How to Sew a Maternity Skirt

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parts

1Making the Waistband

2Making the Skirt Body

3Assembling the Skirt

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Tips and Warnings

Things You'll Need

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References

Maternity is a time of change, not just for your body, but for your wardrobe as well! Rather than heading out and buying new clothing to fit your changing figure, consider making your own. Sewing your own maternity clothes is quick and simple, and you can even use existing garments as a base. One of the easiest things to start with is the skirt!

Steps

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making the Waistband

1. 
   1
   Drape a fitted T-shirt upside-down across your belly. Get a T-shirt that's small enough to fit snugly over your belly. Place the bottom hem against the top edge of your belly, just below your ribcage, then pull the rest of the shirt down across your baby bump, making sure that everything is smooth. Note where the bottom of your baby bump is, then mark it on the shirt.

   • Use a tailor’s chalk for dark fabrics, and a tailor’s pen for light fabrics.
   • Alternatively, you can get a belly band, and use that instead. Click here to continue.
2. 
   2
   Cut the shirt in half 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the mark. Spread the shirt out on a flat surface with the bottom hem facing you. Using the mark that you made as a guide, draw a horizontal line across the shirt. Cut across the shirt, 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the line.

   • The 1 inch (2.5 cm) is your seam allowance.
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3. 
   3
   Hem the cut edge of the shirt by ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm), leaving a small gap. Turn the shirt inside-out and fold the top edge down by about ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm). Sew the hem down as close as possible to the cut edge of the hem using a zigzag stitch. Leave a small gap between your first and last stitches so that you can insert the elastic.

   • The gap doesn't have to be big; about 2 inches (5.1 cm) will do.
   • Backstitch when you start and finish sewing. This is where you reverse the sewing machine for a couple of stitches.
4. 
   4
   Measure your waist, then cut a piece of ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) elastic. Wrap a measuring tape around your waist, just below your baby bump. Note the measurement, then cut a piece of ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) wide elastic accordingly. Don't worry if the elastic looks like it's too long; you'll be overlapping the ends to make it smaller.

   • You can use a wider piece of elastic if you want to, as long as it can fit into the hem you just made.
   • Make sure that the elastic is stretchy enough to pull over your baby bump.
5. 
   5
   Use a safety pin to pull the elastic through the hem. Secure 1 end of the elastic to 1 edge of the gap with a safety pin first. This will keep it in place. Next, secure another safety pin to the other end of the elastic, then use that to pull the elastic through the hem.

   • You don't have to use the first safety pin, but it will help keep the elastic from escaping through the hem.
6. 
   6
   Overlap the ends of the elastic by 1 inch (2.5 cm), then sew across them. Scrunch the fabric along the elastic first so that the ends aren't too close to the gap. Remove the safety pins, then overlap the ends of the elastic by 1 inch (2.5 cm) sew across them 3 to 4 times using a zigzag stitch. Tuck the elastic into the gap when you're done.

   • For a nicer finish, sew across the gap so that it matches up with the rest of the stitching.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making the Skirt Body

1. 
   1
   Double the width of your shirt, then add ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm). Take the cut edge of your shirt, and pull it apart. Measure across the stretched edge, then double it. Add ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) to the measurement for the seam allowance.

   • This will give you the width of the skirt material, including seam allowances.
   • Alternatively, you can get an elastic-waistband skirt that's big enough to pull over your hips. Cut the elastic waistband off, then click here to continue.
2. 
   2
   Decide on the length of your skirt, then add 2 ¹⁄₂ inches (6.4 cm). Begin measuring from just below your baby bump, and finish measuring wherever you want the skirt to land. Add 2 ¹⁄₂ inches (6.4 cm) to your measurement for the hem.

   • This will give you the length of the skirt material, including seam allowances.
3. 
   3
   Cut a rectangle based on your measurements. Woven cotton or knit jersey (T-shirt) material are great options for this. You can match the color to the waistband that you made, or you can use a different color. You can even choose a pretty pattern!

   • You do not need to add seam allowances since your measurements already included them.
   • If you are using knit jersey, make sure that the grain goes along the length of the skirt, from top to bottom.
   • Save time by folding the fabric in half lengthwise. Divide your width measurement in half when cutting the top and bottom edges of the skirt.
4. 
   4
   Fold the fabric in half with the right sides facing in. Which way you fold the rectangle depends on the length. You are sewing the side seam here. For example, if you're making a maxi-skirt, then you'll fold the long edges together. If you're sewing a shorter skirt, then you'll fold the short edges together..

   • Secure the side edge with sewing pins, if desired.
5. 
   5
   Sew the short edge using a ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) seam allowance. Use a straight stitch for woven fabrics, like cotton, and a zigzag stitch for knit materials, like jersey. Backstitch when you start and finish sewing, and remember to remove the pins if you added them in.

   • If you made the skirt from woven fabric, like cotton or linen, then you'll want to go over the raw edge with a serger or a zigzag stitch. This will prevent fraying.
   • If you made the skirt from knit fabric, like jersey, then you don't need to finish it with a serger or zigzag stitch since it doesn't fray.
6. 
   6
   Fold and press the hem twice by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Keeping the skirt inside-out, fold the bottom edge of the skirt up by 1 inch (2.5 cm). Press it with an iron using the appropriate heat setting for the type of fabric that you are sewing with. Next, fold the hem up by another 1 inch (2.5 cm) and press it again.

   • You can use pins as you are ironing the fabric, but you should take them out once you are done.
   • The heat settings on irons are usually labeled for the type of fabric they're meant for, like cotton, linen, wool, etc.
   • If your iron doesn't have fiber labels, use a hot setting for cotton and linen, and a cool or medium setting for wool and synthetics.
7. 
   7
   Sew along the hem as close as possible to the inside folded edge. Use a straight stitch for woven material and a zigzag stitch for knit material. Match the thread color as close as possible to the fabric.

   • Start and finish sewing at the seam, and remember to backstitch so that your thread doesn't unravel.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Assembling the Skirt

1. 
   1
   Turn the skirt right-side-out and the waistband inside-out. At this point, you can press the seams on the skirt and the waistband for a nicer finish, but you don’t absolutely have to do this.
2. 
   2
   Slip the waistband over the top edge of the skirt. Make sure that the bottom edge of the waistband (the edge without the elastic) is aligned with the top edge of the skirt. Secure the 2 pieces with sewing pins.

   • Place the waistband’s side seam in the back of the skirt. This will give you a nicer finish.
3. 
   3
   Sew the belly band to the skirt using the shirt’s bottom hem as a guide. Most T-shirts will have a ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) bottom hem. Since this is the edge that you are sewing to the skirt, you’ll have to ensure that it doesn’t show. Use the shirt’s bottom hem as a guide for your seam allowance. Be sure to remove any pins as you sew.

   • If you used a belly band, then just use a ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) seam allowance.
   • It would be best to use a zigzag stitch for this, but if you can still pull the skirt on and off easily, then you can use a basic straight stitch instead.
   • Backstitch when you begin and finish sewing so that your stitching doesn't unravel.
4. 
   4
   Pull the waistband up and press the seam down. If you want to, use sewing pins to keep the seam down as you press it with an iron. Remember to take the pins out once you are done, however. For an even nicer finish, you could topstitch the seam down.

   • Topstitch the seam using a straight stitch and a matching thread color. Sew about ¹⁄₈ inch (0.32 cm) away from the seam.
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Tips

• Be sure to wash, dry, and iron all of your fabric beforehand to prevent shrinking later on.
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• If you can't find thread that matches the color of your fabric, consider using a contrasting or coordinating color instead. It will make a nice design!
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• Match the waistband to the color of your skirt fabric, or use a contrasting color instead.
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Things You'll Need

• Fitted T-shirt or belly band
• Cotton fabric
• Measuring tape
• Tailor's chalk or pen
• Fabric scissors
• Sewing pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Safety pins
• ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) elastic