With the popularity of flouncy little skirts for girls, they are widely available at the stores and even thrift stores. Turns out these flouncy little skirts are great for repurposing into doll clothes! So far, with each skirt I have repurposed for dolls I have tried something new or at least a simple variation.
Today’s skirt is quick and easy with only a little modification. We are basically resizing the skirt to doll size!
By looking at how a skirt is constructed, it helps to decide how to repurpose it.
Here is the baby skirt I started with. It has a separate waistband that holds the elastic. I’m going to remove, scale down, and reattach it.
First up, remove the waistband with a seam ripper.
After the waistband is removed, cut the skirt along the side seam to open it up flat. This skirt is gathered and it is still intact even after the waistband is taken off. Wrap the skirt around the doll waist to size it to fit. Mark it with pins, add 1/2″ for the seam allowance and 1/2″-3/4″ for room to slip it on and off. Cut the skirt where you marked it for a new doll size side seam.
This skirt has two layers of fabric. Separate the two layers. Starting with the top layer (mine is the mesh layer), lay the fabric right sides together. Line up the side seams, pin, and stitch together.
Repeat with the lower layer, right sides together, pin and stitch the side seams.
Now let’s scale down the waistband for dolls! Lay out the original waistband and trim it down in width. Wrap it around a doll’s waist and add 1/2″ for the seam allowance to get the length.
Match up and pin the open edges of the waistband and skirt. If you need tips on adding a waistband evenly, check out this post where I have step by step photos of the process.
Stitch across and leave the ends open. I am using the zig zag stitch, so when it stretches the seams won’t break.
Trim the elastic to fit a dolls waist. Place a safety pin on the end of the elastic.
Use the safety pin to thread the elastic through the waistband. Keep each end of the elastic poking out of the openings in the waistband.
Pin and stitch the elastic and waistband side seams together.
Here is a closer look at the inside of the waistband finished.
It scaled beautifully and fits great!
I still want to change the length.
Starting with the underskirt, mark the length with a pin.
Take it off and trim the underskirt and then the outer skirt.
It is full and flouncy…
and perfectly doll size!
The waistband is snug and doesn’t add too much bulk under a shirt.
I love repurpose projects! It is so quick and easy to sew doll clothes from baby skirts!
It is so rewarding because the finished project is so nice. How impossible would it be to have perfectly matching knit mesh, a knit, and a waistband from the fabric store? Those details that already come ready to go on girls clothing add a finished touch!
I hope that showing these different types of girl’s skirts repurposed into doll clothing will help you keep an eye out for all the possibilities of a girl size skirt!
-Anna
Love it good idea.
That skirt is SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the idea!