Simple Skirt from Two Rectangles

First, you'll need a doll.

You will need some fabric.
These are scraps left after
I made a new dress for
Spring, about 20 years ago.

A measuring tape is not
absolutely necessary.
It can help.
With the tape, or with
the fabric itself,
determine how long a rectangle
is need for the waistband.

The fabric for both rectangles
should be quite square.
Be sure to add seam allowances
on both ends PLUS
the overlap you want for
the fastenings.
If the waistband is too tight
it is difficult to fasten.
If the waistband is too loose,
you may not like the way it looks.



Decide how wide a waistband you
want.  Double that width and add
two seam allowances.
Here, I thought about 1/2 inch
would be good.
1/2 X 2 = 1 inch. 
I don't usually need 1/2 inch
seam allowances,
but decided to be generous.
Two half inch seam allowances
add another inch.
I cut my waist band piece
2 inches wide.



Cutting the waistband
To square the fabric I pulled
a thread out of the piece
and cut along that line.
You may not want to
be that fussy.
I like to fuss. :)
An even plaid, like a
gingham check,
makes squaring the fabric
easy.

I folded the waistband over
twice and checked that it was
long enough to go around her waist
and overlap AND
have room for seam allowances.
No problem. :)

Similarly, measure and
cut the skirt rectangle,
remembering to allow for
the back seam,
the waist seam
and a hem, if you
wish to have a hem.

Measure and cut into the seam
 allowance to mark for the placket.
The placket allows the skirt
to open up to slide over the
hips. 

Here, methods diverge.
I have sewn up the back seam
to the slit that marks the placket.
You may wish to skip this
step and do it later.
That way, the piece will stay
flat a little longer.

When the back seam is sewn,
I double over the fabric
and sew it down.
I like as few raw edges
showing as possible,
so I fold it over, then over, again.

I made the waistband by folding
the rectangle in half, lengthwise.
I sewed the short edges together.
This is done with the right side
of the fabric inside.

Then I turned the waistband
right side out and
checked it for size, again.

I gathered, or shirred this skirt.
A running stitch above the line
where I will eventually sew the
waistband on is pulled until the
resulting width of the skirt matches
the length of the sewn
waistband.





I pinned the ends of the
waistband to the edges of
the placket, right sides of the
fabric together, or facing each other.



Then I pinned along that edge,
arranging the gathers where
I wanted them to go.




This blurry picture is supposed to show
what it looked like from
the waistband side.



I sewed that together.
Since this is so lightly
gathered, I used a
running stitch.
When I gather more tightly,
I use a back stitch, or I use
the sewing machine.

This is what it looked
like with that seam
finished and the pins
removed.

Then, I turned the inside
edge of the waistband
under and sewed it to
the skirt on the inside.

I sewed a snap on the
waistband.
I nearly sewed both
halves to the same side
of the waistband, but I
caught myself in time
and sewed one on the inside
and one on the outside,
so the waistband would
overlap.

I hemmed the skirt.
This hem was a selvage
edge, so I could have
just left it unhemmed.

And, we have a skirt.
(And that skirt could use
a good press!)

I'll try to give some
tips on variations
in style, sometime.
If I forget, you remind me!