Skirt Into a Top Refashion

Vickymcreations
by Vickymcreations

As the school summer holidays continue my desire to sew, to have space in my sanctuary of a sewing room has become ever stronger. When I spotted a gorgeous Monsoon skirt in a charity shop (op shop for American readers) I was immediately drawn to the fabric, an impulse purchase was made with the aspiration that the pleats in the skirt would yield enough fabric to make a new top for myself.

Twenty four hours before we set off for France I found myself cutting out the top New Look K6284, the pattern came with the Make It Today Dressmaker magazine. As an aside, I love my subscription to sewing magazine. I may not immediately feel drawn to a pattern but I love having a stash of patterns to browse through when fabric comes my way.


I unpicked the waistband when I first bought the skirt but then the project at in my works in progress basket for the summer holidays.

To optimise the fabric plus the need to reduce the time I chose to place the pattern so the base of the top matched the hemline of the original skirt. To be completely honest I forgot to allow for seam allowance but as I have a long torso I can pretend that this was a deliberate pattern adjustment!

Once I had the body of the top cut out I bought some black fabric to make a slightly contrasting yoke. I added interfacing to the fabric prior to cutting out.

Adding running stitch to draw up the gather in the fabric was smooth and easy. The pattern has good instructions to follow.

Before adding the lining to the yoke I pressed under the seam allowance. I do love my hemming sewing tool gadget, it is a superb help in pressing under the correct even amount.

Once the yoke lining was stitched around the neckline, turned through, pressed and topstitched I slip stitched the base of the yoke in place (whilst waiting for the children having haircuts!).

The side seams were quickly stitched, then lastly the armholes were finished with bias binding.

The top did not take long to make, it’s difficult to tell exactly how long as I grabbed fifteen minutes here and there.

I am a little disappointed with the fit along the back of my refashioned top, but this may be to do with using a heavyweight interfacing (as that’s what I had to hand).

If you prefer quirky refashions then check out my Kamino top from a dress where I share how to draft your own pattern, of this jacket refashioned into a skirt, a truly fun make.

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Vickymcreations
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