Make an Easy Modest Skirt

Whether you are an experienced seamstress or only a beginner, it's not hard to make a simple skirt. In our family, the females wear dresses or skirts in keeping with the Biblical instruction to be modest. We wear our skirts long and full, and they are not easy to find. So even though I had never really learned to sew, I soon learned how to make a simple skirt.

Measure from your waist to however long you want the hemline to be, and then add about two inches. You will need this length twice. I am not very tall, but I like my hemline to be at my ankles, which means my skirts are about 32 inches long. Adding two inches to make the waist and turn the hem, and I need 68 inches, or right at two yards of material. I fold the long length of material in half, and cut. I now have two pieces that are 34 inches long each. I sew the selvages or outer edges together on both sides. I run a zig zag stitch along the bottom edge so it won't unravel, then turn it under an inch and hem.
Next, I measure my waist. Then I cut a piece of 3/4 inch wide elastic two inches smaller than my waist measurement. I turn the top edge of the skirt down an inch also, and sew it, leaving an open space to thread the elastic. Once that's done, I take a safety pin and fasten it to the end of the elastic, and thread it through the waistline I have just sewn. Don't forget to fasten the other end down with another safety pen, so it doesn't get lost in the waistline. Once it's worked all the way through, I sew the two ends of the elastic together, and then sew the opening closed. Now I work the gather so that it's evenly distributed around the elastic. There it is: a new skirt!!

This works well for children's skirts, too. Make them the same way. For a very small child, you would only use one length of material rather than two, just sew the edges together. But once the child is four or five, two lengths are good, because it gives them plenty of room to run and play. A skirt cut this wide does not come up as easily, and drapes the child's legs as they play for more modesty. All you need to go with it is a t-shirt or blouse, and maybe leggings from your local discount store for a nice, modest outfit for yourself or you daughter!