Welcome to day 2.
Today I’m going to make a super quick, pencil skirt. It’s quick and really un complicated. A meter of fabric is all you need to start updating your wardrobe.
Tutorial: Pencil skirt
Materials:
- 1-1.5 meters of fabric, depending on your hip measurement. I have used a light weight cotton, for summer.
- 1 meter 3/4″ elastic.
- Sewing machine.
Start by taking your hip measurement, don’t make it to tight. You still want to be able to move and breath. Add 9cm onto this measurement. This will be for movement and your side seam. Next measure the length you would like. I like a mini, but any length above the knee works. Add 5cm to this length. This will be for your elastic at the top and hem at the bottom. Cut one large rectangle piece, with these measurements.
We are going to start by hemming your skirt. Fold the fabric over 1cm, at the bottom of your fabric. Iron this line.
Fold over another 1cm and iron flat. Pin along the folded edge, to keep your fabric together.
Using your sewing machine, sew a line along your hem. Sew near the top edge of your hem. Remembering to do a backward stitch at the beginning and end of your sewn line. This will stop it from coming undone.
Now your hem is secure. Fold your fabric in half. Sew your rectangle, down the open edge about 1cm in. Use a straight stitch.
Set your sewing machine to a number 3 zig zag stitch. A zig zag stitch will still give your fabric some movement. It also works a bit like a overlocker, and will stop edges from fraying.
Sew a zig zag stitch over the edge of your seam.
Now fold your fabric into quarters, and mark these points with pins. Put to one side.
Measure your elastic round your hips, or where you like your skirt to sit. Make sure it’s a really snug fit. You want your elastic to stretch, when you’re wearing it.
Sew your elastic together. I like to use a zig zag stitch and do 2 lines.
Now fold your elastic into quarters as well. And mark these points with pins. These will be the points you match, when you sew your elastic to your fabric.
Bring together your elastic and fabric on the sewing machine. Using your zig zag stitch, sew the elastic to the top edge of the inside of your skirt. Stretch the elastic to reach each marker, while you sew. Using your pins as the marker points.
Once your elastic is attached to your fabric, fold the elastic under, and iron. Turn your fabric the right way out.
Sew another zig zag stitch around the top of your skirt. This will stop the elastic from turning over.
Ta da, you have a really quick and simple skirt.
Hopefully you won’t have a child, hanging of your yours.xx
