This simple scrap skirt tutorial makes the cutest skirts using leftover scraps of cotton material you may have from other sewing and quilting projects!
I absolutely love sewing for little girls. They are so fun to dress up!
The colors, the fabrics, the easy-peasy sewing projects….
fun I tell ya!
So after making these Easter dresses and these reversible skirts I had some fabric left over. Not enough for a full dress or skirt but certainly enough to piece together. You too? Glad that I’m not the only one!
Simple Scrap Skirt Tutorial:
Fabric
Find scraps of fabric of the same material {ie. all cotton or all jersey}.
Be sure that all of the fabric is pre-shrunk.
You will need about a meter of fabric total {depending on the size of skirt}.
Sizing
Measure all the way around your waist {the circumference}.
The elastic for the waist band will be the same length as your waist circumference.
Scraps of material will need to be two times your waist circumference.
Choose a length for the skirt. Above the knee? Below the knee?
Materials
1 meter of scrap fabric {total}
1 meter of fabric for lining
1 inch wide elastic {length of waist circumference}
For example:
Here are my measurements for a size 6 skirt.
Waist = 20 inches
First scrap of fabric 2 1/2 inches x 40 inches
Second – fourth scrap of fabric 4 1/2 inches x 40 inches
Fabric lining 14 1/2 inches x 40 inches
Elastic 20 inches
Begin by cutting your scrap fabric into strips.
You can join scrap fabric to create longer strips if needed. As I did with the green fabric shown above. This might give your skirt a really cute quilted effect. You can cut as many strips of fabric as you want. The more strips of fabric, the longer your skirt will be.
Serge or zig zag stitch all of your raw edges. It’s nice not to have to worry about your fabric fraying with repeated use. You can also iron and fold over raw edges to protect them as well.
Pin the first two lengths of fabric together, right sides facing. The top piece of fabric will house your elastic waist band later. Sew these pieces together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance and a straight stitch.
Iron the seam flat. You can even top stitch the seam into place if you want a more detailed look.
Repeat the last two steps with each of your fabric strips. Pin right sides together. Sew using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Iron seam flat.
Now you’ve made a fun, pieced together panel of fabric to create your skirt out of. Be sure to really press out and iron your seams.
Next steps for the scrap skirt:
Next measure your fabric panel. Mine was 14 1/2 inches x 40 inches. Trim off any excess material and make sure that your edges are straight and corners are square. Cut a piece of material, the same size as your fabric panel, to make a lining for your skirt. It doesn’t have to be white material, use another scrap of fabric if you can! But you don’t have to line the skirt either. You could skip this step and simply hem the top and bottom. I think that lining the skirt gives it a more professional look though. It also protects all of your edges from fraying and provides a barrier between itchy edges and skin.
Pin the lining to your fabric panel, right sides facing.
Sew the panel and lining together along the top, bottom and one side of the skirt using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Invert the skirt so that the right sides are facing out.
Press and iron all of your seams.
Stop to admire your handy work so far.
Now pin the sides of the skirt together. If you want to get really fancy you could fold and iron the open end of the skirt into the wrong side of the skirt. Then tuck the finished end of the skirt into the folded end and sew together. This creates a nearly invisible seam like the one I used for my reversible skirts.
Sew together the side of the skirt using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Be sure to stop sewing 1 inch from the top of the skirt. This is to leave room to insert the elastic waistband.
Next sew a straight line around the waist of your skirt about 1 inch to 1 1/4 inches from the top. This creates a pocket for the elastic waistband to go in.
Use a safety pin to push the elastic through the pocket that you have created. I like to use 1 inch, non-roll elastic for the kids clothing. It stays nice and straight and doesn’t get all bunched up in the waistband.
Sew the ends of the elastic together.
Sew the waistband closed. Trim off excess thread.
All done a simple scrap skirt!
This post contains affiliate links.
Crafting essentials for sewing projects:
- We love using this flat bottom dry iron for perfect seams.
- This sewing kit has everything we could possibly need!
- These scraps of cotton fabric are ideal for most sewing crafts.
- This rolling storage cart helps to keep our sewing supplies organized.
Now you’ve got some super cute, colorful skirts and a smaller pile of scrap material in the sewing room. It’s a win-win for sure!
If you loved this simple scrap skirt tutorial, please help me share it on Pinterest or Facebook!
I just found your blog trough U Create and I am loving it…Will for sure make this skirts for my girls, so perfect for the up coming hot weather : )
My daughter would live in these skirts! They are so stinkin cute and I have been blabbering about taking a sewing class for so long…I need to do it:)I would be super excited if you linked up over at my Anything Goes Link Party going on from 6 MST Friday till midnight Monday.
https://too-much-time.com/2012/04/get-schooled-saturday-20.html
xxx, Kim
I just found your blog on Sugar bee Crafts. It’s really good! I’m a new follower. Stop by and check me out sometime!
http://www.sewcountrychick.com
Great use of scraps! I would love for you to link this up to “I Made This” at Grits & Giggles! https://www.gritsandgiggles.blogspot.com/2012/05/i-made-this-3.html
I made one for my granddaughter and plan to make more! Thanks for the tutorial and excellent sewing instructions! So easy and it turned out adorable!
Yay! Thanks for sharing! xo
Thank you so much for such an awesome tutorial! I have bins and bins and bins of scrap fabric and this was the perfect way to utilize them! My 5 year old is so excited to have so many new skirts to wear to school!
YAY!! Have fun :)
Loved your tutual on this little girl skirt. My granddaddy is 8 and I’m teaching her to sew . This is our next project. Thanks again
Loved your tutorial on this little girl skirt. My granddaughter is 8 and I’m teaching her to sew . This is our next project. Thanks again