I love a great bubble skirt, don't you? I decided to make my girls St. Patrick's Day outfits because I only got around to slapping together some hair clips for Valentine's Day. I also bought some adorable St. Patty's day fabric on clearance last year for under $2 a yard, so my total cost for this project (two of them!) was only about $4 with fabric to spare. THAT is when it really pays to have some very basic sewing skills. You can easily learn everything you need to know from your sewing machine's user manual. That's where I learned!
You could do this skirt with whatever cotton fabric you like.
You will need: Cotton fabric (I used two coordinating prints, but you could certainly use one print, a print and a solid, one solid, or two different solids. I hear color blocking will be all the rage this spring), 7/8 in. elastic, basic sewing implements (If you want to use coordinating thread make sure you have it on hand. I use basic white on the top and on my bobbin 90% of the time.)
Let's measure to figure out how much fabric and elastic you need. Measure the waist, then add about 1/2 in. for seam allowance. Cut your elastic to that length. For the waistband, you can really do whatever you want as far as the width goes. This project is simple measuring because you'll use the whole width, from the finished edge to the other finished edge of the fabric to allow for an amply full skirt. You only have to measure the length! I wanted a waistband that was about 2 in, then double that number since you're going to be folding it in half, then add another 1/2 in. for seam allowance, meaning I cut mine at 4 1/2 in. For the skirt front, you will measure from the waist to where you want the skirt to hit. Write that number down(), subtract the waistband's intended width (mine was 2 in.), then add 4 in. (the extra bubbling fabric), plus 1/2 in. for seam allowance. Now you'll need to figure out the inside lining measurement, which will be the length of the skirt front minus 4 in. Your fabric is cut! Now it's time to sew it together!
I should also mention that if you're planning on making this project for a bigger girl or for an adult, you may have to cut your fabric differently. You'll want the width of the fabric to be at least double the measurement where you want the skirt to sit. This extra fabric adds fullness and helps give the skirt the bubble effect. For example, my hips are 32 in., so I'd want my fabric at least 64 in. wide, which means sewing two pieces together or using the length of purchased fabric rather than the width.
1. Line up one cut edge of your skirt front and lining, right sides together. Pin along that edge. (If your working with a print where the direction is important, make sure you're pinning so that if you open these fabrics up, fold in half hot dog style and hold the edges together with the longer fabric facing you, that longer piece is going the right direction.)
2. Using the edge of your presser foot to judge seam allowance, use a straight stitch and sew down that edge. Remember to back stitch!!
3. Fold the whole skirt piece in half, hot dog style, right sides facing out. You'll want the skirt front facing up.
4. Fold your waistband in half, also hot dog style and right sides facing out. You could press this down with an iron if you felt the need, but I did not.
5. Line up the raw edges of your folded skirt and waistband carefully. Pin.
6. Sew along the raw edge using a straight stitch, the presser foot's edge serving as your seam guide. Zig zag stitch or serge to finish the raw edge. I don't have a serger, so zig zag it is! You could also use pinking shears to finish the edge, but that never seems secure enough for me.
7. Thread the elastic through the waist band. You can use a safety pin attached to one end of the elastic to keep a hold if it as you're threading. Pin the elastic at both ends of the skirt.
8. Sew the elastic in place. You'll want to run over it a few times by back stitching then going forward again in order to make sure the elastic is secure. I despise having to rethread it!
9. Fold the skirt in half, hamburger style, right sides (skirt front) together. Line up the last of your raw edges and pin. The skirt will be gathered from the elastic now, so take extra care here to pin nice and straight.
10. Sew using a straight stitch along the raw edge, from the top of the waistband to the bottom of the skirt. Zig zag stitch to finish the raw edge. (The edge isn't actually raw if this is a little girl's skirt. It should be the selvedges (the finished edge of the fabric when it's purchased), but that has never stopped me from zig zagging)
Now you have a beautiful, simple skirt that you can make for any occasion and on a budget. Even if you use amazing, fashion-forward designer fabric, it's a very reasonable cost to complete this project.
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