If you want to make a really fast and easy skirt and add some extra fun, adding an accent stripe is a quick way to make a simple skirt.
Materials:
- 1/2 Yard of Main Skirt Fabric (for a small 5-year old). See instructions belowfor adapting to a larger child.
- 1/8 Yard of Accent Fabric
- 1/8 Yard of Stick fusible web from Fairfield
- 3/4-inch elastic, long enough to go around your child’s waist plus 1-inch
- Sewing machine, thread, pins, etc.
Instructions:
Start by cutting out your main skirt fabric. I was making mine for a small 5-year-old, and it turned out that using the whole width of my fabric (about 44-inches was about perfect). To figure out how wide to make your skirt, measure your child’s hips. Then multiply that by 1 1/2 – 2 inches. Round to whatever will be a convenient width to work with. This is not an exact science.
To figure out how long your skirt should be, measure your child from where the skirt will hang at their waist, to where you want it to fall on their leg. Then ha 3/4 inch for the bottom hem, and add 1 1/2 inches for the elastic casing.
Cut your accent strip to the same width as your main skirt. You can choose just about any height for your strip, and it may depend on your fabric. I wanted to really show off the silvery hexagons in my fabric, so I went with a 3-1/2 inch strip.
Cut out the same amount of Stick fusible web (3-1/2 inches and the same width as your skirt.)
Layer your fabrics with your skirt on the bottom RIGHT SIDE UP. Then your Stick fusible web, and then your accent strip. Use a ruler or straight edge to make sure it’s lined up straight.
Thoroughly iron with a damp cloth covering your fabrics to protect your iron.
Stitch the edges of your accent strip with a tight zigzag stitch in coordinating thread.
Trim your fabric to have an even edge.
Pin your fabric with the selvege edges together, forming a large tube.
Sew with a 5/8-inch seam.
Iron open.
Hem the bottom of your skirt. I chose to use my serger to make a neat edges, and so I would only have to fold my fabric over once. If you don’t have a serger, don’t worry about it. You’ll just need to fold your fabric over once at 1/4 inch and then again at 1/2 inch so you don’t have any raw edges.
Stitch.
Do the same thing at the top of your skirt, but fold it over 1/4-inch and then 1-inch to make a casing for the elastic. When you stitch your elastic casing, leave an opening to put your elastic through.
Measure enough elastic to fit around your child’s waist, plus 1 inch. Use a safety pin or something similar to feed the elastic through.
Securely stitch the ends of your elastic. Stitch your elastic casing closed, and try it on!
And feel free to use the scraps to add some fun appliques to a shirt to create a whole outfit.
Happy Skirt Making!
~ Polly from Pieces by Polly.
This is a great start to a hand made gift – If you are looking for more inspiration click on the links below.
The hosts of the hop are giving away a gift card if you are interested in entering.
