Two Tier Ruffle Skirt

This skirt is a great skirt to make when you have some extra fabric and about 30 minutes to sew.  I picked up this soft denim from the remnants bin at Joann Fabrics (you might recognize the fabric from the drawstring backpack), and it has made a great skirt for my one-year-old niece.  You will be amazed at how quickly you can sew this together.  The skirt I made finished at about 19 inches around the waist, 25 inches around the bum, and 10 inches long.  Adjust your measurements as needed.

Supplies

• 1/2 yard of fabric (you may need more or less depending on the size of skirt)
• Thread
• 21 inches of 1/2 inch wide elastic
• Sewing Machine
• Twin Needle (optional)
• Scissors

Directions

1. Cut two strips of fabric.  One should be 8 inches wide, and 26 inches long.  The other should be 5 inches wide, and 44 inches long.
2. Fold each strip in half right sides together, so your strips are 8 inches by 13 inches, and 5 inches by 20 inches.  Sew along the short side using a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  Iron the seam open
3. Take the 8 inch wide loop, and iron down 1/4 inch around one side wrong sides together.  Fold down an additional inch and pin. 

4. Sew around the edge using a 1/8 inch seam allowance to make a casing.  Leave a 1 inch opening so you can add the elastic later.  Set aside.

5. Take the 5 inch wide loop and sew around one edge 1/4 inch from the edge using the longest stitch your machine allows (be sure to not backstitch or fix the edge).

6. Pull on one thread to gather the loop.  Gather until it measures 25 inches around.  Knot the thread ends together to fix in place.

7. Pin the two loops together matching the gathered edge to the raw edge of the other loop (right sides together).

8. Sew the two loops together using a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  Pull out the stitches you used to gather the lower tier.

9. Switch to the twin needle.  Iron the lower tier flat and sew around using the twin needle.  This adds a cute detail to the front, and encases the raw edge on the inside of the skirt so it will not fray.


10. Iron 1/4 inch under on the bottom tier to start hem.

11. Fold over again and pin.

12. Sew the hem using the twin needle.

13. Use a safety pin to pull the elastic through the casing.

14. Switch to a regular needle again.  Sew the two ends of the elastic together, then sew shut the casing.