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Quick and Easy Skirt Tutorial

August 25, 2010

A few weeks ago, I made the Fast and Cheap Skirt from the Polka Dot Cottage, which is now one of my absolute favorite garments.  Not only was it very easy and fast, it inspired me to give a skirt in the same style a whirl.  So, here we are, my quick and easy skirt tutorial!  So simple a novice sewer can finish it in a single evening.  More advanced sewers could probably do it in an hour if the fabric is already prepped.

Materials needed:

Enough fabric to make a skirt.  Probably in the area of 1.5-2 yards.  If you are tiny around the middle, you may be able to do 1 yard.

Elastic for waist.  I used 3/4″

Fabric marker or chalk

Fabric measuring tape

An understanding of basic math

Sewing machine or needle and thread + extra time.

Step one:

If your fabric hasn’t been washed and dried in the way you intend to wash and dry it after your skirt is complete, do it now.  Iron flat.

Step two:

This is the only tricky part.  I promise.  Measure around your waist or where the top of your skirt will end up sitting.  Take this number and divide by half and add it back to itself.  So, if you have a waist measurement of 36, half of that is 18.  36+18 is 54.  Or, 36+(36/2)=54.  Whatever that final number is, add 1″ to it for seam allowance.  So if you started with a waist of 36, your final number will be 55.  We’ll call this number X.

Now measure from your waist to where you want your skirt to fall.  Take that number and add 1.25″ to it, and then add whatever the width of the elastic is to it. We’ll call this number Y.

Step three:

Cut your pieces.  Cut two rectangles that are X by Y.  Note: if you want your skirt to be curved at the bottom, add a little but to the length and cut a gradual curve, if you wish, but this is optional.  Mine does not curve.

Step four:

Pin pieces, right sides together.  Sew side seams only with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Step five:

With right sides facing (so it is currently inside-out), locate what will be the bottom of the skirt.  Fold under 1/2″ and press.  Fold under again 1/2″ and press again, so the raw edge is hidden.

Find the top of the skirt.  Fold top over 1/4″ and press.  Fold over again the width of your elastic plus a tiny bit.  My elastic was 3/4″, so I folded over 3/4″ plus a little.  The raw edge should be hidden now.

Step six:

Find the bottom hem that you created when you pressed, and sew along that edge.  Find the top edge and sew along the edge of the innermost side, right at the edge of the seam, but DO NOT go all the way around.  Leave about1.5 or 2 inches open.  This is where you will put in your elastic.

Elastic casing

Step seven:

Take an elastic band and measure around your waist with.  Mark where you think the edges should connect.  It’s ok to leave it a little big, as you can take it in later.

Step eight:

Put a safety pin on one end of elastic and feed it through the casing you made in the top edge.  Baste the edges of the elastic together once it is all the way through and try on the skirt.  Adjust the elastic as necessary and sew it together for the last time.  Sew the opening in the casing shut.

You’re done!  Go and wear your new skirt!

Done!

Quick and Easy Skirt Tutorial appeared first on Mom4Life Blog.


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