the upcycled denim skirt

this is certainly not an original idea, but one of my favorite summer projects for upcycling a worn-out pair of jeans. here's a quick how-to: cut off your jeans at desired length, no need to hem - i love the fraying that will naturally occur. don't discard the bottom pieces, you will need them. carefully open up the inside leg seams with a seam ripper, there could be as many as 3/4 layers of stitching that need to be opened up. open up front seam all the way to where the zipper starts, and back seam all the way to where the seam runs straight. lay skirt flat by placing one inside leg over the other. make sure the fabric falls naturally flat (iron if necessary). don't force this process as you don't want to end up with an unsightly bulge in the crotch area... open up the side seam of the bottom leg and place this rectangular piece behind the "V" shape in the front that needs to be filled in, lining up the bottom seam with the bottom edge of the skirt. when everything is in the correct place, pin it all together and make sure the edges of the inside leg pieces are folded over. stitch it all into place with 2 rows of topstitching for extra strength. turn skirt inside out and cut away any excess fabric. repeat process for the back of the skirt. if you use denim with some stretch, this will be one of the most comfortable pieces of clothing you have ever owned!