Gathered Skirt

Gathered skirts are easy to make and no pattern is required.

To make this skirt...

You will need -

1m x 140cm wide embroidered fabric
.3m x 140cm wide cheesecloth
.7m x 150cm wide cotton lining
25mm elastic
matching thread
scissors

Make it up -

1. Cut cheesecloth into 140cm x 25cm rectangle.
2. Cut embroidered cloth into two 1m x 70cm rectangles (just cut the original piece in half).
3. Cut lining into 140cm x 70cm rectangle.
4. With right sides together, sew short edges of cheesecloth together to make back seam.  Overlock seam edge.
5. With right sides together, sew the 2 pieces of embroidered cloth together at side seams. Overlock seam edge.
6. With right sides together, sew the lining together to make a back seam. Overlock seam edge.
7. Give all pieces a good press with the iron to flatten seams and this will possibly be the best ironing your skirt will ever get...or is that just saying something about my ironing skills?
8. Sew 1 or 2 rows of gathering stitch (longest stitch on machine) around the top of embroidered fabric.
9. Attach right sides of cheesecloth and embroidered fabric with pins at centre front, centre back and each side seam.
10. Pull up gathering thread until embroidered fabric matches cheesecloth.
11. Pin seam in place then machine sew.
12. Pull out any visible gathering threads. Overlock seam.
13. Pin lining to the inside of skirt at the top (right side of lining to wrong side of skirt).
14. Fold top down (keeping both layers together) 1.5cm, then 3.5cm, pin then sew casing close to folded edge, keeping a 2.5cm opening at the back seam to insert elastic.
15. Measure waist and cut elastic to 8 - 10 per cent shorter.
16. Thread elastic through casing, overlap edges and machine stitch together.
17. Sew up opening in casing.
18. Hem skirt to desired length.
19. Hem lining a few centimetres shorter.