Easy Easter Skirt with Applique

I know today isn't Friday, yet I'm sharing a sewing tutorial. As you may have seen from this past week, I've been a bit busy in bloggyland in terms of co-hosting and guest-blogging, and I have two opportunities already lined up for this Friday. However, I simply couldn't put off sharing this adorable outfit with you for another week because Easter is early this year, and I wanted you to have plenty of time to make one in time for the various Easter egg hunts that your family may attend in March! You'll see recipes returning on Tuesdays in a couple weeks though. I promise!   


While searching for discounted fabrics for a project I had in mind for my twin nephews, I found a quarter of Easter fabric for under two bucks. I couldn't resist. I got home and tossed it into my project box, figuring I wouldn't need to work on it for a while. A few months later, I scored this new t-shirt for $1 from a neighbor of mine whose daughter had outgrown it before she got around to turning it into something fabulous. 

Fast forward a couple months later while I was rummaging through said box to begin a fall skirt for myself, I found that rolled up piece of fabric and decided to see what I could do with it. My daughter who is never far from my side, loved it. I wrapped it around her waist and realized I could follow my simple spring skirt instructions to make one for her. Obviously, I couldn't get by without measuring. One of the benefits to that simple spring skirt is not having to measure or cut the fabric; however, my confidence in sewing has increased enough that I knew I could figure out how to adjust that set of instructions for a child. I also could see that I'd have enough fabric left over to sew some cute Easter eggs onto a pastel shirt to create an adorable Easter outfit, ideal for Easter egg hunts. I'd still have to buy her an Easter Sunday dress for church. While I know I can sew casual clothes, I am in no way skilled enough to make the frilly dresses I love buying for holidays. 

Materials:

1/4-1/2 yard of lightweight fabric

1/2 inch elastic (to fit waist)

coordinating thread

Step 1: Decide on the length of your skirt. Next, add 2" for waistband and 1" for bottom seem. You could purchase this exact length, but if you want some of the material for a coordinating applique, remember to have enough extra for that.

Step 2: Using a zig-zag stitch, sew the rough edges on both sides of your fabric. Fold the dress in half with the good sides facing each other and sew the side seam giving ½ inch allowance.  Last, iron the seam flat. 

Step 3: Iron what will become the top of the skirt by first folding the fabric down 1/4" and ironing flat and then folding down another 3/4" and ironing it flat again. Pin in about six to eight spots regardless of how well you’ve ironed. Sew the casing, leaving several inches of room to insert the elastic.

Step 4: Now that the casing is sewn, we are ready to move on to the hem. Fold the fabric over ½ inch and iron flat. Then fold again another ½ inch and iron again. Next, pin at about six to eight spots and stitch all the way around.

Step 5: Let’s tackle the elastic. First, measure it around your waist where you want your skirt to rest and cut that exact length. Next, thread it through the casing after safety pinning both ends. You can use a crochet hook to help pull it through. Once it is through, overlap the elastic about ½" and sew together.

Step 6: Once you sew the elastic together with a ½" overlap, sew the rest of the casing closed.

Step 7: Fidget with the fabric around the elastic so you get an even distribution.

You'll be able to make this outfit in under an hour! That gives you time to tackle the applique before she wakes from her nap, right? 

To make the applique, you can follow my tutorial here or here. 

 
I'll be sharing this post at some of these parties here.