How to Make a Skirt for Children
In tough economic times, it can be useful to know how to sew because making your own clothes can often be less expensive than buying them. You can purchase fabric and notions or use old clothes to make something new. Children love homemade clothes because they are one-of-a-kind. Make any kind of clothes, including skirts, for your children in their favorite colors and styles.
Things You'll Need
- 1 yard of fabric
- 1/2-inch elastic
- Sewing machine
- Tape measure
- Scissors
- Safety pin
Instructions
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1
Measure the height you want for your child's skirt plus 1 inch from the bottom hem of an old shirt or a piece of fabric.
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2
Cut the shirt or fabric at the top of the height you measured. If you are cutting fabric, you will also want to know the waist measurement. Measure your child's waist and divide the number by 2. Add a couple inches and you will have the length for the pieces. Fold your fabric in half and cut out the pieces; you will have two rectangles.
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3
Sew the side seams of the two rectangle fabric pieces by having right sides together. Turn right-side out. Sew the side seams of the T-shirt if there are any holes or rips in the existing seam.
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4
Fold down the top raw edge of the T-shirt or the top edge of the fabric. Fold so the raw edge goes in towards the wrong side of the fabric. You are making a casing for the waistband. Sew the raw edge down using a zigzag stitch. Leave a small opening to put in the elastic.
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5
Cut a piece of elastic that measures the same as your child's waist plus about 1/2 inch. Hook a safety pin to one end of the elastic and thread through the waistband casing. Check to make sure you did not twist the elastic inside the casing, and slightly overlap the ends of the elastic and sew together.
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6
Sew the casing shut. If you made a skirt from fabric, hem the skirt by turning in the end towards the wrong side about 1/2 inch and stitch down.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a pattern for more advanced styles. You may also be able to use an adult pattern in a smaller size or adjust the measurements to make the skirt for a child.
References
- Photo Credit Ableimages/Lifesize/Getty Images
