Does the thought of making a simple skirt scare you? Well, let me fix that! Today, I am going to show you how to make a simple skirt in 15 minutes flat. What, you don’t believe me? Let me show you how. Oh and ps- NO paper pattern is required! Like I said, this is one super simple skirt that stitches together in a flash!
Super Simple Skirt
This project is for all levels.
Skill Level- 1 Button
Supplies:
Quick Note
Interested in an Ad-Free, printable PDF version of this tutorial? Scroll to the bottom for more info!
Tools:
- sewing machine
- pins
- scissors
- tape measure
- iron and ironing board
Basic Instructions:
1. Measure around your body at the widest part of your hips; add 1″ for ease and seam allowance. Determine the finished length from the natural waist; add 1 1/2″ for hem and seam allowance. This is your pattern. Cut fabric.
2. Fold fabric matching right sides and straight stitch from waist to hem, this will form a tube. Press seam open. 3. To create a hem, fold and press 1/2″ up and repeat for a clean finish. Straight stitch hemline and set skirt aside.
4. Wrap elastic around your natural waist; add 1″ for overlap and cut. Join elastic together by overlapping and stitching with a straight stitch. *tip- use matching thread. 5. Divide your elastic and skirt waist into 4 equal parts; mark with pins. Overlap the elastic on top of skirt fabric by 1/2″ and straight stitch in place. You will notice that the skirt is larger than the elastic. While stitching, you will need to slightly stretch the elastic to meet the waist marking. Repeat all around the skirt. *tip- I suggest stitching directly on top of the elastic, this is the side that will be visible. Be sure to match thread to elastic.
Get the ad-free Simple Skirt PDF
Click below to download the full printable PDF and print at home!
Now how is that for fast! This is one super easy skirt and you will be wearing it in 15 minutes.
Looking for more easy skirts to fill your closet? Check out knock it off or this quick summer skirt for the little princess in your life.
Comments & Reviews
I love it Heather!!!! Pinned it!
Thanks Christine, I want to see you bust out that machine and get stitching! You could be wearing this skirt tonight.
~Heather
Is the fabric a cotton or a knit? It is a very cute skirt and I could see many in my daughter’s future, I’m not a big skirt wearer.
It is a woven cotton blend with a slight stretch. I picked it up at my local JoAnn’s. These prints are super cute and make a great impact with your basic tee.
~Heather
I love the wardrobe basics, skirts can be so easy and the fabric you have picked really makes it look special. Great job.
Awesome tutorial Heather! I’ll have to try this. 🙂
I will definitely have to try this! I am in love with skirts this summer. Who knew they could be so comfortable! And my hubby isn’t complaining either! Thank you!
Thank you for this! I am loving skirts this summer and this looks like so much fun to whip up. I will definitely be trying this!
This looks so cute!! I’ll have to make a few.
Sew quick and easy, thank you for this.. 🙂
Hi, I came over from Dreaming In Color. Love the skirt, I think my Grand daughter could do this.
Thanks, Faye
Thanks for stopping by Faye, Love Deneen! Your Grand daughter could SO make this skirt! It really is so simple.
~Heather
Cute, cute, cute!
I just bought that same fabric!
To funny, I love it! It matches almost everything.
What a great and easy way to make a skirt. Love the colored elastic. I will have to look for that next time I go to the fabric store.
This is really gorgeous! thank you for sharing!
Another great tutorial Heather! I’ve made skirts like this for my girls – super easy and so comfortable too!
Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a fabulous week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/
Hi Heather,
This is super cute, but I’m a bit confused on what two pieces am I cutting from the fabric? Am I supposed to cut two pieces that are as wide as my hips and as long as I want? I’m a sewer, but I feel stupid when it comes to clothing. 🙂
Let’s clear that up right away Sarah! You only need to cut one piece of fabric that is the total circumference of your hips plus seam allowance. If you are lining the skirt, you will need to cut an additional layer.
I hope that clears things up and that you share a photo of your super cute skirt in our flickr group!
~Heather
This is a very lovely skirt. How would I could do it… But, MY 15 minutes are nos YOUR 15 minutes…This skirt could take me one month!!! JAJAJA!!!!
Congrats!! You have been featured at The DIY Dreamer!! YAY! Come on over and grab your featured button, you deserve it 🙂
http://thediydreamer.com/from-dream-to-reality/creations-features-74/
Is the skirt inside out the whole time. Is the elastic sewed to the inside of the skirt or the outside?
The elastic is stitched directly to the right side of the fabric and is visible on the face(outside) of the skirt.
Hi! Super cute! One question when you wear the skirt – is it intended for the elastic to fold in and down against your skin so you don’t see the elastic? Or do you keep the elastic up and you can see it? Hard to tell how you are wearing it from the pics. Thanks!
Hello Lorna,
The elastic is visible on the body. That is why I selected the fun color to match my fabric. However, if you do not like this look you can fold over the top edge to create a tunnel and slip your elastic through. Hope that helps.
~Heather
Very nice and simple tutorial. One of the best I’ve seen.
Great tutorial! I tweaked it a little to make it a maternity skirt and added some horizontal pleats along the bottom. Love it!
That sounds fantastic! I am so glad you put it to action and would love to see.
~Heather
This is like the first skirt I ever made when I was ten years old , nearly 55 years ago, but mine had an elastic waistband in a casing. I recently saw the exact kind of green fabric (except mine was not permanent press!) and have decided I have to make another one of those skirts in that green! I may try some other colors too and plan to use the kind of waist you have here with the colored elastic. Thanks for the memories!
Wow, I love that story Phyllis! Yes, you should make a new one and use some of the fun trims on the market.
~Heather
this skirt is just beautiful! Amazing creativity and craft!
Ananasa.com- Home For handmade
Thanks for the tutorial! I didn’t have quite enough to make a one seam skirt in the fabric I wanted to use, and I am plus size,so I just cut half the width I needed plus two seam allowances via the entire width of the fabric and then sliced it down the middle. Two side seams and the rest was how you did it! This is the first piece of clothing I’ve made in years and the first thing I’ve made for myself in a long time! 😀
Excellent! I’m so glad to hear that this post inspired you to do some selfish sewing!
~Heather
Thank you for posting this tutorial. I have been wanting to make a skirt just like this, and I have been looking around for the best deal on the patterns. Now I can make this w/o a pattern. What is a good material to make this skirt? I live in Arizona, and need something that is light.
I made the skirt and I LOVE it ! I made it out of stretch denim. I applique a flower, on the front right leg of the skirt and left a little split in the back, with a matching small bow at the top of the split. A course I made a simple top, that made it a whole matching suit. Thank you sew much Heather ! for showing me how to make this skirt.
That is great Suzie! I would love to see a few pictures. Feel free to share them on our Facebook wall or in the flickr group.
~Heather
Love the tutorial and the fabric! Can anyone identify the fabric for me please, designer or any clue? I’m in the UK so don’t have a Joann’s.
Sorry Andrea, the fabric was printed exclusively for Joann’s. I would just look around to find something similar or consider ordering it directly on line.
~Heather
I tried this today – perfect! Thanks!
I had some really cute fabric that I wanted to make a skirt with so I started my search for skirt patterns. This is the first one I opened, and the fabric I have is the exact fabric in the pics! 🙂 I think this skirt was meant to be for me!
Fantastic Rebecca! We just made another skirt today for my daughter. She wanted something “new” for school. I reminded her that having a mom who sews is not such a bad gig!
~Heather
I was doing great until the elastic. The top is all puffy. Looks terrible. Any advice?
Oh No Debbe! Is the elastic making it puffy or is it puffy when you are wearing it?
~Heather
Just wanted to say I fixed my elastic problem and the skirt came out great. Wore it to work last week and got two compliments immediately. I’m definitely making another!
That is awesome Deb!! So excited you liked it. I picked up a bunch of fabric on line to make a few more for my girls. It is perfect for the summer!
~Heather
So glad this popped up on my FB feed this morning, I’m going through all my fabrics and I have some really cute spring/summer prints that I was wondering what do with, Also have tons of colored elastics picked up at yard sale a few years ago, I see several summer skirts in my wardrobe, Thank you so much for all your gread ideas
Hi.
will the skirt work if I use non-stretchy cotton fabric? (Or will it be impossible to get on and off!?)
Thanks, Rosy.
Hello Rosy,
Working with a cotton (non stretch fabric) will work just fine. You need to wrap the fabric around the widest part of your body and add ease to create. For me, that is my hips. This point of measure will allow you to slip the skirt on and off without any issue.
Can’t wait to see what your skirt looks like!
~Heather
Hello. I’m just seeing this pattern-posted on face book today from the daily sew. I don’t recall what type of fabric used. Maybe I missed it. Thanks anyone that can answer. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! I used a mid weight woven cotton fabric to create this skirt but really any fabric will work.
~Heather
Thank you, trying this one, looks so easy
Made this in 1/2 hour. Thank you. I will make more for myself and adult daughters.
That’s great Linda! I’d love to see a few pictures. Care to share on FB or in the flickr group?
~Heather
I have been looking for a simple skirt to make for a trip I’m taking this summer. This looks like i have found it! Thank you!
So excited Lisa! Please be sure to share a few photos of your finished skirt!! I would love to see how it turns out and what fabric you selected.
~Heather
This skirt will be perfect for my 2 grandgts who are spending summer in Hawaii . Can’t wait to start.
WOW! I love this, now I can have a cool skirt of every color & or print I want!
Thank you sooooooo much, you are a genius!
I made it Heather! And just in time it take to the Oregon coast … Though it may be a mite chilly! Thanks so much for the inspiration
YAY!! I hope you got the chance to wear it Patricia.
~Heather
What size are your seams? Thank you.
Hello Marilyn,
I use 3/8″ seam allowance. The last quarter is for ease and movement.
I can’t wait to see what you create!
~Heather
Back in 1970s I worked for Hardees. The uniform was a short button up top with pockets on each side of the front, very uniform looking in bright orange. We had to wear white skirts, not furnished to complete. I use to buy a yard of 36 in wide fabric, open it up, cut in half, add elastic to one end to fit my waist, sew up the one seam for the back and put a shirt tail hem in it to keep from raverling….voila!! 2 skirts for the cost of 1 yard of material and could make them in about an hour…..
That is awesome Paulette. I love the idea of a shirt tail hem.
~Heather
I was going to ask if the elastic could be attached before sewing the seam. Is that what Paulette was describing that she did? It seems it would be easier that way, to me… but I have zero experience with sewing. I just got my first machine & am looking for simple cute projects to start off with, such as this one! 🙂
You stated that your skirt was a stretchy material…..should you not advise everyone that if you are NOT using a stretchy material you will need to add an amount for ease???
Bev
Great question Bev. Even though my fabric had some stretch in it, I did not use it for the fit. So, the instructions would be the same for either fabric construction.
~Heather
I’m not much of a sewer – what is a shirt tail hem?
Hello Vicky,
A shirt tail hem is an gently rounded shape hem commonly found on men’s dress shirts.
Hi ! This is so cute, thank you for taking the time to share it 🙂 I am new to sewing and wanted to ask how to cut my stretch fabric? I mean on bias, or lengthwise or across the grain? I have a beautiful print of very stretchy fabric, it stretches just two ways, not four though,…..so I am quite confused, should the stretchy direction be wraping my body or should it be lengthwise? THank you 🙂
I just needed black dressy skirt. One I have did not fit. I put it Ba apart and use Your instructions and presto, new skirt. I used black elastic. And I am Large size. I am going make few more. Thanks. Babka H
That’s awesome! So glad to hear that you whipped up something new.
~Heather
thank you heather for teaching us how to make these cute fun and easy skirts my nieces are just starting to sew and these were perfect for them and they only take a few minutes
Yay Brandy! My daughter is picking out fabric today to make a few skirts for back to school. This simple skirt is so easy to make and really adds some punch to her everyday wardrobe.
~Heather
Would it be easy or possible to turn this into a long skirt, like a maxi skirt? Thanks, amber
You bet Amber. But remember to leave room for your walking stride or add a slit to the back for movement.
I’m a wannabe sewer, could this skirt be made in a knit? Could this be made into a maxi-skirt?
Bonnie, you can totally make this from knit fabric. However, if you make it longer, be sure to add width to the bottom. This will allow you to walk with ease and left your legs up/down stairs. Keep us posted!
~Heather
I’m young and I’m trying to use my grandmothers sewing materials, do you have any easy-to-sew clothing ideas?
Can you make a video on how to sew this? It would help a lot!!
Funny that you asked Brittany, I just filmed one for It’s Sew Easy and am waiting for an air date. I’ll keep you posted!
~Heather
About how much fabric do you need?
You will need enough fabric to wrap around your body plus about 2″ for ease and seam allowance. The length is completely up to you.
Hope that helps!
~Heather
Look forward to seeing the video on It’s Sew Easy. Love that show and love your skirt.
could I make this out of crepe fabric and if I was to make it a midi skirt would I have to make the bottom bigger. thanks niki
You sure can Niki! I would make the hem/sweep wider since you want to make it longer. You will need enough room to have a full stride of leg for walking and also to climb up stairs. Keep me posted!
~Heather
thx will post pic on fb when its done
Great, can not wait to see!
My email is michellelcarlson90@gmail.com. I’d love to kniw when this video tutorial comes out.
Hello! Thank you so much for the wonderful tutorial. It was really easy to follow, and I consider myself a beginner (I’ve only made some bags, pillows, and plushies prior to this, never any clothes or things with elastic). I just finished my skirt a few minutes ago. I used some old bedsheets for my first attempt, thinking I would screw it up somehow, but it actually turned out wear-able! Surprising, because I’ve tried some other blog’s tutorials, and the patterns are always missing steps or written poorly. But yours was so easy to follow, and the result was great. I’m very excited to make a few more of these skirts to wear for the summer!
I plan to wear this with leggings or tights. What would be the best material for it not to cling and ride up? Many thanks. The pattern looks wonderful!
just found this post – what a cute print.
I haven’t sewn clothing for myself since home economics. That was quite a few years ago. If want to add a casing would I add 2.5″ in order to create the casing to fit the elastic into at the waist? Thank you in advance!
Thanks so much for the note Grace. The size of the casing depends on the depth of the seam allowance you turn under and the width of the elastic. So, if you were to use 1 1/4″ wide elastic and a 1/4″ seam allowance/fold under, I would suggest adding 3″ for the casing. This would allow plenty of room to enclose the elastic, turn the fabric under for a clean finish and room for the elastic to move freely. I hope that helps!
-Heather
the skirt on the photo would be cute if it were not too short and too tight. Why would you want to wear something indecent that makes you look like a hoochie mama? You could have modified it slightly and it would have been beutiful. The fabric at least is pretty.
Thank you for your note Marge, your comment instantly made me chuckle as the term “hoochie mama” is very endearing in my family.
Have a wonderful day.’-Heather