Very Simple Skirt

This is a fun project to do with your mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle or friend, if they know how to sew.  My friend Lily gave me these instructions from Quilted Garden Design in Edwardsville, IL.  For a 10 year old with a little sewing experience, this is a medium hard project, so my mom helped me.  So here are the instructions...

Materials:

Below are some of the items you need, plus  as sewing machine & iron.  I used denim for my material.  For a first timer I recommend not using denim.  It is hard to sew through and broke my mom's needle at the end. Just use regular cotton material.

 

Measurements:

#1 Your waist = ______

#2 Your hips=_______+ 10 inches=______

#3 Length from waist to knee (or length you want your skirt)=_________+ 6 inches= _______

1)  Use these measurements, cut #2 (hip + 10") by #3 (length+6") to cut one piece of fabric.  Make sure your fabric design is running in the direction you want it to before cutting.

2) Cut 2 pieces of fabric 4.5 inches X 42 inches for sash (can be the same or coordinating fabric or you can use ribbon or pre-made sash) and 3 pieces of material 2 inches by 3 inches for belt loop.

3) Cut a piece of half inch elastic the length of your waist (get a large safety pin to help you thread it later).

Sewing:

1) First sew half inch finish seams on edges by folding fabric to the wrong side and then fold and press a half inch fold on the bottom of the skirt and then fold over another 2 inches and sew along the seam.

2)  Sew the back seam by folding the finished edges right sides together and sew a half inch seam, but stop sewing 4 inches from the bottom of the skirt to make the vent in the back then backstitch at the beginning and the end.

3) Press that seam open and press the vent seam open to match the seam.  Top stitch the vent.

4)  Now fold the top of the skirt over a half inch and press, then fold over another three inches and press.

5) Pin and topstitch close to the folded  unfinished edge all the way around the skirt leaving about a half of inch on either side of the back seam.  This opening will be for inserting the elastic later.

6) Now measure one inch from the stitching in step 5 and top stitch all the way around and again leave an opening at the same place you did in step 5.

7) Make belt loops (we suggest 3, 2 more than the original instructions) by folding in half long ways and pressing.   Then lay flat and press.  Then open and fold the edges in towards the center long ways.

8) Fold each end under a half inch and pin in place over the casing on the back of the skirt seam and equal distance in the front of the skirt and stitch in place. Do not stitch over the casing you made in step 6.

9) Then pin a large safety pin on the end of your elastic and feed through the one inch casing you made in step 6 and then sew together.

10) Make the belt by sewing the two long pieces with right sides together along the short ends. Press seam allowance open. (I skipped this part and used a belt I already had)

11)  Fold in half long ways and press.

12) Like the belt loops, open then fold both sides into the center fold and press.

13) Fold in half, press then topstitch along the folded edge.

14) Feed sash through belt loops then you are done.

Here is our finished project.

My mom helped me type all these instructions out...it was a lot of work.

Hope you like this project.