The longest hardest part of this skirt? Washing the thrifted valance before making the skirt itself. This particular valance came from a friend's cabin. While it wasn't completely ugly, it did look funny hanging in the window of her newly demolished kitchen. Note to DIY builders, hard as nails glue is way more than you really need to stick tiles to a counter top, seriously. Anyway we pulled the valance down and were thinking what we could do with it when a two year old wandered in to survey the damage. Thus was born The 15 Minute Skirt!
A valance is just about the perfect thing to recycle into a skirt. It's hemmed, it sewn up and it's already lived another complete life. Plus they cost about 1 dollar at most thrift stores and are readily available. Make sure your valance has a casing, either where the rod went through or directly above it, this is usually the ruffle at the top of the valance. The only other things you need are elastic to fit the casing, a safety pin to draw the elastic through and a sewing machine. EASY!!
The 15 Minute Skirt
- measure the child's waist, the clothes pin marks the spot here
- cut elastic two inches shorter than the waist so the skirt will be snug and not fall down
- use the safety pin pinned to the elastic and thread the elastic through the casing either the one that held the curtain rod OR the one directly above it which was the ruffle of the valance--I did the second method which fit my elastic AND made the skirt longer
- once the elastic is through the casing pin them together until you sew them together-nothing is worse than having the elastic disappear into the casing
- sew an x on the ends of the overlapping elastic, making sure there is no twist in the waist band of the skirt
- then take the two sides of the valance, match right sides together and sew them up to the top of the waist, sewing right through the waistband to keep it from twisting in the casing
- turn the skirt over and slip the remaining opening in the casing inside the other opening, sew shut
- Give it to the most adorable two year old in the world
I vote this as the BEST USE OF VALANCE EVER. Oh damn there's no category for that?? There should be!
Peace and Love--
What a cute idea. I saw something similar on Pinterest recently, but they were making skirt aprons...just little easy pull on aprons made like a skirt. I thought they would be a fantastic craft fair item. The photo of the little girl is just precious. Thanks for the tip about the glue...you saved me from making a big mistake.
ReplyDeleteI love it. Now I know to keep my eyes out for cute valences. ;)
ReplyDeleteThis is such a creative idea! You are a wonder. Could you find something so cute, quick and easy for a little boy!?! :) Great job!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally smiling right now! I love this idea. Very cute and easy, which is what I need. Creative thinking!!!
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't there a category for that? There should be. It's positively adorable, as is the 2 year old in question!
ReplyDeleteI love this, Laura!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this. Reminds me of the time I made toddler pants out of an old t-shirt that I got off of freecycle. Now I want to bust my sewing machine out.
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