How to sew a skirt in 9 steps

You can create many garments with a sewing machine and the right supplies.

An Overview of How to Sew a Skirt

A skirt can be sewn by both novice and expert sewers. A simple skirt is easy enough to sew for beginners. It only requires three basic seams. This makes it a great project to practice basic sewing skills. Even if you are an experienced sewer, there are still many creative options when making a simple skirt pattern. You can make a simple skirt project more complicated by experimenting with different stitches and materials. You can add intricate ruffles or a unique silhouette to a maxi skirt.

How to sew a skirt in just 10 steps

This tutorial will show you how to make a summer or winter skirt. These are the steps to make a simple elastic waist skirt.

1. Gather your materials. You will need to gather your materials in order to make a skirt.
2. Take measurements. Take three measurements of your skirt. To get a precise measurement of your waist, wrap the measuring tape around your smallest part. To measure your hips, lower the measuring tape by a few inches. You will need the skirt length to measure your waistline and reach your desired hemline. To compensate for elastic casing, you will need to add two inches to your hemline.
3. Select your skirt fabric. When choosing your skirt fabric, experiment with different colors and patterns. Choose a material that fits your style and season. Consider choosing a simpler fabric to sew if you are a beginner, such as cotton, rayon, or muslin. Because they are more difficult to sew, heavy or silky fabrics can be more frustrating to work with. They tend to bunch and slide through the machine. You should always gather extra fabric to help you practice your stitches or if you make mistakes.
4. Then, cut the fabric. Place your fabric pieces on a flat, sturdy surface. To prevent fraying, make sure your scissors are sharp before cutting your fabric. Two rectangular pieces of fabric should be cut. Use your hemline to determine the length, and your hip measurement to determine the width.
5. Place your fabric pieces together and pin them. Place the two pieces of fabric together so that the right sides (the outside of the finished garment), face each other. The wrong sides (the inside of the skirt), are facing outward. To secure the fabric, measure and mark a seam allowance of about half an inch. To make it easy to remove the pins, ensure that they are perpendicularly to the stitch line.
6. Iron the sides seams. Use a straight stitch on your sewing machine. Guide the fabric through the machine using the pins. To prevent fraying at the edges, you can use a serger to finish both seams. Adjust the iron temperature to match your fabric and press the seams flat.
7. The hemline should be sewn. Fold the skirt in half and iron flat. To secure the hemline, place pins at intervals of a few inches along each fold. Use a straight stitch to guide the bottom of your skirt under the needle.
8. Make a casing to support the elastic waistband. Once you have finished sewing the hemline and side seams, you can start making the waistband for your skirt. Iron the top half-inch of your skirt’s edge flat. Finish creating the elastic band’s casing by folding the waistband edge over a second time. Only this time, instead of a quarter-inch, fold it over two inches.
9. The elastic casing should be cut and inserted. Cut the elastic to the length of your hip circumference. To create the skirt’s waistband, measure and cut the elastic.
10. Secure the casing. This is the final step in this sewing project. Secure the elastic band with a safety pin before sealing the casing. Use a straight stitch to close the casing and complete the skirt.