Little Girl Ruffle Skirt

Little Girl Ruffle Skirt (Size 21 inch waist and another pattern for 24 inch waist).

Since I have extra fabric from quilting, I decided to make my daughter another Christmas gift- a skirt. Please read all directions first before proceeding. If you have questions, please leave me a comment.

Supplies Needed:

Pattern (click on my Etsy shop)

Fabric for skirt

8” band of tulle for ruffle, double the width of each side of the skirt

Another band of fabric, 4 inches wide and two inches longer than the width of the skirt

Thread, sewing machine

Pinking shears (or you can zigzag stitch the edges)

3/4” non roll elastic, length of waist plus 2 inches (23 inches if making skirt for 21 inch waist)

Coordinating ribbon, an inch longer than the width of each side of the skirt.

Time: A few hours

Machine Washable/Dryable: Depends on your fabric. If using tulle, I would put it in a garment bag and wash on cold/delicate cycle and you can dry low for a few minutes or lay flat to dry.

Directions:

1. Cut out pattern on fold (you will cut twice, one for front and one for back).

Create the side slits (You can skip this part. I like side slits so my little girl can crawl, but you may find that you don't need them).

2. Fold in sides of each side of the skirt 1/4  inch, then another 1/4 inch, for 3 inches (or desired length). Do this for all four sides, only for 2-3 inches or desired length.

3. With right sides together, sew the front and back of the skirt together, making sure not to sew up  the sides of the skirt slits, but sew a little bit over to enclose the sides of the skirt. Secure the ends or double back machine stitching.

4.  Trim edges using pinking shears.

Make Casing for Elastic (see pictures for help)

5. Keeping wrong sides out, fold top of skirt 1/4 inch, then press.  Then fold fabric1 inch over the previous fold (this will be the casing for the elastic), and press. 

6. Top stitch the fold at the bottom of the edge, leaving a 1” opening at the back for putting in the elastic.

7. Put a safety pin on one end of the elastic and use this to put the elastic through the casing. Pin the other end together with safety pin to desired waist width. Put on child to check for sizing. Loosen or tighten elastic to desired fit, then re-pin. Trim elastic and then use a zigzag stitch over each end of the elastic to secure. Topstitch the opening closed.

8. Turn right side out.

Make ruffles

9.  Make  2 separate strips of ruffles from the tulle. In order to make the ruffle baste stitch two parallel lines at the top of the ruffle, then pull the bobbin threads to create the ruffles to desired length of skirt sides.

Finish the edges of the 4 inch fabric bands

10.  Fold under 1/4 inch of the 4 inch fabric, then fold under another 1/4 inch and then topstitch.

11. With the right side of the 4 inch fabric ruffle on top of the tulle ruffle, top stitch along bottom basting ruffle. You are sewing the ruffle and 4 inch fabric together before attaching to the main part of the skirt. Do this twice, one for the front side, and another set for the back of the skirt.

12. With right sides together, put the ruffle/4 inch fabric band and front of skirt together.  (Right sides are meeting at the bottom of the skirt). Topstitch together. Repeat for back of skirt.

13.  Then, topstitch or use a zigzag stitch to secure the back of the ruffles.

14. Topstitch your ribbon to each side of the skirt to cover the stitching for the ruffles. (Fold in each side of the ribbon before stitching). Be sure to secure the ends. 

15. Press where needed, being sure not to press the tulle.

Put on your little girl and go! :)