How to make your very own elastic waisted skirt for baby or mom!
1. First cut the length of your fabric (I would go with approx. 1 1/2 times your hip/butt measurement). You want to make sure that the opening at the bottom of the skirt is roomy enough for movement. (Since I don't have my baby yet, I just made different sizes.) When measuring how much fabric, you should also realize that the top will be cinched in with elastic, but it needs to move over your hips/butt easily too... (if you are doing an adult version).
2.Fold over and Iron the hem (fold 2x). I usually just do around 3/8". Ironing makes the sewing go a lot faster.
3. Fold over (about 1/4 inch) the top edge and iron, if you don't want raw edges where the elastic will be. (step 8)
4. If you want to do a trim on the hemline, apply it to the entire length of the hem before sewing up the skirt (step 7). I used one that encased the hem, so I didn't need to fold and iron the hem as shown in the first photo (sorry the rest of this tutorial is a different skirt than the 1st photo).
5. For later: Have your elastic ready (1/4"-1/2" wide depending on the size of the skirt). You will want to measure how long it should be by putting it around yours or your baby's waist and deciding how tight you want it to be.
6. put a safety pin on the end for threading it through the encasing later.
7. Once you have sewn the hem/trim, You need to sew the skirt together into a tube. (Put right sides together, line up the edges and sew.) I usually just line up the edge of the fabric with the right edge of the presser foot and use it as my guide. Don't forget to backstitch!
8.Time to sew the encasing for the elastic. Fold over the fabric---the side you ironed 1/4 inch earlier (not the hem). You want to fold it over wide enough that there is room for the elastic to slide through. To sew, I use the edge of the presser foot as my guide. You need to leave about a 1 1/2" opening for threading the elastic through. Don't Forget!!!! (see below)
As you can see in this photo, I didn't follow my own advice about folding the edge over 2x so that there isn't a raw edge. I had to pink the edges so it wouldn't fray so much in the washing machine. * notice the opening left to thread the elastic through.**
9. Once you thread the elastic through the encasing (using the safety pin to push it through the slim hole), you need to take the 2 ends and sew them together. I backstitch a few times to make it strong.
10. Now you need to sew up the hole you left in the encasing. Make sure you don't sew on top of the elastic, and don't forget to backstitch!
11. All finished! Now you just need to turn it inside out!
Ta-da! Post any questions in the comments and I can answer them in the comments:)
BEFORE: goodwill chair that obviously sat in someone's garage for awhile...
After: My favorite mustard paint (seen on rocking chairs, walls, drawers, um a LOT of things) and some Amy Butler fabric.
Since I am SUPER pregnant, I couldn't have done it without this man (my husband, in his sanding gear).. he sat in the 90+ degree weather and sanded 3 chairs, a crib, and a kitchen table for me to paint). I will post photos of all those once everything is put away in our new apartment (did I mention that I moved on Saturday??? Oh yeah and I was 37 weeks pregnant).
