Quick, Easy and Cute Elastic Waist Pencil Skirt Tutorial

If you're like me and you have difficulty finding skirts that fit properly or you just like to save money or make your own clothes, then you might be interested in this tutorial for a super easy but cute pencil skirt.

 Materials Needed:

~Fabric scissors

~Pins

~Fabric*

~Elastic**

~Matching thread***

~A fabric marking pen/chalk/pencil

*This is for 60" wide fabric and if you want the skirt to extend from your waist to your knees. If you want it to be shorter, a different width of fabric could work. The fabric width needs to be the distance from where you want the top of the skirt to be to where you want the bottom of the skirt to be plus 4" times 2.

If you're using 60" wide fabric and you want your skirt to be 26" long or less, then you will need to measure the widest part of your body between the top and bottom of the skirt (probably your hips). Whatever that measurement is, add about 4" and that's how many inches of fabric you need. If you want your skirt to be longer, you will need to get that measurement twice.

As for type of fabric, it's up to you. I've used a suiting fabric, but twill and spandex work great too. If you're using a really stretchy fabric like jersey knit or some spandexes, then the elastic isn't necessary.

**For elastic, you need whatever the distance around where you want the top of the skirt to be. I've used 1" wide elastic. If you want it to be different, this will change the length of the skirt.

***Your thread should match exactly. If you serge your raw seams, you should also have matching serger thread. The closer this matches, the better, but it need not be exact.

These instructions assume that you're using 60" wide fabric and want your skirt to be about 26" long.

Lay your fabric out and cut it along the seam at the top. If you have a skirt that you already like the size and shape of, you can lay it out on top and trace the shape of it. The only difference will be that you will want the top to be the same width as the widest part of the skirt.

If you don't have a skirt you like - which would explain why you're here - then follow these instructions:

Measure and write down the measurements of the widest part of your hips as well as the distance between this widest part and where you want the top of your skirt to be. You want the distance from the top of the fabric to be this same distance plus 2". Mark where your hips will be on the fabric and draw a line straight upward from there to the top of the fabric.

What you do from here depends on what you want the skirt to look like. What I did is made the bottom of the skirt about 2" smaller than the hips. You may want it to go straight down or even flare out a bit. Remember that if this shape doesn't work, you can change it later, but it's much easier to make it smaller rather than larger once it's been sewn.

If  you want it to be smaller than what I did, you'll probably want to add a slit unless the material you're using is fairly stretchy. I intend to have a tutorial on adding a slit to a dress soon.

Once you've traced the shape of your skirt, pin it in place, cut it out, and sew along the side edges. Don't forget to fix your stitches and take out the pins before you sew over them.

Turn your skirt right-side-out and try it on. Everything above your hips should be too big, but make sure that you like everything hips and down. It will also be about 4" longer than it will be finished.

If you're not happy, make appropriate alterations.

Once you're happy with the size, serge the edges. I've just done a tight zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine instead because this skirt is just for me and I didn't feel like threading the serger. Your machine may also have an overcast stitch which is better than a zig-zag stitch. It basically does what a serger does, just way more slowly. Check your owner's manual/stitch list.

Now, you will need to attach the elastic. Turn the top edge over about 1/2" and pin it in place.

  And now sew it in place. Don't forget to pull out your pins before they go under your foot and to fix your stitch at the beginning and end. Try to end up in the same place as you started so that it looks like one continuous stitch.

It should look something like this. Make sure your seams are lying flat.

Now fold this seam over your elastic. The stitch you've already sewn should approximately line up with the edge of the elastic. Pin this fold in place.

And sew the fold in place somewhere in between the stitch you've already sewn and the edge of the fold. Be sure not to sew over the elastic. Start sewing near the elastic ends and stop sewing about 3" before you've sewn all the way around.

Don't forget to fix your stitches and remove your pins before you sew over them.

Through the hole you've left, pull the two ends of the elastic out enough for you to sew them together, laying flat on top of one another

This elastic is ribbed, which helps keep it from folding over and twisting after it's been sewn in. Keep an eye out for it.

Make sure to sew this really securely. I would suggest straight and zig-zag stitches in at least two different places to make sure it's really secure.

Try your skirt on to make sure it fits. Other than being a few inches too long, it should fit normally now. If it's too loose, then make your elastic shorter and resew it.

Once you're happy with the elastic, feed it back into the hem and sew the hole shut.

Try on the skirt. It should be about 2" longer than you want it to be. If it's too short, then there's not much you can do. You can make the hem a bit smaller, but that won't make much of a difference. The best thing to do would probably be to add some sort of trim such as lace to make it longer.

If it's too long, then just make your hem larger.

Now to hem the bottom of your skirt. Fold the edge over about 1/2" and pin in place. After that's done, fold the edge over about 1.5" and pin it in place again.

You'll typically want to press this hem in place before, and if not after, sewing it, but I've already sewn with this fabric and happen to know that it doesn't press or wrinkle at all, which I don't mind. If you're working with such a fabric, then pressing will be unnecessary.

Typically, I like to machine sew the hem in place, but my perfect thread ran out just as I got to this point. Another option is to hand sew your hem in place as seen in this pic. The hand sewing method makes the thread less visible.

The hand sewing method will look something like this when it's done.

If your machine has a blind hem stitch, that will do basically the same thing. Consult your owner's manual, if you're not sure.

And now you've got yourself a fabulous skirt! Congrats and thanks for reading my tutorial.

If you have any questions or comments or what-have-you, leave a comment in the comment section. You'll get a response and my blog will look more popular, so do it.

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Things to Know if You're a Beginner Sewer/Quilter

  This post covers some FAQ's I get from beginning sewers and quilters as well as clarification on common misconceptions and not-so-great practices I know people have/do. I'll probably be adding to this as I think of more things or get questions.

General Must-Knows for Sewing and Quilting

Seams
  Generally, seams for quilting are 1/4" and seams for pretty much everything else are 1/2". Patterns and tutorials will usually specify what size seams to use, but if yours doesn't, assume this rule.

Thread
  Poor quality threads are pretty much a waste of your money. Do not be tempted by the 50 cent spools at Walmart! The only time you should be using cheap thread is if you're serging. Never use serger thread for regular sewing; it's not actually made to keep things together very well. The most common good-quality brands are Guetermann and Mettler for cotton and polyester. Wonderfil is less common, but still good as far as I can tell. Robinson-Anton and Sulky are the most common good-quality brands for machine embroidery (which I don't do, but I thought you still might like to know) but are not good for general-purpose sewing as they're decorative threads.
  If you've acquired some thread from somewhere and you don't know what brand it is or what fiber content it has, don't use it, especially if it's old. If you're going to spend all that time making something yourself, you don't want the seams falling apart and the cost for a good spool of thread really is minimal.

The Selvage
  I probably mention this in any of my tutorials, but it's very important not to include the selvage in your sewing, even in the seams. Not only does it look ugly, but it's actually made of a different fabric and will usually shrink at a significantly different rate. If you've included selvages in your seams, your seams will pucker and your project might not look good if you wash it.

Pins
Never sew over pins! If you do, you can throw off your machine's tension and break and dull your needles. If you do ever break a needle, be 100% sure that you have all the pieces before you throw it out and continue sewing. If a needle segment is unaccounted for, it may be in the hole you put your needle in (huge pain to get out sometimes) or in the lower section of your machine. This is especially troublesome if it's stuck in the bobbin and bobbin case area, which is often where it ends up. Countless times I've seen machine not working properly because a needle segment has gotten caught somewhere. If you can't find a needle segment or your machine isn't working right or is making sounds it wasn't before once you continue sewing, bring your machine in to be serviced ASAP. A piece of metal stuck in your machine can cause huge problems.

Flannel and Flanelette
  We're one of the few quilting stores I know that carries both flannelette and quilter's flannel, so obviously, we get asked about the difference a lot. Flanelette is significantly cheaper. It will shrink, pill, fade, wear out and stretch much more than quilter's flannel. Quilter's flannel also tends to have cuter prints and complete lines because all the good designers make the quilter's flannel. If you're making a quilt, unless it's a rag quilt, I would seriously suggest Quilter's flannel. Flanellette really is made for pyjamas pants and the sorts of things that you don't need to last more than a couple years.
  A lot of cotton flannels/flannelettes will say something like "not intended for children's sleepwear" on the selvage, especially if they're from the U.S.. This is honestly the dumbest thing and it causes so many problems because flannelette is what you use to make pyjamas. The reason this is there is so that you can't sue the fabric company if your child catches on fire while they're wearing something made from this fabric. Cotton is perfectly safe to wear. Yes, it catches on fire if exposed to flame, but at least you can put fire out. If the pyjamas were made out of polyester, it would melt and then your child would have molten polyester all over his/her skin, which is much worse.

Scissors
  Yes, there's a difference between fabric scissors and paper scissors. Fabric scissors are essentially just much nicer scissors. If you try to cut through fabric with paper scissors, you'll know what I mean. Get your scissors from a fabric store. I don't know about in the States (where everything seems to be half the cost) but generally, if you're not paying at least $20, they're not good scissors. I have a pair of Fiskars and I like them a lot. Ginger is, of course the most reputable brand. They're really good and if they ever get chinked or dull, they sharpen really well and I think they all have lifetime warranties. Naturally, they're quite expensive, though.

Bobbins and Other Machine Parts
  Most machine parts need to be bought from the brand your machine is. The exception is needles, which fit any machine, unless you have an older Singer, then they might not. Most of the time light bulbs are also just standard sizes, but sometimes they're odd sizes and you might still need to order them in.
  That means that bobbins and feet need to be the brand of your machine. When I got my machine second hand, half the bobbins were just generic ones and I had to throw them all out because the bobbins would rattle around in the bobbin case and sometimes jam my machine and chew up my fabric. Sometimes generic bobbins or bobbins from a different brand will happen to fit, but they'll never fit properly. The problems the wrong bobbins cause vary from skipped stitches to tension issues to the machine simply refusing to work or jamming.
  Feet also need to be the same brand as your machine.

Must-Knows for Quilting

Fabric Width (WoF)
Unless otherwise specified, all fabric amounts and instructions assume a fabric width of 42”. This is the basic 45/44" wide fabric with the selvages taken away. If you're using a different width, you'll need to adjust your fabric requirements and such accordingly.

Binding
  Unless otherwise specified, most quilt patterns and tutorials assume you're using 2 1/2" strips for binding. If you prefer a different size, you'll probably have to figure out how much fabric you need for binding instead of using the amount they give you. I intend to have a binding tutorial on here at some point.

Seams
  Unless otherwise specified, any quilt tutorials on my blog and most quilt patterns use a 1/4” seam. The easiest way to get this size of seam is to attach a 1/4” foot. Some newer machines (like most higher-end Husqvarnas) have a 1/4” seam setting, which is super handy.
If you don't have a 1/4” seam setting and you're not willing to get a 1/4” foot yet. You can measure 1/4” away from where your needle goes down (put your needle in the down position and raise your foot for best measurement) and put a piece of tape there. Naturally, this isn't terrible accurate and if you plan on doing much quilting in the future, you should invest in a 1/4” foot, but if you're just beginning or on a budget, this will usually suffice. Most beginner quilts (ones that only have larger strips or blocks) will turn out fine even if your seams aren't exactly 1/4”. What matters in such quilts is that you're consistent.

Fabric
  Always use good-quality 100% quilter's cotton fabric. Most quilting stores will only carry this sort of fabric, but some will have other kinds as well. If you're not sure, ask. After you've been around it for a while, quilter's cotton is generally very easy to distinguish from other fabric types and qualities.

Thread
  If you're piecing your quilting (sewing the blocks together) I highly suggest 100% cotton thread. The reasons for this are that if the seams are put under strain for long periods of time, polyester can wear through the cotton. It can also stretch a little bit, which you don't want in quilting where accuracy and consistency are everything. You also can't have your iron on the cotton setting when you're using polyester; you instead need to have it on the much lower synthetic fiber setting, which will make it harder to really firmly press any seams and get out any wrinkles.
  For the actual quilting or topstiching, you can use polyester or cotton. A lot of people say that you should use cotton, but as far as I can tell, it doesn't matter. I actually prefer using polyester because I do the majority of my quilting on a longarm quilting machine and polyester leaves way less lint and breaks less.

Batting
  For batting, I generally suggest a 85% cotton/15% polyester mix, or something along those lines. This mix is what quilting stores generally carry and they will often be called cotton batting, since they are mostly cotton. A misconception many customers and even quilting store workers have is that quilts should use 100% cotton batting. This is completely untrue. The only time you should use 100% cotton batting is if you're making microwavable potato bags or some such thing. The reason you want a bit of polyester in there is that 100% cotton batting falls apart incredibly easily. If you used 100% cotton batting, you couldn't have any more than 2” square unquilted, which would a huge pain on most quilting projects.
  As for brands, Warm and Natural is very popular and I like it. I usually use Hobbs though, because I like it just as much and it's usually cheaper. Warm and Natural is good for table runners and other small projects because it's thinner and will lie much flatter. Your local quilting stores will probably have their own brands. Just let the store worker know what you're doing and that you'd prefer a "cotton batting" or if you want to be specific, you can say 80/20 or 85/15 cotton/poly batting and they'll be able to help you. It really comes down to what you want. The only thing I really caution you against is using 100" polyester battings, simply because they don't breath as well and if it every catches on fire or heats up too much for whatever reason, it'll melt, which is way more dangerous than just catching on fire because it can get stuck to your skin.

Rotary Cutters
  If you're quilting, the rotary cutter, cutting mat and ruler combo are a must-have. You can get away without rulers if you're just making large squares, but even then a cutter makes that so much easier. Instead of cutting one square at a time, you can cut ten much more quickly. If you're doing anything that requires any accuracy, I'd say triangle or small square and up, you absolutely require a rotary cutter or else your pieces just won't line up.
  Because the whole combo is so expensive and a bit intimidating for beginner quilters, a lot of people who come in will only buy one piece of the ensemble, despite my warnings against it. If you don't have all three, you may as well not have any. Sometimes rulers are useful for tracing squares, but that's about it. A rotary cutter without a mat and a ruler is actually really dangerous. If you're not sure you want to commit to paying that much money up front, trying seeing if you can borrow some supplies from somebody or take a class that lets you use theirs. To be honest, I don't have my own set because I do most of my quilting at the fabric store I work at. There's way more room there and they like us to use the demo machines anyways so that we can sell them better.
  I've heard the most ridiculous stories about rotary cutters. One woman came into the store and bought a rule and told me that it was for her daughter who was in the hospital because she had tried to use a rotary cutter with just a regular school ruler. I didn't know the details,but it sounded pretty bad. Another woman came into the store upset that her rotary blade was bending around the edges and wouldn't cut anything anymore. Turns out she was using planks of wood instead of a mat. *face palm* We offered her a free blade if she bought a mat and she accepted the offer.
  Anyways, don't try to get around it; it's not worth it. Just find a way to use the whole combo. Your life will be so much easier.
  I also hear about people cutting themselves sometimes, but I've never cut myself. I think the difference is the rotary cutter. There are two types that I've seen and if you want to avoid cutting yourself, I would suggest the ones on which the blade automatically retracts if you're not squeezing the handle. I know Olfa has these, but I'm not sure who else does.
  For quilting, it's really useful if your mat and ruler are at least 22" long so that you can cut the width of the fabric. My favourite ruler is the 8 1/2" x 22" because it cuts most squares you'll need cut.
  Olfa is a good brand; probably the most well known and generally the easiest to find replacements blades for.
  If you want to know more about rotary cutting, check out my tutorial for beginner rotary cutters here.

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