Divine A-Line by Peach Carr
Create a fun and funky girl's spandex tennis skirt. Draft your own pattern to customize the skirt to any size.
- Print spandex (amount determined by measurements)
- Contrasting print spandex (amount determined by measurements)
- 3/4"-wide elastic (amount determined by waist measurement)
- Safety pin
- Press cloth
- Thread: all-purpose & serger
- Pattern tracing paper
- Hip curve
- Straight ruler
Note: The featured skirt is a girl's size medium (24" waist, 30" hip and 11" long).
- Take the child's waist and hip measurements. Add 2" to each measurement, and then divide each measurement by four; record. Determine the desired skirt length; record. Lay out the fabric at least six hours before cutting.
- Fold a piece of pattern paper in half lengthwise. Measure 1" from the paper upper edge onto the fold; mark. Draw a straight horizontal line from the fold to the opposite edge. Repeat to draw a horizontal line along the paper lower edge, spacing the lines according to the length measurement. Draw a vertical line 1" from the edge opposite the fold.
- Measure from the fold onto the upper line using the recorded waist measurement; mark. Measure 7" below the upper line onto the fold; mark. Draw a straight line from the mark to the vertical line; label this line the hip line. Measure from the fold onto the hip line using the recorded hip measurement; mark. Add 1" to the hip line to determine the hem measurement; record. Measure from the fold onto the lower line using the recorded hem measurement; mark. Connect the waist, hip and hem marks using a ruler to create the side edge.
- Mark 1/4" above each waist and hem mark. Place the hip curve along the raised hem mark to the lower line beginning; trace the curve. Repeat to trace the hip curve from the raised waist mark to the upper line beginning.
- Cut out the pattern, and then label it the front panel. Position the front panel over another piece of folded pattern paper; add a 1/4" seam allowance to the side edge. Cut out the pattern, and then label it the back panel.
- Unfold the front and back panel patterns. Place each pattern over the print spandex; cut out. Place a pin through the back panel center for clarity.
- Add 1" to the original waist measurement; record. From the remaining print spandex, cut one waistband 2" x the recorded measurement.
- Measure each front and back panel lower edge. Add the measurements; record. From the contrasting spandex, cut one 1" x recorded measurement strip.
- Cut a length of elastic according to the original waist measurement.
- Position the back panel right side up on a flat work surface. Position the front panel right side down over the back panel, aligning the panels along one side; pin. Shift the opposite front panel side to align with the corresponding back panel side; pin. Serge the sides using a 1/4" seam allowance, removing the pins as you sew. Press using a press cloth.
- Turn the skirt right side out. Fold the waistband in half with wrong sides together. With right sides together, position the waistband along the skirt waist, aligning the raw edges and one waistband end with one side seam. Overlap the opposite short end 1" over the pinned short end. Serge the waist perimeter using a 1/4" seam allowance; press.
- Place a safety pin along one elastic short end. Insert the elastic through the short-end opening and thread it through the waistband. Overlap the elastic ends 1". Topstitch a 1" square over the waistband ends to secure the elastic.
- With right sides together, position the strip along the skirt lower edge, aligning the raw edges and one strip end with one skirt side seam. Overlap the opposite short end 1" over the pinned short end. Serge the skirt lower edge using a 1/4" seam allowance, removing the pins as you sew.
- Fold the strip toward the skirt wrong side, concealing the serged edge; pin. Lengthen the machine stitch length to 3.5 mm and topstitch in the ditch of the serged seam, creating "faux piping." Grade the seam, if necessary; press.
Products used in this episode: