five minute skirt

With the heavy overnight rain I woke up on Saturday to find my laundry soaking on the line and no clothes for the children to wear. While I could have shoved it in the tumble dryer I decided that fate was telling me to get on with some sewing. I've had this strip of retro looking Liberty Tana Lawn lying around for a couple of months and I knew it would make a really useful skirt for our little girl who has clothes in every shade of blue (although pink is one of my favourite colours I never dress my girls in it).

Ok it's never going to win any couture awards but it was easier than taking the washing off the line, into the tumble dryer, waiting an hour, possibly ironing something.....

The fabric was 140 cm by 50 cm and this was fine for a skirt for a 6 year old and literally in just over 5 mins I did as follows:

Fold over the top (long) edge about 1 1/2 inches and sew along it to create a waist band.

Then fold the fabric in half length ways and sew a seam along the edges, from top to bottom, leaving the very top unstiched to allow you to thread elastic through the waist band (attach elastic to a safety pin and work it through).

Tie a knot in the elastic when you've worked out how much you need and sew shut the waist band.

Measure and sew the hem.


To make it into something a little bit special I made a little brooch to match. Using contrasting Tana Lawn I made some suffolk puffs and added beads to a thread and hey presto; one happy little girl!