With Autumn just around the corner, my thoughts have been turning to the cosy end of the style spectrum. In a bid to expand on my usual Winter uniform of jeans-flannel shirt-jumper, I've been thinking about versatile, casual skirts with all the effortless appeal of pulling on a pair of jeans. I think I may have nailed it. I'll be wearing this flannel skirt with and without tights, over the knee socks, ankle socks, with sneakers, boots, heels and clogs... The only thing I won't be wearing with it? Another flannel shirt!

You will need:

• an old flannel shirt (on the big size as it needs to fit around your bottom!)
• fabric scissors
• a sewing machine

Step 1

From the bottom, measure up to how long you want your skirt to be, remembering to factor in about a centimetre seam allowance. Cut away the top of the shirt along this line. Cut away sleeves and put aside - you will make the waistband from the sleeves.

Step 2

Measure around your hips, add a centimetre each side for seam allowance and make a waistband from the sleeves. Unless you have a teeeeeensy waist or very long sleeves, you will most likely have to stitch 2 lengths together in order to create a waistband long enough to fit around your hips. At this point you can decide if you'd like to make a waistband with an overlap flap that fastens with a button/hook & eye; a waistband that meets at centre front and fastens with a ribbon maybe; you could even insert a length of elastic through your waistband. I incorporated one of the button toggles from the sleeve and stitched on a button for a kind of strap over button fastening thing (not explaining it so well in words - see final image!).

Step 3

Stitch waistband to skirt, right sides together. Your waistband will should be shorter than the topline of the skirt (as mine was), seeing as your hip measurement is smaller than your bum (seat) measurement. In order to get the waistband to fit the skirt, you can either just ease the 2 together, creating mini gathers evenly spaced along the skirt's topline, or make a couple of little pleats (that's what I did) at the back to make them fit. Once the waistband is in place, all that's left to do is sew on your buttons/hook & eye/fastening of your choice, and you're done!

{I wore: 2nd hand Dunhill jumper; DIY flannel skirt; clogs - Swedish Hasbeens}

 

 

x Elisalex