
Great idea! I can even make these! Thanks!