DIY Twirly Skirt
Young girls love to dance and spin with their skirts swirling around them. Wearing a twirtly skirt makes the spinning all the more exciting. A twirly skirt is a full skirt with a wide swinging hem that lifts as the wearer spins. This is an uncomplicated skirt to sew and does not require a pattern, just a few measurements. When you make the skirt yourself, you can choose the color and print that fits your girl's personality best.
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Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Skirt fabric
- Scissors
- Trim fabric
- Elastic, 1/2-inch wide
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Safety pin
Instructions
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1
Measure your girl around the waist with the measuring tape. Measure the length of her skirt from waist to hem.
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2
Cut the skirt fabric into two rectangles. The width of each piece should equal twice your child's waist measurement; for the length, add 2 inches for a hem allowance to the finished skirt length. Cut the trim fabric into two strips that are each twice your child's waist size and 5 inches wide. Cut a piece of elastic the length of your child's waist size.
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3
Place the right side of one of the pieces of trim onto the right side of one of skirt panels, with the raw edge of the trim along the bottom edge of the panel. Sew the trim to the skirt panels on the sewing machine, 1/2 inch from the edges. Repeat with the other piece of trim and skirt panel.
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4
Place the two skirt panels on top of each other, with right sides facing. Line up the trim seam. Sew the rectangles together along the side seams, 1/2 inch from the edges. Press the seams open.
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5
Fold the bottom edge of the trim over 1/4 inch, with the wrong sides facing each other. Iron the fold. Fold the trim in half lengthwise with the wrong sides facing each other, making sure the edge of the trim covers the seam stitches. Iron the fold.
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6
Sew the trim all around the skirt, close to the open edge.
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7
Fold the top edge of the skirt down 1/4 inch, with the wrong sides facing each other and iron the fold. Fold it over again 1 inch and iron the fold. Sew the fold in place close to the bottom edge of the fold, leaving a 2-inch opening at the back of the skirt, creating a casing for the elastic.
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8
Attach a safety pin on the end of the elastic and slide it into the opening you left in the back of the skirt. Guide the elastic around the inside of the casing until it comes out the other side of the opening.
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9
Overlap the ends of the elastic 1-inch. Sew the ends together. Close the opening you left in the back of the skirt.
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Tips & Warnings
Add a ruffle to the bottom of the skirt in lieu of the trim.
A twirly skirt can also be made for an adult. Either choose wider fabric or cut four rectangles each measuring your waist measurement and seam them together.
If you choose contrasting fabrics for the skirt and the trim, make sure they are color fast before you sew them together. If not, the colors may bleed onto each other.
References
- House on Hill Road; Twirly Skirt Tutorial; Erin Harris
- Sewing.org; Easy Waistband Casings-Elastic and Drawstrings; March 2006
- "Childrenswear Design"; Hilde Jaffe and Rosa Rosa; 1972
- "Designing Apparel Through the Flat Pattern"; Ernestine Kopp; 1960
- "Guide to Fashion Sewing"; Connie Amaden-Crawford; 1986
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
