Making a simple skirt

Materials:
3/4 elastic about 21inches long
fabric (about 1/2 yard) for the skirt and the hem. Opposite or similar fabrics are cute.

Skirt sizes...
For an 8yr old she had it total 17inches long, and 21 inches in the waist.


ALWAYS make sure you wash and dry your fabric before you cut or sew it together!!! This will help the material preshrink and your sewing more accurate.


Take your fabric and fold right sides (meaning the sides you want on the outside. So your skirt will be inside out) together (you do this because you need a piece for the front and one for the back) measure 16” long and 21” wide. Cut out your skirt. 

On the opposite fabric (fabric for the hem) place face together and measure 22” long and just 2.5” wide. Cut out for your hem. You again will need a two pieces this length to have a hem for the back and the front.

On the hem iron a small amount about ¼” over and run though your machine with just a basic stitch. Do this for both pieces. 

Pin the skirt together inside out along the sides. Next pin the hem to the bottom of the skirt, about ¼” to ½” into the skirt. The hems will be a little longer on each side and this will allow you to have extra on either side so there isn't a sewing mistake. You can cut the extra off later. Also, pining the hem on now will allow you to make sure it is even around the skirt and one side isn't longer then the other. 

When its all pinned together using your zigzag stitch sew the sides together all the way though the hem. Sew close to the edge about ¼” from the edge of the fabric.

Using the basic stitch again sew the hem onto the bottom of the skirt. 

Next you need to iron over about 1” from the top. This is for the elastic. Having ¾” elastic and 1” fold over you have about ¼” to sew and have a little extra room. Use your basic stitch again and start at one of the edges (seams). Go all the way around leaving about 1-1 ½” open at the end. Use a safety pin at the end of your elastic pushing it though the top of the skirt. When you get to the end and both sides are out sew them both together. I use a zigzag stitch. Now close your hole opening and sew an extra line right on the seam of one of the hips to keep the elastic in place and it won't roll over on you.

You have now made a simple skirt from just a little fabric. Happy sewing!!