Simple
Skirts
By Lori Garcia, editor-in-chief
Special
thanks to Jacque Garrett who modeled this skirt.
Perfect sewing project for Enrichment,
Young Womens, Activity Day Girls and more.
If you've always wanted to make your own clothes
but get intimidated by zippers, darts, tucks and more, than
we've got a simple sewing project for you! A skirt doesn't
need to be complicated. If you can sew a straight line, you
can make this easy skirt. That's because we've eliminated
the hard stuff -- no zippers, buttons or tucks.
This pattern is easy to sew and very versatle.
It can be made in many different styles -- long, short, cotton,
crepe, staight, a-line, you name it. Make the skirt in a long
crepe print and pair it with a jacket for a formal look. Make
it just below the knee in a cheery Hawaiian print (as seen
above) for a more casual feel. Anyway you sew it, this skirt
is a versatile piece your wardorbe can't live without.
Supplies:
- Enough fabric to wrap around
your waist (take fabric off the bolt and wrap it around your
waist. Leave a little extra.) Usually less than 2 yards and
matching thread
- Thread
- Enough drawstring to wrap around
your waist or hips (depending on where you want to wear it)
We like the medium gauge drawstring
- Sewing machine
Step-by-Step
(1)
Take the fabric (wrong-side out) and wrap it around your waist
to make sure you have enough. Use the natural fold in the
fabric. Wrap the fabric around you in a loose fashion---make
sure it is much larger than your hips so that it can be easily
removed. NOTE: it's got to be a little bit big around the
waist and hips because we aren't using a zipper. Mark the
fabric with a couple of straight pins, pinning down the length
of the skirt.
(2) Remove the fabric from your
body, lay it down on the floor, making sure there are no bumps.
Pin down the side.
(3) Sew a 1/2 inch seam down the
skirt where you pinned it. Remove pins as you sew.
(4) Press the seams open with an
iron, turn the skirt right-side out. Now you have a large
"tube."
(5) Take one end and turn it under
1/4 of an inch. Press this seam so it's easier to sew---that
way you won't need any pins.
(6) Turn that same end of the skirt
under again. This time turn it under 1 inch. Sew it at the
very edge, so that you make a casing for the drawstring.
(7)
With that same finished end up, find the exact middle of the
waistband. Make a small vertical cut in the center of the
casing--make sure you are on the inside of the skirt to better
hide the drawstring. This will be the entrance for the drawstring.
(8) Tie a knot in both ends of
the drawstring. Stick a large safety pin in one of the knots.
Stick the safety pin and drawstring through the hole you just
cut. Use the safety pin to guide the drawstring through the
casing.
(9) Once you pull the safety pin
all the way through, take the safety pin off and try on the
skirt. Tie the drawstring like you would if you were actually
going to wear the skirt. Have a friend help you find the right
length of the skirt. (If you try to do it yourself, you will
bend over slightly making the skirt appear longer than it
actually is.) Have a friend put a couple of pins where you
want the skirt to end.
(10) From here, repeat steps (5)
& (6) for a nice hem. You can slip stitch your hem, but
I find a machine hem just as pleasing and more like store-bought
clothing.
(11) Now you're done. You can add
lace or rick rack if you want to jazz up your skirt a bit.
Our model is wearing a skirt with a rick rack hem.
