Sweeter Than Honey: Window Valance to Skirt Tutorial

This is by far the most simple skirt you will ever make. If you're new to sewing, looking to save time, or like being resourceful - this is the project for you. I made this skirt for our 3-year old daughter. I found this fun, summery valance with felted lemons at our local thrift shop for under a $1.

Materials needed:
Window valance
Elastic for waist (waist measurement plus 1 inch)
2 Safety Pins
Pins
Shears
Sewing machine and coordinating thread

1. Start by inserting a safety pin on one end of your elastic and secure to one opening of the valance. Insert another safety pin to the other end of your elastic. Do not secure this one to opening.

2. Pull the elastic all the way through, using the free safety pin to help push it along. You will see the fabric start to gather like this

3. Fold your fabric right sides together and use your safety pins to hold both ends of elastic together.

4. With right sides together and pinned, begin sewing your side shut from bottom of skirt to just below elastic opening. I sewed along the inner edge of the original hem like this

This is where I stopped, right below opening where elastic is

5. Now you're going to sew the ends of your elastic together. You can either overlap them by an inch and sew together, or you can do it this way

Sew down ends of elastic an inch from edge like this (I did a reverse stitch as well to secure it)

Fan out your ends, and sew them down like this

6. With fabric still right sides together, you're going to sew the elastic opening shut. Try to push the elastic from the edge as best you can, and sew the closing shut like this

If desired, serge or zig-zag stitch all the way down the side.

Flip your skirt right side out and now you have an adorable skirt! Easy peasy!

Here are more photos of the finished product. What I love most about this skirt is the fabric. It is 100% cotton, but its like a potato sack material. And the felted lemons are adorable!