Sew an upcycled bubble skirt

Breathe new life into and old pair of jeans by adding a bubble hem and turning them into a skirt. 

To sew this bubble skirt you can also upcycle demin shorts or even a fitted skirt.  

The bubble part of this skirt can be sewn from fabric in your stash, or why not use fabric from another old/thrifted item of clothing? Truly making this a completely repurposed item!  

The best type of fabric to sew the bubble part of the skirt from is stiff cotton, similar to quilting fabric.

Materials needed

• Jeans (skirt, trousers or shorts) – that fit around the waist and upper hip 
• Fabric for outer skirt: hip measurement x 4 x the length you want the bubble skirt part to be + 10cm (see Step 1 for a diagram) 
• Fabric for inner skirt: hip measurement plus 10cm x the length of the bubble skirt part minus 10cm (see Step 1 for a diagram) 
• Matching sewing thread 

Equipment needed

• Sewing machine – we used the new Inventio range sewing machines 
• Basic sewing supplies 
• Scissors 
• Pins 
• Measuring tape 

Some notes for sewing a bubble skirt

• Fabric choices: for the bubble, choose light but stiff fabric. For evening wear taffeta is the ultimate bubble skirt fabric. For daytime light, crisp cotton or voile works well. Avoid heavy fabrics or fabrics with drape, as the bubble will collapse.  
• The formula we used for the inner skirt is suitable for short skirts. If your skirt is longer, you can increase the width of the inner skirt to 30cm wider than the hip for a more comfortable fit. 
• The secret to a pleasing two-part skirt (especially if you have contrast in colour) is getting the proportion between the upcycled denim part and the bubble skirt part right. If the upcycled denim part is the same length as the skirt, the proportion is 1:1. If you make the bubble skirt part twice as long as the denim, it will be 1:2. Proportions such as 1:1, 1:2, 2:3 or 1:5 for a longer skirt will all have a pleasing proportion. 

How to

Step 1

Cut the legs off the jeans just under the crotch and cut the crotch open.

Step 2

Cut the curved parts of the crotch seam right next to the double stitched seam.  

Overlap the curved sections until the fabric lays flat. Keep the double stitched part on top. Pin in place and sew along the edge through all layers to secure. Repeat at the back. 

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Calculate the fabric to cut for the outer skirt and the inner skirt.

Outer skirt

Width of skirt: Take the measurement all along the line you have just cut. Times this by 4.

Length of skirt: Measure from 1.5cm above the cut line up to the length you want the skirt to be. Add 10cm to this measurement. 

Inner skirt

Width of inner skirt: circumference of cut jeans plus 10cm (or 30cm for longer skirts). 

Length of inner skirt: Skirt length minus 10cm. 

Tip: you may have to cut the denim skirt pieces in two or three parts and sew together. 

Step 6 

Sew the vertical seams on each of the bubble skirt parts together, so that you have two tubes – one inner skirt tube and one outer skirt tube.  

Sew gathering stitches (two rows of straight stitch on highest stitch length setting) around both edges of the outer skirt tube and around one edge of the inner skirt tube. 

Step 7 

On both the outer and inner bubble skirt tubes, divide each of the raw edges into four and make a mark on each of these quarters.  

Turn the inner skirt tube right side out. Align so that the edge with no gathering stitches is at the top.  

Turn the outer bubble skirt tube wrong side out. 

Place the inner skirt tube inside the outer skirt tube, aligning the non-gathered edge of the inner skirt with one of the gathered edges of the outer skirt.  The right sides of the bubble skirt tubes will be facing together now 

Keep this edge at the top, match and pin the quarter marks. 

Pull up the bobbin threads on the outer bubble skirt tube so that the top edges of the two tubes are the same length. Form gathers and distribute them evenly into the four quarters.  

Sew between the two rows of gathering stitches to join the inner and out pieces of the bubble skirt together.  

Trim the seam allowance and zigzag the edge to prevent fraying. 

Step 8

With right sides facing and raw edges aligned, match the quarter marks on the second gathered edge of the outer bubble skirt to the front, sides and centre back of the denim skirt piece.  

Pull up the bobbin threads on the outer skirt and distribute gathers evenly into the quarters. Pin all around onto the denim. 

Sew, trim and zigzag as per Step 7. 

Step 9

Lay the skirt on your work surface with outer skirt and inner skirt pulled down. 

Grip the fabric of the outer skirt halfway between the denim and the inner skirt and pull towards and over the denim piece until the edge of the denim that was sewn to the outer skirt aligns with the raw edge of the inner skirt. The wrong sides of the inner and outer skirt will now be facing each other. 

Step 10

Match and pin the quarter marks on the inner skirt to the sides, centre and back of the sewn together denim and outer skirt layers.  

Pull up the gathering stitches on the inner skirt edge and distribute the gathers equally in each section. Pin and sew through all layers.  

Trim and zigzag.

Step 11

Fold the seam allowance up towards the waistband. Pin and top stitch in place. 

All done!

Want to see this skirt in action? It featured in the promo video for the Brother Inventio sewing machine range – watch it below. 

You can read more about the Brother Inventio range sewing machines here – it’s the perfect machine to step-up your sewing skills on.