Little Sister - Big Sister Skirt

by Lelanie of To Sew With Love
(Mallorca, Spain)

I had these pretty fabrics in my stash and I knew it would look pretty as a skirt for her kids. I used a Michael Miller and Brother and Sister Designer Fabric for these Big Sister-Li'l Sister Skirt.

I made a skirt with a pretty bow on the hem for the Li'l Sister Skirt and for the Big Sister Skirt, I added ties which can be tied into a knot on the front (side or center) or into a bow on the back.

I will show you how I made the basic skirt. You could personalize it... add something pretty and girly... call it your own... bearing your own "trademark" ^^)

I am fond of adding a piece of coordinating fabric to my dresses and skirts hem. You must be wondering why? Aside from saving me time in hemming (I absolutely hate pinning and ironing the fabric to hem. I am a bit impatient... so almost always, I eyeball it), it also looks prettier this way! I think it has become my "trademark" ^^)

Now, let's proceed with the tutorial. This skirt is so easy and quick to make you could even make it with one eye (or both) closed... (maybe not... ^^). It took me 15 minutes to finish 1 skirt, including cutting each fabric piece. It's too easy, really! ^^)

For a 2-3T skirt, we will be using the fabric with its full width, from selvage to selvage. Mine measured approx. 44 inches. Cut it into your desired length. I cut mine 13 inches. I also cut 1 piece of 4" by 44" of the coordinating fabric for the hem.

You would also need elasticized band for the skirt's waist. Measure your child's waist in inches subtract 2" (if you are using the soft kind of elastic) or 1" when you are using the stiffer kind. But for kids, it is more advisable to use the soft elastic bands... it would leave less marks on their skin (which they tend to scratch, right?) and would allow for you to create a waistline for your skirt that is snug enough with less pressure on their baby skin. I used a 1/2" elastic for this skirt.

With this measurements, we will have a skirt which is 44" wide and 11" long which would be a below the knee skirt length.

Now, take your 4" x 44" fabric. Fold it in half, wrong sides together and align it on your skirt piece, right sides together. Sew a straight stitch, then zigzag or serge. Do not forget to backtrack. Then, topstitch to secure your stitches even more.

Now, fold your skirt (short sides together) in half wrong sides together. Sew a straight stitch, trim the edges so you won't have any frayed edge showing when you do the next step. Turn it inside out, right sides together. You could iron it before sewing straight stitch. Now you have a french hem. For the other side, just sew a straight stitch with your skirt right sides together. This is enough since we did not cut this side of the skirt.

Now, turn your skirt wrong sides together. We now have to make our waist, where we would insert the elastic. You could pin then iron or just eyeball it, making sure you are sewing on a straight line. Fold your skirt's top edge 1/4" then fold it another 1/2 inch. Sew a straight stitch but leave 1"- 1.5" unsewn so you could insert your elastic.

Insert your elastic, sew them together with a zigzag stitch then sew close the unsewn part where you inserted your elastic.

Now, you can add your "personal touch" to your skirt. A pretty bow Or a sash

Now, you still have a couple of minutes to spare! (I know you have! ^^) You can now make some matching hairclips for this girly skirts! You could use our rolled fabric flower tutorial for it.