DIY Fat Quarter Skirt for Little Girls
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Learn how to make a DIY fat quarter skirt for little girls. It’s fast, easy, it’s a great scrap fabric project, and would make an adorable gift!
My daughter is getting interested in skirts so I decided to make some simple ones with fat quarters. I wanted to use a small amount of fabric, and I wanted the baby sewing project to be fast!
These fat quarter skirts are so fast! They would be fun and easy to make as a baby gift. They are also fantastic scrap fabric projects, since these use just a fat quarter of fabric! These work great for babies and toddlers, but wouldn’t work well for anyone older since they are shorter.
I made these skirts for my both of my daughters when they were toddlers. They got into a phase where they wanted to wear skirts all the time, so I made a bunch of these to please them. They love wearing them and spinning in them!
What is a fat quarter?
A fat quarter is a quarter of fabric, but instead of cutting in straight across the yardage which would be 9 inches tall by 42 inches wide, it’s cut from one side creating a rectangle that is 18 inches tall and 21 inches wide.
It gives you a little more freedom in what you can create since it’s taller than a regular quarter of fabric.
What is quilting cotton fabric?
Quilting cotton is fabric made from 100% cotton. It is a plain weave which is the simplest way to weave fabric. Quilting cotton is a medium weight fabric depending on the manufacturer, and it has a lot body.
It tends to hold it’s shape even after being washed. Some fabric companies have started to make lighter weight quilting cottons so that they can be made into clothing.
Quilting cotton is used to make quilts and other home sewing projects and can come in almost any print imaginable. The fabric is printed after being woven which means there’s a chance that the print can be off-grain.
When I made this skirt in the past, I’ve attached a diaper cover and little shorts to the inside of the skirt. It’s a great way for busy little girls so they don’t have to wear a separate garment.
Do you love to sew? Try one of these fun sewing projects:
- Free skirt patterns and tutorials
- fat quarter projects
- beginner sewing project
- Baby gifts to sew
- Sewing projects for kids
DIY Fat Quarter Skirt
Supplies
- One Fat Quarter
- 1/4 inch elastic – here are some ideas for finding elastic to reuse
- Sewing tools
- Sewing machine
Cut any white selvedges off of the fat quarter.
Cut the fat quarter in half crosswise.
With right sides together sew each piece together on the short sides. Backstitch when you start and when you stop. Finish edges with a zigzag or a serger.
Fold up the hem 1/4 inch twice and press. Then hem 1/4 inch from the fold.
Finish the raw edge of the top of the skirt.
Fold the edge down 1/2 inch and press.
Sew a 3/8 inch casing around the top of the skirt. Leave a 2 inch hole.
Insert elastic.
Overlap elastic 1/2 inch and zigzag to secure. Pull elastic into the casing.
Sew the hole closed.
If you make something using this sewing project, I’d love to see! Please share it on social media with the hashtag #heatherhandmade and tag me!
I believe small sewing moments can create great joy. Find your own “right” way to sew. -Heather
Do you have the directions to add a little short underneath as shown in the picture? Thank you very much.
I made the shorts, then I made the fat quarter skirt. Before I did the waistband of the skirt, I did a tiny hem at the top then I gathered the top of the skirt. Then I sewed the gathered area onto the shorts just under the waistband of the shorts with a zigzag stitch. I stretched the knit fabric a little bit as I sewed.
I’m not sure how long my elastic needs to be for this project. Can you help? Her waist measurement is 20”. I haven’t made anything other than masks, so I appreciate this project so much! Hoping to make a skirt and face mask to match!
I would make the elastic 18 inches long (2 inches smaller is a good guideline) but there’s a chance it would need to be even smaller than 18 inches depending on the elastic.
What do you mean cut the fat quarter crosswise? A fat quarter is 22×18 so are you cutting the 22 inches in half or the 18?
Cut the fat quarter in half across so that each piece is 9 inches tall