How to Make a Skirt Out of Fabric Strips

Making a skirt out of fabric strips is easy and fun, but may be a little time consuming. A skirt made out of strips can be used for an earthy look or even as part of a homemade costume. Costumes that use skirts made out of strips of fabric could include a witch, gypsy, pirate or even a ghost. Your skirt can be long or short depending on the style you desire. Strips should be about one and a half to three inches in width. The narrower the strips, the more you will need to make your skirt. How many strips of material you need also depends on the size of skirt. For example, for a skirt with a 26-inch waist, you will need about 20 strips per layer with a minimum of three layers of thickness.

You will need approximately 60 strips of fabric, enough to make a skirt in your desired width and length (more for sizes larger than 26 inch waist), a two-inch wide size; one 2-inch-wide strip of material one inch longer than the length of the waist of the finished skirt, straight pins, needle and thread, and a length of elastic to fit. You may want a pair of shorts or another skirt to wear underneath the strip skirt if there are not enough layers of thickness to prevent undergarments from showing through, straight pins, needle, thread and elastic to fit.

Place the strip of material to be used as the waistband on a large, flat work surface. Place the short side of some strips along the waistband next to each other until the waistband is covered. The strips will lie next to each other lengthwise.

For the next layer, or thickness, of strips, place the strips in the same manner as the first layer overlapping the gaps in the first layer of strips. You will place each strip over the small gap between two strips of the preceding layer.

For the third layer, place the strips overlapping the gaps from the second layer of strips. Keep making layers in this manner until you have as many layers of thickness as desired.

Pin the layers to the waistband with the straight pins, being careful to go through all the layers of thickness. You want to be sure all of the strips are attached to the waistband prior to sewing.

Sew the strips onto the waistband about a half-inch down from the top of the strips and the waistband. Then sew the layers one more time across the top of the strips of material and waistband. This is to be sure all layers and strips are secured to the waistband. Your skirt should be about two inches longer than necessary.

Fold over the waistband one inch to the inside of the garment and sew along the edge. Run the elastic through this casing and sew elastic to each end. On the inside of the strip skirt, place one side of the waistband a half inch over the other side and sew the skirt closed.

Tips

If there are enough layers, you may not need to wear shorts or another skirt underneath. You can add more layers of thickness if desired, sewing as instructed. You can use strips of material cut from old clothing if desired. You may also just use one layer of strips for your strip skirt by sewing the strips together lengthwise once the skirt is completed.