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How to Make a Twirl Skirt With a Knit Waist

Whether you want to make a twirly skirt for yourself or for a child, you can't go wrong with a decorative print and a yoga-style knit waist. This skirt will maximize comfort with its flowy shape and comfy waistband, and it can even wear with you or your child through a little bit of weight gain, as well. This type of skirt would even work well as a maternity garment for pregnant women because of the stretch factor in the waistband.

Things You'll Need

Measuring tape
Knit fabric
Skirt fabric (may or may not be knit)
Scissors or rotary cutter
Sewing machine
Thread
Straight pins

Instructions

- 1
  Measure your body to determine the size of your skirt. Measure your waist all the way around; call this measurement A. Measure from the top of your hips to the point where you want the hem of the skirt to fall on your legs; call this measurement B.
- 2
  Subtract three inches from Measurement A, then divide it in half; call this measurement A1. Add one inch to measurement B; call this measurement B1.
- 3
  Cut two pieces of knit fabric that are measurement A1 wide by 15-inches high. Cut one piece of your skirt fabric that measures the full width of the fabric off the bolt by measurement B1 long. Cut this piece in half along the width.
- 4
  Put your two pieces of knit fabric together with the right sides facing. Sew a straight seam along both 15-inch sides to make a circle of fabric, then go over these seams with a zigzag stitch overlapping the edges. Set this aside.
- 5
  Put the two pieces of your skirt fabric together with right sides facing. Sew a straight seam along each B1 side, then go over this with a zigzag stitch, overlapping the edges. Fold up the bottom hem by 1/4 inch, then 1/4 inch again and sew the hem in place with a zigzag seam as well. If using knit fabric, you could leave this hem raw.
- 6
  Sew a straight seam all along the top edge of your skirt piece, making your stitches as long as your sewing machine will allow; do not back stitch at the beginning or end, just leave the strings long. Position this seam 1/8-inch down from the top edge, then make a second seam 1/4-inch down from the top edge. Pull on the strings from the seams to gather the top of the skirt.
- 7
  Fold the waistband in half so that it is now 7 1/2-inch inches high. Turn it so that the fold faces down and slip it over the outside of the skirt's gathered top, lining up the raw edges of the skirt and the waistband. Pin together all the way around to hold them in place.
- 8
  Sew the waistband to the skirt by using a zigzag stitch all the way around, 1/2-inch down from the top. Remove the gathered stitching threads and turn up the waistband to wear the skirt.

Sewing