Easiest Party Skirt

DIY: The Easiest Party Skirt To Make...Ever

Posted by carlyjcais

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Okay, maybe not the easiest skirt in the history of the world...but pretty darn simple nonetheless!

It took me about an hour and a half to make - tops! And it's a simple, sweet party skirt that also works great for the everyday.

How To: (sorry no step-by-step photos)

(I think this size will work on Small-Medium-Large...for a Small, the skirt will be fuller and more cinched in at the waist. If you want more width to the skirt, increase the width of the panels. My waist is 27"; hips are 34.5". Cutting directions, marker, and yield are using a 60" wide piece of fabric.)

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You Will Need (10 things)

  • 1 yd of medium to heavy-weight Satin , satin peau, or taffeta
  • 7/8" width woven no-roll Elastic (length of elastic = your waist circumference - 1")
  • matching Thread
  • Scissors
  • Pin(s)
  • Measuring Tape
  • Sewing Machine
  • sewing Machine Needle for wovens
  • 1 Safety Pins /bodkin
  • Overlocker /serger

Steps (10 steps, 180 minutes)

  1. 1

    CUT PIECES
    1. Cut two rectangles on-grain for the front and back pieces: both are 21.75" long; the front piece is 14 3/16" (that's fourteen and three-sixteenths, if the way I've typed it is confusing). For the width of the back piece rectangle, add 1/2" (therefore width of back piece = 14 and 11/16").

    2. Cut 2 rectangular side panels on-grain: both 21.75" long and 11.125" (eleven and 1/8") wide.

    3. Cut 2 pockets: both are the same width as the side panels (11 and 1/8") and are 9" high. (The front, back, and side panels you can all fit side-by-side on a 60" wide piece of fabric, but the pockets can't fit and will have to be placed above this row when cutting. So technically, when using a 60" wide piece of fabric, you only need 30.75", not really a whole yard. For a 45" wide piece of fabric, you can only fit the front, back, and one side panel side-by-side; the next row up you could place the other side-panel on-grain and thereby require 43.5" of fabric (about 1 yd. and a quarter), or, alternatively, you could place one side panel on the crossgrain and only use 11 1/8" + 21.75" = just about a yard total. This is what I did because I thought I had bought a piece of 60" wide fabric but it turned out to be only 45" wide - so I had to conserve fabric. In satin, I honestly think on-grain vs. crossgrain difference is negligible.)

    4. Overlock/zigzag stitch on top and bottom edges of pockets.

  2. 2

    FINISH TOPS OF POCKETS
    5. Fold 1" under on tops of pockets. Iron to set the crease. Stitch seam at 3/4" down from top of crease.

  3. 3

    SEW POCKETS TO SIDE PANELS
    6. Start by placing pocket on top of side panel, right sides together. Align top of pocket about 4" above bottom of side panel, and align pocket side edges to side panel side edges. Stitch 3/8" below top of pocket, through both layers, from side to side.

    7. Fold pocket up, taught against the seam you just sewed; iron to set the crease. Pin side edges of pocket to side edges of side panels - then staystitch the pocket to the side panels a scant 1/4" from side edges.

  4. 4

    ASSEMBLE THE SKIRT
    8. Overlock or sew each side panel to either side of the front piece; join back piece in the same way.

  5. 5

    HEM THE SKIRT
    9. Overlock/zigzag bottom edge of skirt all the way around.

    10. Turn up 3.25" from bottom of skirt; iron to set the crease. Stitch hem at 3" up from crease.

  6. 6

    ADD THE WAISTBAND
    11. Overlock/zigzig top edge of skirt all the way around.

    12. Turn under top of skirt 1.25" from top edge. Iron to set the crease. Stitch at 1" from crease - leaving 2" unsewn, to create the waistband casing.

    13. Attach safety pin or bodkin onto end of elastic. Thread elastic through the waistband casing, entering and exiting through the unsewn area.

    14. Overlap ends of elastic by 1/2". Pull elastic ends out of the unsewn gap in the casing, and stitch a square shape on the top of the elastic to secure.

    15. Tuck elastic back into casing area - then sew the last 2" of the casing closed.

    You're done!

  7. 7

    This skirt is super-cute and can be worn in a casual ensemble.

  8. 8

    Or you can dress it up and pair it into a party outfit - layer over a corset, for instance, or under a sequined vest.

  9. 9

    People will feel a strange attraction to it when you wear it.

    Everyone will love it unconditionally!

  10. 10

    Happy DIY'ing...and Happy New Year!
    xoxo
    Carly