Hey there, it’s finally getting warmer outside! We’ve been listening to the birds (with the windows open!), walking to school and searching out our local convenience store for slushies. Ahhh…. feels good!

To celebrate, I’ve teamed up with A Material Girl, a Canadian online fabric shop, to bring you and your kids a brand new pattern tutorial – the Simple Springtime Skirt in 3 kids’ sizes. (P.S. A Material Girl is also offering a discount and giving away fabric to you lovely readers. Enter for your chance to win below!)

This post is sponsored by A Material Girl Fabrics and they have provided the fabric for this post. As always, I only work with sponsors that I love. Enjoy the tutorial!

Before we start, I’d be remiss not to let you know about this new-to-me shop. It’s just around the corner from me in Milton, Ontario. Owner Nicole started her shop in 2014 and noticed that her customers loved having access to organic fabrics. (Yay!)

Branching out from there, she also sells knit prints, woven character fabrics, double gauze and so much more by the yard. As a bonus, all A Material Girl shipments within Canada are only $5.75 and she can make arrangements to ship to the US as well.

The knit organic Birch Fabrics bows I used for this tutorial washed up buttery soft and so easy to stitch. And my youngest was over the moon excited when she got to choose the magic rainbow shine fabric by Alexander Henry.

 4 Prizes: 

A Material Girl is giving away the fabric you need to make a Springtime Skirt. Four lovely readers will win their choice of 1 yard of fabric, enough to make a skirt for their favorite kid and 1/2 yard extra just for fun! You can find your favorites in advance in their shop.

These giveaways are open to everyone, internationally, from today until Thursday, May 10th, at midnight EST. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter – and if you don’t have Facebook to sign in with, just use your name and email address. There’s a “click to enter”, non-social media login entry too!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Recieve 10% off at A Material Girl using the discount code: STUCKINTHE80s

A Material Girl is also offering a month-long 10% discount! Valid from today until June 3, 2018.

 

How to Sew a Simple Springtime Skirt

This tutorial comes in 3 sizes, for an average fit on ages 6/7, 8/9 and 10/12. It can be made in both knit or woven fabrics and requires only a 1/2 yard of fabric. The elastic waist pulls on for easy dressing and (I’m told, lol) that also makes them so comfy! Plus, a nice sized hem allows the fabric to lay flat and look great.

Of course, it’s also called “Simple” because it only requires 10 steps and a couple of hours to finish. Your kids will love their quick spring wardrobe pick-me-up!

Size Chart:

Fit the skirt to your child based on their hip measurement. When in doubt, choose the larger measurement.

Size 6/7 fits a 22 1/2 waist and 26 1/2 hip, finished length is 14 1/2″

Size  8/9 fits a 23 1/2 waist and 29″ hip, finished length is 14 1/2″

Size 10/12 fits a 24 1/2 waist and 31″ hip, finished length is 16 1/2″

Helpful Links:

For tips and tricks for sewing knits please see these posts:

• The Sewing Diaries – Week 4: 12 Tips & Tricks for Sewing Knits
• How to Confidently Sew Knits Fabrics on Your Home Machine

You will need:

• 1/2 yard woven or knit fabric
• under 1 yard of 1 1/2″ or 1 3/4″ wide elastic
• fabric matching thread
• elastic matching thread
• removable fabric marker
• ruler
• sewing machine
• your usual sewing supplies
• optional: Stretchy Fusible Seam Tape for knits (Knit-N-Stable Tape)
• optional: serger for sewing knit fabric and finishing edges

Cut Your Fabric and Elastic:

Cut your fabric as indicated below according to the size you need. The elastic can be cut to your child’s waist measurement or you can follow the size below.

NOTE: These measurements are slightly different for knit and woven fabrics to allow for the extra ease and hem depth needed in a woven skirt – be sure to choose the right one!

Size 6/7 Knit Cut 2: 14 1/2″ wide x 14 1/2″ high, cut 1 length of elastic 22 1/2″

Size 6/7 Woven Cut 2: 15 1/2″ wide x 15″ high, cut 1 length of elastic 22 1/2″

Size 8/9 Knit Cut 2: 15 1/2″ wide x 15 1/2″ high, cut 1 length of elastic 23 1/2″

Size 8/9 Woven Cut 2: 16 1/5″ wide x 16″ high, cut 1 length of elastic 23 1/2″

Size 10/12 Knit Cut 2: 16 1/2″ wide x 16 1/2″ high, cut 1 length of elastic 24 1/2″

Size 10/12 Woven Cut 2: 16 1/2″ wide x 17″ high, cut 1 length of elastic 24 1/2″

Cut the Skirt Shape:

1. Layer skirt front and back matching raw edges and one-way up fabric. fold panels in half, matching the raw edges. You will have 4 layers on the top right and a fold at the top left.
2. Mark 1/2″ in from the top raw edge (not the fold!).
3. Draw a straight line from the bottom edge of the skirt to the mark at the top raw edge of the skirt.
4. Cut along the line.

Sew the Skirt:

NOTE: If you are using a woven fabric, finish all raw edges together using a serger, zigzag pinking shears.

Step 1: Mark the Skirt Front and Back

On the right side of the fabric, mark the center of each skirt panel and draw a line 1/2″ down from the top of both skirt front and back with a removable marker.

Step 2: Pin and Stitch the Side Seams

Place the skirt front and back right sides together, matching raw side edges. Pin and stitch with a 3/8″ seam allowance.

Step 3: Press the Seam

Press the side seams towards the back of the skirt.

Step 4: Prepare the hem (use either the knit or woven instructions)

Prepare a woven fabric: Fold the bottom skirt edge 1/2″ to the wrong side. Then 1″ again and press well.

Prepare a knit fabric: Fold and press 1″ once towards the wrong side  (If you are using Stretchy Fusible Seam Tape, apply it before folding.)

Step 5: Pin and Stitch the Hem

Pin your hem on the right side of the fabric, matching side seams. Stitch close to the top edge of the hem fold with the right side of the fabric up on your machine. Note: Use a stretch stitch or a twin needle if you are hemming a knit skirt.

Step 6: Finish the Woven Fabric Edge

Woven fabric only: Finish the edges of the top of the skirt using pinking shears, a zig-zag stitch or a serger.

Step 7: Prepare the Elastic Waistband

Place the elastic right sides together, matching the unfinished ends. Stitch with 3/8″ seam. Press the seam allowance open. Stitch the seam allowance down in a box shape using matching thread.

Step 8: Mark the Waistband

Mark the center front of the elastic by folding at the seam. Refold the matching center front and back to find and mark the side seams. Now the elastic is marked in quarters.

Step 9: Pin the Waistband

Line up the bottom wrong side of your elastic with the marked line on the top, right side of your skirt.  Match and pin the elastic and skirt quarters with the elastic seam at the center-back of the skirt. Pin “sideways” all the way around, stretching the elastic to fit the fabric.

Step 10: Stitch the Waistband

Stitch the elastic to the skirt 1/4″ up from the bottom of the elastic with a zig-zag stitch in matching thread. Stretch the elastic to fit the skirt as you go.

Congratulations, you’ve made a Simple Springtime Skirt!

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Woven Fabric: Magic Rainbow Shine in Sky from Monkey’s Bizness by De Leon Design Group for Alexander Henry Fabrics from A Material Girl 

Knit Fabric: Organic Blue Bows from Wonderland by Emily Isabella for Birch Fabrics from A Material Girl

Elastic: Dritz Metallic Waistband Elastic, Gold

Sewing Machine: Janome Skyline S9 (on loan from Janome Canada as part of their Artisan program)