Search

Home » Featured » Turn an ill-fitting Maxi Dress into a Maxi Skirt. Perfect.

Turn an ill-fitting Maxi Dress into a Maxi Skirt. Perfect.

 

I know you have a Maxi Dress (or more?) that makes you crazy. 

 

You love the print, the fabric, or something else about it……but after you wore it a time or two, you realized it did nothing for your shape.  So instead of throwing it out or donating it, fix that sad little Maxi Dress into a fabulous MAXI. SKIRT.  What?!!  You’ve never worn a Maxi Skirt?  You may have to stop everything you’re doing right now and make one.  (or buy one!)  They are the most cozy little thing you can wear.  And I love them more than a Maxi Dress.  Because Maxi Dresses can be finicky up top and you may not like the neckline/waistline/sleeve length/etc.  But you can pair a skirt with whatever top you want.  Done.  And holy smokes, there’s nothing better than a Maxi (dress or skirt) during the warmer months.  Yeah, they allow some serious air flow. :)

 

While my friend Ashley and her family were visiting last week (yep, same name as mine……sometimes confusing), she wore a Maxi Dress one day and by the end of the day, she hated it.  Something about the elastic and the fit of the top just wasn’t doing it for her.  No biggee.  I reminded her that instead of throwing it into a donate pile (or the back of her closet)……..that we could transform it.  And that’s what we did, right before they left Saturday morning. 

 

 

 

Nothing beats a little last minute project.  Especially when it takes like 15-20 minutes.

 

 

 

I made the skirt using my favorite waistline {because it’s so darn cozy}……..a nice shirred waistband.  Who doesn’t love an elongated waistband?  (Don’t let shirring scare you.  I share a tutorial how to do it, here.)

 

 

 

So go on, whack that dress in half, and turn it into a skirt that you’ll love.  (However, don’t you love that lace at the top?  I know, such a shame it didn’t fit her right.  I’m saving that for some other future project though.  Who knows what……but something.)

 

 

 

And if you don’t have a Maxi that you hate…….maybe you have a shorter length dress that looks you can’t stand the top.  Go on, turn it into a skirt of any length.  It’s a quick fix to something that you may have decided to throw out.

 

But ooooh, a Maxi.  I love them.

 

By the way, if you don’t have a Maxi Dress to cut up, no worries.  You can just create a Maxi Skirt by following this tutorial as well.  Just make a long tube of fabric out of some knit (or other fabric), that can be cinched into a skirt at the top.  Nice and easy.

 

 

Would you like a quick little tutorial on how to turn a Maxi Dress into a Maxi Skirt??

 

 

 

Okay, first of all, cut the top of the dress right off.  If you’re cutting into a knit dress, you’re in luck.  Because it doesn’t fray.  And that makes it easier.  However, whatever fabric you’re using will work.  Just be sure that you have enough fabric at the top to either just fold over a 1/2 inch and make a casing for some elastic at the top (like I did), or you may need a little extra to fold down a 1/4 inch and then fold down another 1/2 inch to make your casing.  (You would do the 2 folds if you were using a woven fabric like cotton.  You don’t want it to unravel.)

 

So here I go, I started at the back, folded the top edge a 1/2 inch (towards the inside of the skirt), then sewed right along the bottom edge of that folded over fabric.

 

When I sewed all the way around, I stopped about an inch before completing the full circle.

 

Then, I flipped the skirt to the right side and started making rows of shirring, about a 1/4 inch apart.  (Need help with shirring?  Go here.)  My first row was right on top of the seam that I made to create the casing, then I moved down from there.

 

When the waistband was to the desired height of my friend, I threaded some 1/8 inch wide elastic through the top casing, pulled it in, knotted it off, then cut the ends off.

 

Then I sewed that little opening closed. 

 

 

Then, like I shared in the shirring tut0rial here, I always steam my shirring and flatten out that top casing so it’s not bulky or bunchy. 

 

And that’s it.

 

 

A quick little fix for an unloved Maxi Dress.

 

Enjoy.

 

 

 

. . . . . . . . . . .
This post is sponsored by:

Ashley Johnston

Administrator at Make It & Love It
Ashley Johnston is a professional DIY costume maker, sewist, crafter, and owner of Make It & Love It. She is a mom of 5 and a wife to a very patient (with the craft clutter) husband. In case you’re wondering, she always chooses crafting/sewing/designing over mopping/dusting/wiping base boards……but bathrooms/laundry/full bellies are always attended to. Whew!

  • Save

Hi, I'm Ashley

Hi, I’m Ashley—the DIY-enthusiast behind this crazy blog!

Back to Top
151 Shares
Share via
Copy link