ReFashion - Skirt to Bag!

9:56 PM

Happy New Year !!!!

To start 2017 off right I created a new bag for myself from a skirt! When I saw this Anthropologie Marimekko mini skirt at the local thrift shop I HAD to have it. The colors are bright and bold and everything about it screamed handbag to me! Plus it was only $5- so how could I go wrong?

For this project I used:
1 skirt
1 set of bag handles (recycled from another bag)
1/2 yard canvas fabric- Optional: used to line the bag and make it stiff
1/4 yard accent fabric (for interior pocket and handles)

Marimekko Mini Skirt - BEFORE transformation

I wanted to make a bag but I also wanted to alter the original skirt as little as possible. Here's what I did.

I removed the button and zipper from the skirt. I saved them for later - They will come in handy for other projects!

Carefully remove the Zipper

Carefully remove the zipper

Using a seam ripper I carefully removed the zipper. Making sure not to damage the zipper or the skirt.

Sew the zipper hole closed

Once the zipper was removed, I sewed the side of the skirt closed.

Turn skirt inside out

With the skirt turned inside out, I sewed the waistline closed.

Trim excess fabric.

Next I trimmed the additional fabric from the waistline so that it would not be too bulky.

Make bottom guessets

I folded the corner to make the bottom guessets.

Stitch guessets

I stitched guessets into the bottom corners of the bag.

I wasn't sure how this bag would be used and at first I stopped here. DONE! I was going to use the bag for yarn storage so there was nothing more for me to do!

Yarn Storage Bag

This bag sat on my craft table for a while, when I decided that she was too pretty to just sit in my craft room holding knitting supplies. She needed to be seen, so I added handles to make her street ready!

ADDING HANDLES

I had pre made handles from another bag that I added to Poppy (that's what I named her).

Pre made handles

These handles are great, but I needed a way to attach them to Poppy. Using a bit of scrap fabric, I cut a sleeve of fabric.

Tube sewn from scrap fabric

With the right sides together, I sewed a tube of fabric, the turned it inside out.

I cut my fabric tubes in half

I cut the tube of fabric in half, the cut it in half again.

zigzag stitch the ends closed

I closed the ends of the fabric tubes with a zigzag stitch to keep them from fraying.

Thread the fabric through the handle rings. Stitch closed!

Sew the fabric tubes to the handles

Pin and sew the handles to the bag.

Secure the handle.

After I added the handles, I thought I was done with this bag. I put my stuff in the bag and hit the streets. Turns out the bag was too soft and unstructured for my taste, so I decided to add a lining.

ADDING A LINING
Choosing a lining was a little sticky. I wanted a lining that was stiff and structured (like leather or vinyl) but also machine washable. In the end I chose a brightly colored canvas duck.