I've already mentioned that I've been searching for elastic waist skirts lately, and began to re-appreciate tiered skirts when I found the 1940s style Mexican skirt. Lately, still thinking along those lines, I pulled a skirt out of my closet and looked at it closely – I've had it for years and rarely wear it because it's just too long for practical everyday wear. I step on it. Yet it is one of my few skirts with an elastic waist and is a lovely navy blue and white polka dot rayon fabric. Surely I could do something with that!

Because of its style, I immediately thought "1950s" and tried it on over my crinoline.

Some promise, but way too long. It looks more like a Civil War era skirt at this point.

Trimming it shorter was the obvious answer, so I pinned it up to see how it would look. I decided 6 inches needed to come off.

But wouldn't that look strange to have just a 6 inch piece on the bottom when the other tiers are much wider? 

The answer presented itself in the form of rickrack, which if I put a strand on each seam and one in the center of the center tier, would break it up fairly evenly and be very 1950s appropriate. More pinning ensued…

I measured the bottom tier and marked with tailor's chalk where the 6 inch line was (it took forever to go around that skirt) and then cut, serged, and top-stitched a narrow hem. Thankfully it was a straight edge so the hem didn't pucker for me.

It looks better already!

The rickrack took a while as well,  but it was simply top stitching. It just took 3 trips around the width of the skirt.

There! Already I have a much cuter and more wearable vintage style skirt, and it took just a short time to alter, compared to making a new one. No more wasting time in my closet, unworn.

(I think I've already mentioned that I love polka dots!)

But there was more. With the wide strip cut from the skirt's hem, I had some polka dot fabric on hand. I wanted a blouse that I could use the polka dots as a neck tie and narrow sleeve bands (both something that could be cut from the width I had to work with) and found exactly what I needed in view 3 of this pattern. I had made another view of it previously, so I knew it was comfortable.

I picked up some white linen from my stash and cut it out, making it a tad larger so it would fit me, but otherwise not changing it. It's meant to be worn tucked in so if it's a little too big later on it shouldn't be noticeable.

The only change I made was just to do plain sleeve bands instead of overlapping and buttoning them.

There's always a strange moment before sewing the side seams when a raglan sleeved blouse looks so confusing!

The rayon and linen behaved and pressed beautifully, the pattern was easy yet fun, and everything went together without a hitch. Also it fits, at least for now.

I used some perfectly matching buttons from my stash, and had exactly enough left of the skirt band after cutting out the blouse accents to make myself a nice long sash that can be worn several ways. No wasted scraps here, and it ties the look together perfectly, though a white belt would also look nice. The sash and elastic waist means it's adjustable for maternity wear as needed.

I haven't been able to get pictures of me wearing it yet – hopefully soon! But I'd call it a definite success as a makeover. Not only do I have a skirt I'll actually wear now, but I have a cute blouse to wear as separates (taking less time than making a whole new dress) – and worn together a lovely 2 piece set! All from the stash, and without me having to buy most of the fabric or make the skirt. I can see myself actually hunting in thrift stores for too long skirts now!