New Year’s Eve is just around the corner.
Here’s a quick refashion idea perfect for any celebration.
Start with a long thrift store skirt.
Cut off the bottom to your desired length, leaving just enough for a hem.
To make the peplum, first measure your waist and divide by 6.28. This will give you the distance to measure for the top of your peplum.
Then, using the part of the skirt you cut off, measure that distance from the corner fold marking every so often to create a curved line. Notice the fold on the right side of the skirt.
Then measure the desired length of the peplum from the first line and draw another curved line.
Cut these two lines and repeat on the other side of the skirt bottom.
This will give you two half circles. Right sides together, sew one set of short sides together and finish the other ends with a small hem. Then your peplum will be removable and your skirt more versatile.
I didn’t want to let the nice bias tape at the bottom of the original skirt go to waste so I unpicked it and used it to finish the top of my peplum.
Pin and sew the bias tape to the top of the peplum.
Finish the sides and the bottom of the peplum with a hem or bias tape.
I prefer bias tape to finish a rounded edge. After digging around my sewing supplies, I realized there was no black bias tape to be found. Dang! But trying to be a true refashionista, I just made my own with some light weight black fabric from my stash. (I’m working on a bias tape tutorial for you right now. It’s actually quite easy and makes such a nice finish for any edge. If you’re anything like me, once you learn how, you’ll want to finish everything with this stuff.)
Nothing like the feeling of making due with what you have on hand. 🙂
Attach a hook and eye so you can remove your peplum for other looks.
And now you’re ready for anything the New Year brings your way!
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The Renegade Seamstress 
Love the looks on you!
Thanks! I wasn’t too sure if a peplum would be flattering on my large derriere, but I was pleasantly surprised. I think it hides a multitude of sins (if you know what I mean…) 🙂
This turned out so well! I love it!
Thanks, Christine!
So cute, Beth. I’ve always loved peplums. Creating a removable peplum is a great idea.
I wasn’t too sure if a peplum would work on my body type, but I think I’m gonna like them. Happy New Year!
Beth
Brilliantly done!
Thanks so much!!! I’ve been wanting to make one of these for quite awhile. It was so easy. I’ve got a few more long skirts I’d like to use to make some peplums.
Happy New Year!
Beth
What a great idea – good instructions, too. I am looking forward to the bias tape tutorial; it will expand my sewing possibilities no end!
Thanks, Jo. I’ll get that tutorial up as soon as possible. 🙂
I would have n e v e r thought of making a peplum! I’m amazed at the possibilities you see in outdated clothes. 🙂
If you still have the bottom of that big blue dress, you could make a pencil skirt with a removable peplum out of that. Just a thought…….
Aww, man your peplum looks awesome. I just did a removable peplum and it came out all flat, I couldn’t get the sweet little bell like shapes like yours. What type of material did you use and did your line it? I was using a wool with a satin lining. I top stitched it and I think that may have caused it to pull and distort the shape. Great job. Very jealous.
You know, I had to go look at the tag on the skirt. I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was a 100% Silk Liz Claiborne skirt. WOW. I should take a picture of the tag and add that to this post. I knew it had a nice feel to it. I usually look at the type of material but I don’t know why I didn’t this time. I’m even more excited because I got it for fifty cents. I didn’t line the peplum, but I did cut the semi circles on the fold which seemed to work great on this type of material. I’m going to try a peplum t shirt tomorrow, can’t wait. Good luck on your peplum and I hope it works out better for you next time.
Beth
Nice score on the skirt. I’ll try on the fold next time and maybe with a softer fabric. I’ll be checking out the t-shirt.
Another great idea beautifully executed. The skirt looks classic but with a twist: a removable peplum for 2 looks, it’s silk and only 50 cents! I’m really looking forward to the t-shirt one because they are blah but so plentiful.
Thanks, I’ll post the t shirt peplum as soon as I’m finished. I got a little side tracked today with producing some You Tube videos for my new refashion channel. It’s been fun…..
Enjoy your day!
Beth
Love the polka dots ! I wondered why you didn’t use the the bias around the hem of the peplum, but then I saw what you did. The bias would have been too much of a break in the line. Much better to have the color continuouis. Good job!
I did consider using it around the hem of the peplum, but I thought the same thing you did. It would break it up too much. Thanks for your comments!
Beth
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Great idea x
Thanks so much!!! Nice to hear from you!
Love it! 🙂
Thank you, Esthermarie!
How awesome and gorgeous. I have a dress that I’ve been wanting to repurpose, this tutorial is beyond perfect, I’ll be using this post as a reference for that project 🙂 I’ve seen a number of peplum DIYs and this is the best. Thank you!
Thank you so much! Good luck with your project and I’d love to see it when you finish!
Beth
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Thank you! http://grimkardashian.wordpress.com/2013/06/13/paytons-onderland/
You’re welcome!
Thanks for yous tutos, they are simple and very clear.
You are so welcome! I hope you get a chance to try some of these things. I’d love to see your projects.
Quite interesting and now iam going to make new wardrobe out of my boring old dresses. That’s great,iam looking forward for my new clothes
Have fun!
My mother was married in 1926 and her high styled wedding gown had a dropped waist with a
peplum.
So fun to see how styles were back then.