I get asked a lot what are the best sewing projects for beginners. Generally what I say is that most people tell you to make a pair of boxer shorts or track suit pants or something like that, and though it’s not a bad starting point I think it’s a bit of a silly first project as there are a lot of seams, and you’ll probably never use them, plus pants are hard to fit right. What I generally suggest is some sort of a skirt. I think the best types to start with are a wrap skirt, an elastic waistband skirt or a dirndl skirt.
Honestly, an elastic waist skirt is probably the easiest of them all. There is no pattern needed, and it is made with just one rectangular piece of fabric. That’s it! Just one piece of fabric! And it can be easily adapted for any size or shape- women’s or children. Easily make it above the knee or full length maxi length (or any length in between!). Make it in a lightweight floaty fabric for a drapey look, or in a cotton or heavy weight fabric for a fuller look.
This skirt is seriously a perfect beginner project. Plus I think it looks pretty cute (I totally lived in this one all summer! Remember here and here?). I’m going to walk you through every single (simple!) step to help make your own. So let’s get started….
What you’ll need:
– one yard (or less for a short skirt or childrens skirt) of 60″ wide fabric
-1″ wide elastic
**seam allowance is 1/2″ for simplicity
So you need to cut one rectangular piece of fabric.
Width: the full 60″ width of the fabric. For our plus size babes, if you need more room, you can cut two rectangles and sew them together at the sides. For children, you don’t need a full 60″, for my toddler, I cut 30″ wide.
Length: measure from your waist to where you want your skirt to hit (knee, midi, maxi, etc) and add 2 1/2″ to that measurement for the elastic casing and hem.
Fold your rectangle in half length wise with right sides of the fabric together, so that the two raw side edges line up.
Sew along the edge 1/2″ from the raw edges. Press the seam open.
You now have a large fabric tube.
We need to make the casing for the elastic along the upper edge of your fabric tube. Fold over the top edge by 1/2″ and press.
Fold over the top edge again by just over 1″ (about 1 1/8″) and press. This will enclose the raw edge of the fabric. You can pin in place to prevent the fabric from moving.
Sew together close to the inner folded edge. Don’t sew all the way around though! Leave a gap about 2″ wide open near the side seam. This is where you will thread the elastic through.
Now we need to cut our elastic.
Measure your natural waist (smallest part of your waist). Now subtract about 2-3″ from that measurement.
Waist measurement – 2″ = elastic length.
Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic.
Slip the safety pin end of the elastic into the opening, and start to thread it through the casing, helping it along with your fingers. Keep going all the way around until…
Your elastic comes back out the other end of the opening.
Overlap the elastic about 1″ and sew them together with a zig zag stitch.
Let the elastic slide back into the casing.
Stretch the waist a bit a sew the 2″ gap closed, enclosing the elastic in the casing.
Now its time to hem! Along the bottom edge, turn in the raw edge by 1/2″ and press.
Turn under again by another 1/2″, enclosing the raw edge. Press and pin.
Sew just under 1/2″ from the edge, all the way around.
And now it’s finished!
For my toddler above the knee version, I cut a 33″ wide by 14″ long rectangle, and used the same exact steps.
Easy, right?! So simple, and so cute!
A-line. :)
That skirt is perfect! I love the print that you chose and it looks so comfy, yet flattering!
gorgeous skirt, love the fabric.
for the wrap skirt, maybe A-line? :)
Yeah, A line!! :)
Love the skirt:-) I am now following your blog, and I am so glad I am. What great clothes:-) You have talent…
I just made this skirt out of an old pillowcase with cartoon little girls on it. It came out perfectly thanks to your tutorial. Thank you so much!
Good luck with the bebe!
thanks for this!! i love making clothes the DIY way! :)
I used your tutorial with a yard of fabric that caught my eye, and I love the skirt that I made! It was so quick, it took longer to pin everything than it did to make the skirt. :)
Thanks so much!
So glad it worked well for you AmyLynn!
Thanks for this post!! I am suddenly struck with a passion to sew and have been looking for a perfect first project for me. This is it!! I love this skirt – so cute!! Yes, it does like something you would see at a store for $50!!!! Love it :)
I just made a skirt using your VERY easy tutorial- thanks for writing it!
[…] some Michael Miller Fabric i had purchased a while back, you can do one yourself following this tutorial, at first i wanted to do a skirt that you gathered with a ribbon of the same fabric ,but i ended up […]
Do you have any printable patterns?? Btw, I L??Ve the pattern :)
So, where is the tutorial???
uP ABOVE IN HER DESCRIPTION IS THE LINK/TUTORIAL TO CLICK ON. pdf FILE DOWNLOADS INSTANTLY…
Would I need to used morw fabric for a larger size – like if I am a 12/14?
Does this skirt need a lining? Or was the fabric thick enough not to need one?
Wow this is a wonderful guide ??
The emoji ” O.O ?” turned out as a question mark ???
Do you think this would work as a maternity pattern? What would you alter to make it maternity?
Absolutely! I think this would be wonderful as maternity. I would just make sure that the elastic measurement is comfortable at your underbust or under belly (whichever position you’re intending to wear it) and you would probably need to make sure the length is appropriate to whether it’s above or below the bump. I think beyond those it would be easy! Good luck!