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Hey there! I made a DIY color-blocked midi skirt. It’s actually upcycled from old pants I made.
It has contrasting side panels with a godet in black fabric. I also made a matching top, and they come together for a nice, sporty, athleisure vibe.
Simplicity S9146 Pants Pattern
I made my skirt from Simplicity S9146 sewing pattern. Wait… there’s no variation to make a skirt.
Right! These are pull-on pants with a flat front elastic waistband. They have lengthwise side panels, inseam pockets, and a tie belt option.
They’re easy to make, and it’d put it at an intermediate level. With the wide-legged fit, this was easier to turn into a skirt.
Materials
Here are the fabrics and notions I used for my project. Since I upcycled for this one, I didn’t have to run out and buy anything.
Fabric: The fabric I used was a nice, soft, dark blue Tencel twill from Joann. At this time, they had a few colors, so I got all of them.
It’s more drapey and less structured than the recommended ones. But Tencel twill can make nice pants and skirts too.
Suggested fabrics include batiks, chambray, chine, cotton types, double gauze, lightweight denim, linen types, and seersucker.
Notions: I used 1-1/4 inch (1.25-inch) wide knit elastic and a little lightweight fusible interfacing for the waistband.
Sewing the Upcycled Skirt
Well, making this skirt was time-consuming because I had to deconstruct the pants and fidget with the godet.
I actually made the skirt from another pants pattern, and they came out a little snug. The Tencel might have to do with this, because it can shrink from heat!
So, I upcycled those pants using Simplicity S9146. This sewing pattern is perfect if you need to size up some pants.
That’s because it has side panels. With extra black Tencel twill fabric from my stash, I could make the pants fit.
That did the trick, but I wore the pants a couple times and didn’t like them. I thought about turning them into a skirt.
Okay, so I wasn’t done upcycling these pants. I had to do it again…
Seriously, how many times can you upcycle clothes? Infinitely. When there’s a will, there’s a way.
So, I opened the inside seams of the pants with my trusty seam ripper. I got rid of the front crotch curve by sewing a line straight down from the waistband.
I stopped several inches from the bottom for a front slit so I could walk with ease.
I had more black Tencel twill left in my stash, so I cut out my big triangle panel. Then I added this godet to the back.
When I finished, I had black fabric down the sides and in the back.
I also kept the carriers to wear the tie belt I had made for the pants. It completes the look of my midi skirt!
McCall’s M7286 Top Pattern
Now, I had made this knit top way before I upcycled the pants. McCall’s M7286 sewing pattern has a couple of fun variations.
The front and back of my shirt are made of blue knit fabric, and the sleeves are black. It’s a T-shirt with contrasting raglan sleeves.
If you make this pattern, choose a medium-weight knit fabric with moderate stretch. You don’t want anything too stretchy or drapey.
Now, I love the neckband on this top, but I made mine a little deeper.
I also shortened the overall length because it was a little long. Otherwise, I made no other changes.
Notes
I think my outfit has an athletic look with the color-blocking. And the fact that my top is just about the same colors is amazing.
You could make the panels in the same color as the skirt, but they won’t pop. Or find a fabric with a cool print. That would look fun!
Overall, I like how my skirt came out, considering how many times I upcycled the fabric. It’s as comfy as wearing track pants, I must say.
I even wore it to an art opening and got a few compliments! So, it was well worth all the effort I put into it.
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