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chiffon

How to Make a Girls’ T-Shirt “TEE”zer Skirt

Make a short skirt from an existing T-shirt by adding a gathered chiffon or tulle lower layer and an elastic casing at the waist.

By ThatPainter Team 2 min read
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Turn an existing T-shirt into the knit upper part of a short skirt, then sew gathered chiffon or tulle onto the bottom and add an elastic waist. The tutorial calls this a “TEE”zer skirt and recommends wearing it with leggings underneath.

What you’ll need

  • One T-shirt
  • Nylon chiffon or tulle; the creator suggests two layers
  • Elastic for the waistband
  • Scissors and measuring tape
  • A sewing machine

The tutorial does not specify fabric quantities, elastic width, or a particular machine. Choose elastic by measuring the wearer rather than relying on a universal length.

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How to make the skirt

1. Cut the T-shirt for the skirt top

Cut the shirt just below the sleeves. Measure from the wearer’s waist to just below the bum to determine the knit section’s length, then add one inch for the casing at the top. In her example, Megan uses 10.5 inches; that is an example measurement, not a standard size.

2. Cut and gather the lower layer

Cut the chiffon or tulle into long strips. Megan suggests two layers and uses an 8-inch strip height in her example. Strip length depends on the fabric available. The strips can overlap or sit close together for a more continuous look.

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Sew a basting stitch along the top of a strip, leaving long thread tails at both ends instead of backstitching. Pull the threads to gather the fabric into ruffles.

3. Attach the ruffle

Pin the gathered fabric about one inch above the bottom edge of the T-shirt piece. Stitch it in place with a straight or zigzag stitch, sewing over the gathering line.

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4. Make the elastic casing

Fold the top edge of the shirt fabric over one inch and stitch it down to make a casing, leaving a 2–3 inch opening. Thread elastic through the casing, sew the elastic ends together, then stitch the opening closed. The tutorial gives no elastic width or length, so measure for the wearer and choose elastic that fits through the casing.

Fit and wearing notes

The creator intends this skirt to be worn with leggings underneath. The tutorial does not provide a size chart, finished waist measurements, or a tested age or fit range; its example dimensions should not be treated as sizing guidance.

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Original tutorial

Andrea’s Notebook published “T-Shirt to Skirt Refashion”, featuring guest creator Megan of Brassy Apple. The tutorial was originally posted October 1, 2020 and updated June 2, 2022.

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