0.diyphotoprintpencilskirt_introWhat could be more Summery than beautiful photographs of must-visit vacation spots? And nothing can herald the coming of this season more than wearing said photos on your person: an apparel-fueled mental vacation, if you will.

Get A Life is a series of photo-printed tops for men, sold at Wal-Mart for very affordable prices (around $9 and up, and now available on eBay by the hundreds).  Their pieces are made of a stretchy polyester, which makes them wonderfully-suited for women’s clothing (especially bodycon styles!).  These T-shirts, since made for men, are already oversized (read: TONS of workable fabric!)…and very easily remade into something perfect for a woman…and perfect for fun in the sun.  Here’s how:

You Need:diyphotoprintpencilskirt_materials

printed t-shirt  /  1″-wide waistband elastic (enough to go around your waist)  /  matching thread

Tools: fabric scissors  /  needle for sewing knits  /  sewing machine  /  pins  /  safety pin (not pictured)  /  serger (optional)

How To:

diyphotoprintpencilskirt_step1 1. Cut off the sleeves of the shirt.  diyphotoprintpencilskirt_step2Cut off the neck from both the front and the back, cutting straight across from side to side.

diyphotoprintpencilskirt_step32. Turn the shirt inside out and pin the sides together.

diyphotoprintpencilskirt_step43. Sew the sides on the sewing machine in a curved line that is smaller at the waist area and at the knee area.  You may have to try on the skirt multiple times to see how it hangs and if the side seams allow the right curvature for your body and how tight you want the skirt.

diyphotoprintpencilskirt_step54. Once you’ve decided that the seams are how you like them, trim the excess fabric.  Here is where you would serge or overlock the raw edges if you have a serger to prevent unraveling.

diyphotoprintpencilskirt_step65. Turn the top of the skirt under about 1/4″, and stitch down.

6. Fold again to the inside about 1″-1.25″, and stitch down to create a casing.  diyphotoprintpencilskirt_step7Leave the last 1.5″ unsewn.

diyphotoprintpencilskirt_step87. Attach a safety pin to the end of the elastic, and thread through the casing, being careful not to twist.

8. Pull all the way around the waist, and overlap the ends.  Here you’ll want to try on the skirt and adjust the elastic to however tight you want it (usually you need about 1 – 2″ of overlapped elastic to keep the skirt up).

diyphotoprintpencilskirt_step99. Stitch a rectangle over the ends of the elastic to secure, and slip back into the casing area.diyphotoprintpencilskirt_step10

10. Topstitch the unclosed part of the casing to fully cover the elastic. (not shown)

(Optional) If you haven’t serged the inside raw edges at the side seams, you may want to open the seam allowance on the inside hem and topstitch a line parallel to the hem to keep the seam allowance flat.
diyphotoprintpencilskirt_done1

And there you have it!diyphotoprintpencilskirt_done2

An on-trend, photo-realistic printed piece, sized perfect for you and so easy to pull off!  diyphotoprintpencilskirt_done3Pair with a windbreaker for sporty chic, with a bikini top as a cover-up at the pool, or even with a button-down knotted at the waist for 1950’s pin-up glam.  However you wear it, it’s already a photo op on its own!

diyphotoprintpencilskirt_done4Happy DIY’ing!

xo

Carly

Where to Buy the Materials for the DIY Printed Bodycon Pencil Skirt:

Get A Life Palm Tree printed t-shirt – purchased from eBay

1″ wide waistband elastic – available at sewing stores, or here

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