Sew Easy part 12: Claire Skirt

You can read the story behind this series and the first part here. Click here to read the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth and eleventh edition of this series.

The tutorial for Claire Skirt is finally here. Wow! it took a really long time to finish.


Supplies ( for the skirt for a two year old)

2 coordinating fabrics - half yards each
Ric rac - 45 inches
Bias tape - 45 inches


Cutting and preparing the layers:

Cut two rectangles

Rectangle 1. length = 11.5 inches and width = 36 inches
Rectangle 2. length = 13 inches and width = 36 inches

from two coordinating fabrics.

Sew both rectangles into a tube by sewing raw ends together along the length ( Right Sides Together).

Assembling the skirt:

Please read the instructions carefully here. This skirt is assembled a little differently than other skirts so make sure you follow the instructions, or you will be cursing me and reaching out to your seam ripper very soon.

Place the inner layer tube inside the outer layer tube such that right side of outer layer touches the wrong side of inner layer. Align one raw edge of both layers. Sew a seam along the raw edge.

Turn out.

This is how mine looked after sewing.

Top-stitch as close to the edge as you can.

Sew another seam 1.5 inch below the top-stitching, so the elastic casing gets prepared. Leave a gap of one inch for inserting the elastic.

Vertical Ruffles on the outer layer:

Rotate the seams in the layer such that it lies in the center of back of skirt.
 Mark both the sides on the outer layer.

 Fold the whole tube into half along the width. Mark the center point on outer layer. ( As shown by the pen)

 Sew two parallel vertical seams along each of these 4 marks, stopping about 2 inch below the top edge. ( Total 8 seams)

 Pull the bobbin thread on these vertical seams to gather the outer layer. Adjust the gathers in a way that you like best. Now sew a zigzag stitch on all four gathers to make them permanent.

Finishing the hems: 

We used bias tape on the inner layer and ric-rac on the outer layer. But you could use any trim or method to finish the edges.
Bias Tape on inner layer
 

Use a 2.5 inches X 40 inches strip to make a bias tape. This is not really a bias tape since these strips are not cut on the bias, but for this project it won't matter because we are using it on a straight fabric.

Now use this bias tape to hem the inner layer of the skirt. The way I sew bias tape is line up the raw end of smaller side of bias tape with the raw end of skirt edge and sewing along the fold in the tape ( right sides together). Once this seam is done, I fold the tape to the other side and sew as close to the ( but not on the) top edge of the tape on the right side. This ensures that I catch the other fold of the tape on the wrong side.


Ric-rac on outer layer

Fold the outer layer about quarter inch inside and sew a seam.

Now sew a ric-rac over it on the outside.

Now fold the ric-rac inside and sew another seam. Voila! Pretty little ric-rac trim.

Inserting elastic in the skirt: 

Remember this space you had left while sewing the waistband. Lets insert the elastic here.

Using a safety pin, insert elastic here and go all the way round and back to the opening. Sew both ends of the elastic by overlapping them about half inch.

I use the stitch 1-14 on my machine which looks like a broken zigzag stitch to sew elastic, but if you don't have it zigzag would work as well. Just go over the elastic 3-4 times.

Claire skirt is ready for a little one!

PS: Spangler wrote in with a helpful comment - "Love this type of skirt... made one similar in finished look to this but using elastic thread to achieve the pull-ups... Check it out if you get a chance... http://thequickunpick.blogspot.com/2010/12/double-layer-twirly-skirt.html "

Elastic are a great way to achieve vertical gathers. Check out her tutorial and the cute skirt.