We love quick and simple sewing projects at Sew Me Sunshine that are perfect for beginners and a relaxing sew for someone more experienced. This tutorial will guide you through how you can sew a simple baby skirt without a dressmaking pattern.
What you need:
- Cotton fabric (the amount depends on who you are making the skirt for)
- Dressmaking scissors
- Thread
- Sewing machine with regular sewing machine needle
- 3/4" Elastic cut to the waist measurement minus 2 inches
- Hand sewing needle
- Sewing gauge / ruler
- Tape measure
- Pins
- Safety pin
- Iron & ironing board
Fabric Requirements:
Measure the waist of the individual you are wishing to make the skirt for, and measure the waist to the knee of the individual. You will be cutting two rectangles of fabric. The top of the rectangle is the waist measurement and the side is the length measurement plus 2.5 inches to allow for the hem and the elastic casing.
Tip: I fold the fabric in half right sides together and cut the rectangle out which results in two rectangles without having to cut them separately.
Tip: Don't forget about pattern direction when cutting your fabric.
Tip: Always use fabric shears when cutting fabric.
Place the two rectangles right sides together, and pin the sides. Once pinned sew the side seams using a standard straight stitch (stitch length 2.5mm) at a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Tip: I finished the seams with a zigzag stitch and pressed them to the back
You now have a tube of fabric. Next you need to press the hem and the elastic casing. Fold 1/2 inch and press and then fold a 3/4 inch and press for both the top (elastic casing) and bottom (the hem).
Tip: Don't forget about print direction.
Now you need to sew the hem. Sew using a standard straight stitch close to the top of the fold. Sew all the way round.
Next is to sew the casing for the elastic. Sew a standard straight stitch but make sure you leave a gap (approximately 2 inches) so that you can thread your elastic.
Measure and cut your elastic - this will be the waist measurement minus 2 inches (for example my waist measurement was 17 inches so my elastic measurement was 15 inches)
Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and thread it through the casing.
Once the elastic is threaded make sure you pin both ends of the elastic together and sew a straight line across them to join the elastic.
Tip: Take care to not sew the fabric when joining the elastic.
Tip: Stitch back and forth a few times to make sure the join is secure.
You now have a skirt! To finish you need to close the small gap on the waistband. This can be done by hand or you can use your sewing machine.
