Super Quick, Easy Sew Skirt

Hands down, this is the fastest skirt I've ever sewn in my life, and quite possibly, one of the cutest.

Here Ri was giving it the all important spin test.  It passed.

A few weeks ago, Ri found this adorable, ruffle fabric, and although it's usually pretty pricey, I had a store coupon for 40% off, so we splurged and bought 2 or 3 yards; I can't remember which.  It's been sitting, waiting for us to decide what to do with it.  Ri found and idea or two, and I looked up some tutorials on sewing ruffle fabric skirts.  Finally, borrowing from a couple different ideas, we came up with this.

Start with the top of some denim thing; shorts, jeans, or skirt; it doesn't really matter what.

We started with a mini skirt we picked up at Goodwill for $4.

We cut off the top, getting as close to the zipper as we could, while still leaving enough for the seam allowance.  This wasn't exactly precision cutting - I just eyeballed it.

Don't forget to fold those pockets back out of the way before you cut.

Then, with your fabric folded into a square, lay it out, turned like a diamond, and lay your top across the corner to mark the sewing and cutting line.  Remember, it needs to have an inch or so extra on the one side you'll need to run a seam down. 

Actually, I didn't really mark it.  I laid the top up there, just like in the photo, then flipped it down (toward me), making sure the bottom (newly cut edge) was in the same place, and then cut above the edge about 5/8ths of an inch.

I drew this (very) rough picture on Ri's gimp thingy to try and help explain it.

I truly hope this helps out.

(Sorry - I just noticed that the grain line is in the wrong place - it should go along the upper right side, not the lower right side.  I hope this doesn't confuse you.)

We decided to turn the fabric so that we would be cutting on the bias because Ri really liked the way the ruffles moved when hanging diagonally. 

After cutting the corner off, measure out the length you want the skirt to be. Remember, you need to measure from where the bottom of the jean portion will be, to however long you want it.  Ri wanted it floor length, so ours was about 31"(remember to add your seam allowance).  I measured 31" down each side, and then down the middle.  Then I took a point midway between the middle and each side to measure again, so that I had five points along the bottom that I could use to draw the curve for the bottom of the skirt.  Here again, I didn't really draw it, I just put pins in it to mark the curve and then cut.  Precision wasn't really necessary here either because once you cut the ruffles, the little ends hang down like a miniature handkerchief edge, so slight imperfections will not show.  

Next, you need to pin, and then sew down the side of the skirt - this would be the right edge in the gimp photo above.  Make sure all the little ruffles line up.  

Once you've sewn down the side, pin the jean top to the top edge of the ruffle fabric.

I'll add in here, that the only reason we could make it this way is because there was no up or down to this ruffle fabric.  Well, there probably was, but whichever way you turned it, it looked the same, so we could do what we wanted.  You may not be able to do it this way if you have a ruffle fabric that has a print on it - I've seen a few that were polka dot, or had little flowers.  Also, in essence, the ruffles start to flip upside down on the hip opposite the one with the seam.  Meaning, if the ruffles run one way along the front, then you need to make them run the other way on the back.  If you don't do this, the ruffles on the back (or front, depending on which one you started on) will get sewn in flipped the wrong way.  I know it sounds complicated, but it's not.  You'll be able to see what I'm talking about if you get some of this fabric.  Just pin it up and then turn it right side out so you can make sure the ruffles all hang right before you sew them in.

I serged both the side and the top, but you could stitch a regular seam and then finish with a zig-zag, because we all know denim is famous for raveling if it isn't finished. 

Three cuts and two seams; that's all there is to it.

Ok, not the most flattering pic, but I wanted to try and show the diagonal ruffles.  The way this thing moves as she walks is lovely.  Very flowy (yes, that's a word) and feminine.

It didn't take me but about 30min. to run this skirt up, and that was including a couple of interruptions. 

There's no need to hem ruffle skirts.  At least, so says Ruffle Fabric.  And I'm inclined to believe them since we prewashed the fabric and nothing happened to it. 

The link I've put in will take you to their tutorial page where they explain how to make several ruffle skirts, and they sell some very cute ruffle fabric.  I'd love to have tons of this stuff.  It's so fun to look at and work with.  I mean come on, no hems? very forgiving to eyeball measurements?  That's my kind of fabric.  And best yet, we still have enough fabric left to make a skirt for T.Lynn.

I've linked this post with the Homestead Barn Hop.  Check out all the great ideas others are sharing over there.  

I've also linked with White Wolf Summit Farmgirl on her sewing challenge link, the UFO Roll Call.