Easy Skirt Tutorial

Are you in the mood to make a skirt, but don't have a skirt pattern handy? Do you have some extra fabric lying around, and can't think of anything to do with it? Or are you just looking for a simple sewing project to keep you occupied for a few hours? If your answer to any of these questions is "yes," try this easy skirt tutorial on for size.


What You'll Need

•     A piece of fabric
•     Coordinating thread
•     A fabric marker or fabric pencil
•     A tape measure
•     Elastic
•     Fabric scissors
•     An iron
•     Pins

Choosing Your Fabric

The great thing about this skirt is that it can be any length you want it to be. And as long as you have a piece of fabric that can wrap around your lower body (especially your hips) you can use it to whip up this quick and easy skirt.

If you want to buy new material for your skirt, you'll have to take some quick measurements before you head for the fabric store. Luckily, there's nothing to it.

•     First, wrap a tape measure around your hips. Take this measurement and add 3 or 4 extra inches to it.
•     Next, hold the end of the tape measure against your waist, where you think the waist of your skirt will be. Let the tape measure fall to the floor, and decide where you want the hem to be. Take the measurement at the imaginary hem, and add an extra 2 or 3 inches to it.

So, for example, if the hip measurement is 42 inches, and the hem measurement is 25 inches, you'll need a piece of fabric that's about 45" X 28".

Instructions

•     If you haven't already, measure your hips, the widest part of your lower body. Simply wrap the tape measure around your hips and write down the measurement.
•     Lay the fabric out on a flat surface. Lay the tape measure on top of the fabric. Measuring from the left edge, place a mark where your hip measurement was.
•     Now you have two choices.
•         Alternative #1: If you're using a stretchy fabric, and don't mind the skirt fitting close around your hips, you can cut the length of the fabric about ¼ to ½ inch from the first mark.
•         Alternative #2: If you don't want the skirt to be too snug around your hips, you need to give yourself some extra room. Place your tape measure on the mark you just made, and make another mark one to three inches (depending on how much extra room you want) out from the first mark. Cut the length of the fabric along this second mark.

•     Take your fabric and fold it in half, wrong side out, so that the side you won't want people to see is showing. Pin the two edges together.
•     Sew a seam along the edges of the fabric, leaving about a ¼ inch seam allowance. Make sure this stitch is sturdy and will hold for the long haul.
•     Use the tape measure to measure your waist, where you expect the waist of your skirt to be.
•     Cut a piece of elastic that's as long as the waist measurement. Feel free to add an extra ½ inch to 1 inch to the length measurement if you want to have a little more room in the waist.
•     Fold the elastic in half and sew the two ends together.
•     Slip the elastic around the top of the skirt.
•     Fold the top of the skirt down so that it covers the elastic. Place pins under the elastic, leaving enough room to sew a seam under the pins.
•     Sew the top fold down, making sure you don't sew the elastic. You can iron the fold to hold it in place, but that step is optional.
•     Turn the fabric right side out, so that the side you'll want people to see is showing.
•     Slip on the skirt to see how it fits. What about the length? If the skirt is a little longer than you'd like it to be, decide where you want the hem to fall, and place a mark about half an inch under that mark.
•     Cut away the excess fabric at the bottom of the skirt along the mark you made. This cut doesn't have to be neat because no one will see it. An easy way to make the cut is to lay the skirt flat and cut straight across both pieces of fabric at the same time.
•     Fold the bottom edge of the fabric in about half an inch, and sew a seam along the edge of this fold. Use your iron to give the fold a good pressing.