Tutorial Mashup: Turn a pair of shorts into a maternity skirt

DIY Maternity Skirt

Somewhere in the last few weeks, my baby bump popped right out, and suddenly none of my bottoms fit anymore! Getting dressed was starting to be a challenge, so I whipped up a maternity skirt to flesh out my wardrobe a little bit. That project went swimmingly, but one skirt does not a new wardrobe make. Instead of making another skirt from scratch, I decided to turn a pair of old denim shorts into a maternity skirt.

This tutorial is actually three tutorials mashed into one, since three things needed to happen:

  1. The shorts had to become a skirt.
  2. The skirt needed a maternity waistband.
  3. I wanted a maternity waistband that didn’t require buying anything new.

Choosing the Right Pair of Shorts

You want a pair of shorts that were a little bit big on you before you got pregnant. You don’t want them to be huge, just maybe one size bigger than you were wearing, since you’ll lose a little bit of room when you convert them into a skirt.

Also very important: do not use short shorts! The ones I used came just above mid-thigh on me before I got pregnant, and the resulting skirt is…risque. I’ll still wear it with tights or leggings, but it is a micromini, to be sure! If you’re going for a little bit more modesty, choose something longer – it’s much easier to hem than to make a too-short skirt more decent! With those caveats, let’s get sewing!

Click here for the tutorial!

Written by Becky Striepe

My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”), and I am a crafts and food writer from Atlanta, Georgia with a passion for making our planet a healthier, happier, and more compassionate place to live. My mission is to make vegan food and crafts accessible to everyone!. If you like my work, you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, and .

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