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Instructions
How To Add a Skirt To Little Girls Shorts
Measure the shorts from the hip area to the bottom of the hem line. You can use a longer length than the shorts hem line, depending on how long you want the skirt to be. When you have figured out this length, add 2 inches to allow for hemming.
Fold the material in half and measure from the outside edge--inward-- to get your desired skirt length (the measurement in step 1). The overall length of this strip is determined by the size of the shorts. Measure the shorts from side to side, from the hip area. Your skirt strip should measure 3 times this size. If necessary, cut two strips the same size and sew the ends together, to meet your required length.
Hem both long sides of the material. To do this, fold the material over 1/4 of an inch and iron down as you go. Then fold the same side over 1/2 inch, ironing and pinning down as you go. Do the same procedure down the other long side. Sew a straight stitch down each side, staying as close to the inside edge as you can.
Fold the hemmed strip in half, matching the raw edges together, with right sides facing each other. Sew the two raw edges together, using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Turn the material rightside out. Slide the shorts through the opening and pin the seam of the material to seam at the back of the shorts.
Working your way around the shorts, you will need to pleat the skirt. Fold a small section (about 1/2 inch) of the skirt over onto itself to make a pleat, and pin this down. Continue around, making a pleat every 2 inches. You may have to readjust the size or distance between pleats to distribute them evenly around the skirt.
Sew the skirt to the shorts. The easiest way is to slide the waist opening of the shorts over the free arm sewing machine. Starting at the back, sew the pleated skirt to the shorts, using a 1/2 inch seam allowance from the top of the skirt. You can use a straight stitch, or a double stitch for a decorative look. Colored buttons hand sewn to the front between the skirt top and waistband will add a decorative touch as well.