Easy Skirt Tutorial

I previously made this tutorial (click here) when I sewed a skirt for Lydia Grace from an old knit T-shirt.  

For the skirt featured in today's post, I used an Ann Taylor blouse that no longer fit after having gained weight from having two babies.  I didn't want it to just go to waste, so I decided to repurpose it into something else.  The blouse had gorgeous eyelet details along the bottom which quickly and easily became a beautiful hemline for Lydia Grace's new skirt.  Here is truly the easiest way to make a skirt for a little girl.

Supplies

sewing machine

 iron

basic sewing supplies (safety pin, scissors...)

elastic (1/4 or 1/2 is a good width for this project)

outgrown or no longer worn adult sized shirt (This can be a knit T-shirt, blouse, or any other top that you think would make a cute skirt.)

rotary cutter and cutting mat (optional)

Directions

1. Find a shirt that can repurposed into a skirt.  A woman's shirt makes a great baby and toddler skirt, and a man's shirt can easily be repurposed into an older girl's skirt.  I have provided the exact measurements for making a knee-length baby or toddler skirt in this tutorial.  If you need to make a skirt for an older girl, measure from her waist down to where you want the skirt to fall and add 1 1/2 inches to the measurement in order to determine the length to cut off the bottom of the shirt.  Measure their waist to determine the amount of elastic you will need.

Baby and Toddler Dimensions:

6 months/Elastic: 17 inches/Fabric Height: 8 inches

12 months/Elastic: 17.5 inches/Fabric Height: 9 inches

24 months/Elastic: 17.75 inches/Fabric Height: 10 inches

2T/Elastic: 18 inches/Fabric Height: 10 inches

3T/Elastic: 18.5  inches/Fabric Height: 11 inches

4T/Elastic: 19 inches/Fabric Height: 12 inches

5T/Elastic: 19.5 inches/Fabric Height: 13 inches

2. Measure up from the bottom of the shirt the amount of fabric you need according to your child's size and the measurements given above.  Mark this measurement on both sides if the shirt.  Using scissors or a rotary cutter and mat, cut across the shirt at your marks.  (Example: I made a 4T for Lydia Grace, so I cut along the shirt up 12 inches from the bottom.)

3. Since the shirt piece that you cut off already has a finished hem and finished seams on the sides, all you need to do is sew a waistband.  Turn the fabric inside out.  Fold the top raw edge of the fabric down 1/4 inch and press.

4. Fold it over 1 inch more and press.

5. Sew along the bottom of the waistband leaving a small gap (about 2 inches) at one place.  Remember to backstitch at the start and finish.  You can also sew right along the top edge of the waistband to stabilize it.

6. Cut a piece of elastic according to the dimensions given in step 1.  Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and feed that end into the gap you left at the bottom of the waistband.

7. Continue feeding the elastic through the waistband and out through the gap again.  Make sure that the elastic doesn't flip over as you are moving it through the waistband.  Remove the safety pin.

8. Sew the two ends of the  elastic together by stitching back and forth with your machine several times.  Finish the skirt by sewing the gap in the waistband closed.  That's it!  Now you have sews a cute skirt from start to finish in minutes!

Happy Sewing!