Frankenskirting: The Beautiful Monster We Accidentally Created

All photos provided by the author.

Hi there! I’m Nicole Snow, founder of Darn Good Yarn.

If you’ve ever owned one of our sari wrap skirts, you probably know that no two are alike — each one is made from reclaimed sari material that’s been given a second life by our artisan partners in India. What I didn’t expect when I started this company all those years ago, though, was that these skirts would take on a life of their own… literally.

Somewhere along the way, our customers started doing something wonderfully unexpected. They began separating the two layers of our reversible wrap skirts — trading them with friends, mailing them across the country, even hosting swap parties — all in pursuit of their perfect combination. Someone in one of our community groups jokingly called theirs a “Frankenskirt,” and the name stuck. Before we knew it, a whole subculture had been born: Frankenskirting.

What Even Is a Frankenskirt?

Every sari wrap skirt we make has two layers — an inner and outer — stitched together by hand. The colors and patterns are random, which is part of the fun. Sometimes that means you’ll open your package and fall in love with one layer but wish the other were a little different. That’s when the magic starts.

People gently separate the two layers (a simple seam ripper does the trick), and then they start swapping. Top from one skirt, bottom from another — sometimes even three or four different ones get mixed together. It’s fashion meets collage meets friendship bracelet. And honestly? I’m obsessed with watching what people come up with.

How It Became a “Thing”

At first, I thought it was a one-off — someone in our Facebook skirt group mentioned doing it and I laughed out loud (to stay in The Loop with DGY, click here). But then more photos popped up. Skirts with wild mismatched color stories that somehow worked. Friends meeting in coffee shops with a stack of sari layers and safety pins. Someone even started tracking her collection by giving them names, like “Moody Peacock” or “Tropical Witch.”

That’s when I realized — this wasn’t just a crafty hack. This was community. This was sustainability and creativity coming together in the most joyful, grassroots way.

Why I Love It So Much

As a small business owner, I’ve always believed that once our pieces leave our hands, they belong to the makers and wearers who bring them to life. Watching people reinvent something we designed with so much care—it’s honestly the dream. It’s proof that our customers don’t just wear Darn Good Yarn; they co-create it with us.

And it’s a little poetic, isn’t it? A garment born from recycled materials gets recycled again through friendship and imagination. Nothing goes to waste, and everything gets a chance to be loved in a new way.

A Little DIY Note

If you’re tempted to try Frankenskirting yourself, it’s surprisingly simple. Just separate the two layers carefully along the waistband seam, give the raw edges a quick hem or bias binding (or even hand-stitch them if you’re old-school like me), and then start mixing and matching. You can tie the layers together with ribbon, add a waistband, or even convert one layer into a new skirt, dress, or top. There’s really no wrong way to do it.

And if you’re nervous? Don’t be. Our skirts were made to be played with — that’s part of the DGY DNA.

The Heart of It All

After seventeen years in business, I’ve seen a lot of trends come and go. But Frankenskirting feels different. It’s not about chasing style — it’s about connection. It’s about a group of creative souls around the world saying, “I love this, but I want to make it mine.” And that’s exactly the spirit that started this company in the first place.

So yes — we may have accidentally created a monster. But it’s the most beautiful, colorful, joy-filled monster I could imagine.

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