Kids Makes

Gypsy skirt

This simple sweet-looking gypsy skirt is made from three tiers of slightly gathered fabric, so it’s fabulously floaty. Light cotton fabrics work well for a summer skirt or try heavier corduroys and linens for the colder winter months.

Sizes

The patterns are for ages 2–3, 3–4, and 4-5 years.

Take 13 mm (1/2”) seam allowances throughout, unless otherwise stated.

You will need

• 
  Fabric A (top tier): 93 x 14 cm for ages 2-3 (36 1/2 x 5 ½”); 95 x 16 cm for ages 3-4 (37 1/2 x 6 ¼”); 97 x 18 cm for ages 4-5 (38 1/4 x 7”)
• Fabric B (middle tier): 113 x 11 cm (44 ½ x 4 ½”); 115 x 13 cm (45 ½ x 5 ¼”) and 117 x 15 cm (
  46 1/4 x 6”) respectively.
• Fabric C (bottom tier): 133 x 12 cm (52 1/2 x 4 ¾”), 135 x 14 cm (53 1/4 x 5 ½”); 137 x 16 cm (54 x 6 ¼”) respectively. Join 2 strips together to make the length if necessary.
• 210 cm of 9 mm wide ribbon (83 of 3/8”)
  
• 51 cm of 15 mm wide elastic (20 of 5/8”)

Making up

1 Cut three strips of fabric for the different tiers of the skirt, using the measurements given above. (Join two strips together to make a piece the correct length if necessary.)

2 Overlock or zigzag stitch along the bottom edge and the two short sides of the top tier. With right sides together, pin and stitch the two short edges together. Press the seam open. Along the top edge, press under 1 cm (3/8”) and then another 2 cm (3/4”) to the wrong side. Pin and machine stitch in place, leaving an opening of about 3 cm (1 ¼”) for the elastic to be threaded through later.

3 Overlock or zigzag stitch around all four sides of the middle tier of fabric. Using a needle and thread, work a line of running stitch all the way around the top edge. Pull the thread to gather the strip so that it is the same width as the bottom of the top tier.

4 With right sides together, pin and machine stitch the gathered middle tier to the bottom of the top tier, making sure that the gathers are even all the way around. Baste (tack) in place, and then machine stitch.

5 Repeat Steps 3 and 4 to attach the bottom tier.

6 To hem the bottom of the skirt, turn under 1 cm (3/8”) and then another 1 cm (3/8”) to the wrong side, pin, and machine stitch in place. Press.

7 Pin and stitch ribbon along the joins of the tiers, folding the ends of the ribbon under for a neat finish. Press.

8 Cut a piece of elastic 47 cm (18 ½”) long for ages 2-3; 49 cm (19 ¼”) for ages 3-4 and 51 cm (20”) for ages 4-5. Feed it through the waistband channel, overlapping ends and stitching them together securely. Machine stitch the channel opening closed.

Further information

This project is from Making Children’s Clothes by Emma Hardy, published by Cico Books,(www.cicobooks.com). It includes 25 fun projects to enable you to create stylish outfits for young children. Garments range from party frocks and pinafore dresses to simple shirts, elasticated trousers or skirts to sleepwear, babies cltohes and accessories. This lovely books includes full size paper patterns and all projects are easy to make, and suitable for beginners. It is available from all good bookshops priced £12.99. (ISBN 978 1 906525 79 8).