**You will need two measurements of your child. The child's waist, and the length which is from waist to the middle of the knee. For this tutorial I am using the waist measurement of 20 inches and the length measurement of 16 inches.
**Based on these measurements I will cut my fabric.
The width of the fabric should be the childs waist measurement x 2.5 For this example it is 20 x 2.5 = 50 inches.
The length of the fabric is the measured length from waisOh, Boy!t to knee + 2.5 inches for seam allowances. For this example 16 inches +2.5 inches = 18.5 inches.
(The fabric I am starting with is approximately 68 inches long and 20 inches tall so it will need to be cut to fit my measurements.)
1. The first thing I will do is cut the length of the fabric. (for this example it is 18.5 inches.) Fold the longest side of the fabric in half. Fold it in half again. Make sure the folded edge is at the bottom of your cutting board. Line up the left edge of the fabric and then cut on the right side at 18.5 inches (length from knee to waist + 2.5 inches).
2. Next I will cut the long side (width) of the fabric. According to my waist measurement of 20 inches. I know that I need 20 x 2.5 = 50 inches of fabric.
To cut, fold in 1/2 lengthwise just one time and lay folded edge against left side of cutting board and cut on the right side of the fabric. Since your fabric is folded in half you will cut at 1/2 of the width measurment. (waist x 2.5) For this example, I will cut at 25 inches which is half of 20inches x 2.5.
3. Fold over 1/2 inch of fabric along one of the long sides of the fabric and iron the 1/2 inch seam.
4. Repeat. Fold over another 1/2 inch and iron down seam. This is your hem.
5. Sew 1/8 seam at top of hem.
6. Iron other edge with 1/2 inch seam and then repeat with 1 inch seam. This is the waist casing.
7. Sew waist casing with 1/8 seam -repeating step 6.
*Now we are ready to thread the elastic through!
8. First, add 1 1/4 inches to the waist measurement and cut the elastic band.
9. Safety pin the end of the elastic with the safety pin parallel to the elastic to help you feed the elastic through the waist casing of the skirt.
10. Make sure to catch the back end of the elastic and pin elastic in place.
11. Once you have brought the elastic all the way through the casing, sew the elastic in the casing 1/4" from the edge.
12. Remove the pin and sew the other side of the elastic into place.
You will now have this and you are almost done!
14. Line up raw edges, right sides together (right side is the outside of skirt). Pin edges, starting at the bottom, placing pins approximately 2 inches apart.
15. Sew edges together with 1/2 inch seam allowance, making sure that when you get to the top of the skirt your stitch is on the outside of the stitch, which is holding the elastic in place. (Don't forget to take your pins out!)
16. Trim frayed edges.
If you are totally spent, you can quit now and you have a basically finished skirt. If you have it in you to go on and finish the seams like a professional, please do it!! It will be more comforatble to wear for the girls and will also prevent the edges inside from fraying.
17. Open elastic seams and sew in place, down to the elastic loop on both sides.
18. Clip the fabric just under elastic loop.
19. Zig-zag stitch down the open edge so it doesn't fray. Make sure you don't have anything underneath that you will sew accidently.
20. Fold the sewn edge down to one side (either side is fine) and lay it flat. Sew with a regular stitch. You can sew right on top of the zig zag stitch you just made.
Be sure to hold skirt out as you sew.
Clip extra threads and you are done!!! :)
After you have finished hold up skirt and stretch out the waist with your hands to even out the pleats around the elastic waist.
