Refashion: Box Pleat Skirt

{Apologies in advance for all of the photos... Elisabeth and I were enjoying the mini-photoshoot a bunch. She rarely gets to use my camera and I rarely get to be in front of the camera like this:)}

I found this retro skirt at a little boutique in Ohio with my Grandma. I loved the length but the waist was *teeny tiny*!!! Like REALLY tiny. As in- it would have been almost perfect on Elisabeth. Rediculous!!

 {SIDE NOTE!! I also found this elegant 50's cocktail dress in great condition {for $5!!} at the same store... but it needs a little altering (how in the world did they have such small waists?!) so it will be a while before I can wear it and post about it!!}.

And back to the subject at hand:)

I ripped out the stitches from the waist band and what do you know? There was 60" of fabric at my disposal once it came off! I had seen Lizzie's box pleat skirt tutorial {over at Cotton & Curls} and really wanted to try it out (first time in a VERY long time following directions for a project!! haha remember I told you I don't like to follow directions or patterns?!!).  

After removing the waist band, I cut the skirt from top to bottom on the right side (the left side had a zipper that I wanted left in). Then I followed her directions for sewing in the side edges and adding the box pleats. It took me a little while {make that a long while} to get a rhythm for sewing in the pleats but things finally started going smoothly! {side note: I hate using pins when I sew unless *absolutely* necessary so I've found that the iron is my best friend!}

 Originally I had planned to keep the maxi-length and just give it a waist that would fit me but sewing the pleats in left it at an awkward length so I chopped of the bottom and double hemmed it.

 Pulling in the waist to make it fitted while keeping the skirt full was a bit tricky but with some tips from Mama, I eventually was able to get the side sewn back together! {*please* don't ask me how! haha I just wung it. or wang it. or winged it. however you say that!}

 My gorgeous and very obliging photographer who insists she wants to be a photographer when she grows up. And though she obviously would be a great one-- everyone knows that she's the one around here who was born with all the fashion sense!

{Click here for the Box Pleat Tutorial}

p.s. This is what I made out of the waistband!!