Though I love creative and complex sewing projects for the flexibility they give me to try out new ideas, sometimes I just want to make something quick. Well this project is the definition of quick. Aside from the washing and drying of the fabric, this tutorial should take you approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Clothing Details: Maxi Skirt – Made by me || Crop Top – H&M || Sandals – Target (similar, similar)

One of the best inventions ever for people who love maxi skirts (like me!) is this magical thing called shirred fabric. It has pre-sewn seams in it that create a stretchy top section that can be used as elastic. With this fabric, you end up with the perfect set up for a 1 seam dress or a 2 seam skirt.

I bought this shirred black fabric at Joann’s on sale for only $15 a yard and created this effortless black maxi by cutting some of the shirring off the top, sewing down the seam, and then flipping the fabric inside out and sewing along the long edge. I am 5′ 9″ and this fabric was just the right length for me for a maxi, but you may also need to hem the bottom to get the right length.

Maxi’s are the perfect item of clothing to transform. They can be worn all summer long from the beach with a swim suit and a cute hat, to church with heels and a blouse. Now that it is cooling off (a breezy 80 degrees in Houston) I am thinking about pairing it with booties and a scarf. This crop top from H&M works perfectly with my skirt, and I like the tribal print for Fall! This skirt is also essentially a blanket that is acceptable to wear in public. What more convincing do you need?

 

The World’s Easiest DIY Maxi Skirt Tutorial

Supplies:

1 yard of Shirred fabric
Thread to match fabric
Sewing machine
Pins
Scissors
Measuring tape

1.  Take your shirred fabric and cut about 1/3 of the shirred portion off.

2. Flip the top of the shirred section down 1/2″ toward the wrong side of the fabric and pin and sew.

3. Fold the fabric in half length wise with the wrong side facing out. Measure your waist and subtract 2″. Divide this number in half and pin the top of the fabric at this size (shirred side). Gradually place pins down the length of the skirt moving outward until you reach 1/4″ from the edge of the fabric and pin straight all the way down. This gives you a fitted section around the waist and a billowing skirt for easy movement.

4. Sew along the line of pins using a straight stitch. To help with fraying, add a zig-zag stitch along the outer side of the straight seam. Cut the excess fabric away from the seam.

5. Try on the skirt and if it is too long, hem the bottom to your desired length.