• Tutorials
  • Ikea Hacks
  • Free Printables
  • Holiday
  • Handmade Gifts
  • Etsy Business

EverythingEtsy.com

Etsy Blog | Selling on Etsy | Etsy Banners | Giveaways & Creative Stuff

You are here: Home / Tutorials / Easy Peasy Skirt with Pockets {Sewing Tutorial}

Easy Peasy Skirt with Pockets {Sewing Tutorial}

By Kim Layton 17 Comments

EPSwP

Hi, I’m Vanessa from Punkin Patterns.  I’m excited to be back here today on Everything Etsy to share with you this great tutorial.
Spring is upon us and it’s time to make some skirts!

Skirts can be an easy addition to your wardrobe and easy on the wallet too — especially if YOU make it.  These skirts have great, deep pockets.  So useful and practical.  Every skirt should have pockets!

The Easy Peasy Skirt with Pockets is simple enough for even the beginner sewer and a quick sew for a seasoned pro.  The skirt I’ll be showing you how to make has a stripe at the bottom.  For more variations on the Easy Peasy Skirt visit my blog.

DSC08051m

The first thing you’ll need is to measure your waist (we’ll call this W) and distance from your waist to where you want the skirt to fall (we’ll call this L).  I wanted my skirt length to stop just below my knees so for me that was 20″.

So let’s determine the width of your skirt.  If you want a full skirt you’ll need two pieces that are W x 2.  For a less full skirt do W x 1.5.  I made a full skirt.  Once you’ve determined the width of your two fabric pieces let’s determine the length you’ll need to cut.

If you’re making a skirt out of a solid piece of fabric, you’ll just take your desired length measurement add 1/2″ for the bottom seam and 2.5″ for the elastic casing.  This casing size is enough room for a 1.5″ wide elastic.  If using a 1″ wide elastic, you’d only have to add 2″, and so on.

Because we’re adding pockets, we’ll be using two panels (a front piece and a back piece) to assemble our skirt.  It is also useful to assemble it in two pieces if we’re making a skirt for someone other than a small child.

So our final dimensions for our two panels (for a full skirt) are:
Width = W ( + 1″)
Length = L + 3″

We add the one inch to the waist (W) measurement for seam allowances.

If you’re making a less full skirt, the width of each of your two panels would be:
Width = (W x 0.75) + 1″

If you want to add a 4″ stripe at the bottom, you’ll need to change your length measurement.  So for the main fabric length we take off the stripe length and add still add our 2.5″ for the casing and 1/2″ for a seam allowance.  To the stripe length, we add 1/2″ seam allowance (to sew it to the top piece) AND 1/2″ for hemming at the bottom.

Main Fabric Length = (L – 4″) + 3″
Stripe Fabric Length = 4″ + 1″ = 5″

So there you go::  You’ll need to cut two pieces of each the Main Fabric and Stripe Fabric.

Main::  Width = W + 1″
Length = (L – 4″) +3″
Stripe:: Width = W + 1″
Length = 5″

Now that you’ve got that cut out, you can cut out your pockets.  Use the pocket template found here.  Cut out the two pieces and tape them together overlapping the shaded portions.  Cut out two pockets on the folded fabric (so you end up with four pieces).
For your elastic piece, I like it a few inches shorter than the waist measurement.  You can simply put the elastic around your waist and see what feels right.  Allow for an inch of overlap on each end.
Now we can start sewing!

Lay down your main fabric top piece.  Pin a pocket piece 5″ down from the top, right sides together (as shown).  Sew in place with 1/2″ seam allowance.  Zig-zag the edge next to the seam you just made.   Repeat on the other side of the front panel.  Then repeat for the back piece.

DSC08066m

Iron the pocket flat.  Now all right sides are facing up.

DSC08060m

Pin the bottom stripe to the bottom of the main piece, right sides together.  Sew with a 1/2″ seam allowance and then zig-zag or serge the raw edge.

DSC08069m

Fold the finished edge toward the bottom stripe and iron flat.

DSC08081m

Top stitch this down to keep it flat.

DSC08110m

Place the bottom and top pieces together, right sides together.  Pin the sides together, going around the edges of the pocket too.  Sew down the side of the skirt, going around the pocket outer edge and continue to the bottom.  Finish the raw edge with a zig-zag or use a serger.  Repeat on the other side.

DSC08134m

 
 

Hemming the bottom edge by folding the raw edge at the bottom of the skirt up 1/4″.  Press.  Fold up an additional 1/4″ and press.  Pin in place and sew in place with a seam close to the upper edge of the fold.

DSC08139m

Now let’s finish the top.  To make the casing for your elastic, fold down the top edge 2.5″ and iron in place.  Fold the raw edge under 1/2″ and iron.  Pin in place.

DSC08148m

Sew around 1/4″ from the bottom of the folded edge leaving an opening of about 3 or 4 inches unstitched.  Place a safety pin at one end of the elastic and start feeding it through the hole you left in the casing.  Place a safety pin at one end of the elastic and start feeding it through the hole you left in the casing.

DSC08153m

When you’ve gotten the elastic all the way through the casing, pin the two ends of the elastic together with a 1″ overlap and sew in place.

DSC08155m

Tuck the elastic into the casing and sew up the opening.  And you’re done!

DSC08165m

There you have it…an Easy Peasy Skirt with Pockets by Vanessa from Punkin Patterns!  Thanks for sharing your awesome tutorial with us!

Are you getting ready for warm sunny days by sewing up a little something sweet? I’d love to hear about it!

~Kim

Love Sewing Tutorials???  Check out this list of 101 Simple Sewing Tutorials for Summer!  There are bunches of easy peasy pretties  on there! 🙂

If it’s still snowing where you live this one is for you… 101 Sewing Tutorials for Winter!

Related posts:

  1. Flower Lavender Sachet Tutorial {Sewn By Hand}
  2. 5 DIY Pocket Handwarmers {Sewing Tutorials}
  3. 12 Sewing Patterns for Boys {Free Designs}
  4. 12 Summer Dress Sewing Patterns

Filed Under: Tutorials Tagged With: sewing tutorials

Comments

  1. Carly says

    March 20, 2012 at 12:47 pm

    Cute! I have some perfect fabric for this! Thanks for the tutorial!

    Reply
  2. Beth says

    March 20, 2012 at 3:08 pm

    This is so cute! Thanks for the tutorial!

    Reply
  3. Sue Plymon says

    March 20, 2012 at 9:23 pm

    This is so adorable and easily done. I love the colors you have. So neat.
    Also, I was wondering where did you get those adorable button pins…….I love them.

    Reply
  4. Wendy says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:16 am

    Hi, my name is Wendy, and I don’t know how to sew. Phew! So glad to get that off my chest! But I have dreams of learning to sew and I think this project would be a blast! But I don’t understand the width thing. Is each of the two panels supposed to be twice the waist measurement? So the overall width would be four times the waist size? Any help you can give me here would be greatly appreciated!

    Reply
  5. brookeO says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:31 am

    Perfect for spring! I’m getting ready to sit down at my sewing machine and this will be a great project!

    Reply
  6. sally o says

    April 22, 2012 at 2:55 pm

    I’m just a beginner sewer but I’m working on this skirt this weekend. It’s so easy! Going to make my stepdaughter a matching one, also.

    Reply
  7. Anne says

    October 5, 2012 at 3:23 pm

    Made it in 45 minutes for my two year old. Easy and cute. I botched the pockets a bit because I did not look at the design of yours enough. They still work but are not as deep. Thanks foe the pattern

    Reply
  8. Ellie says

    February 10, 2013 at 4:41 pm

    Where did you get that kind of ruler (with the moveable middle piece to help with casing measurements)? or what is that called?

    thanks

    Reply
  9. Mary Ann says

    April 16, 2013 at 12:56 am

    The ruler is a slide(?) ruler. it will be near the tape measures and pins in the fabric store.

    I LOVE this! thank you for putting this together as this is EXACTLY what I want for my summer wardrobe!! I have a 15 mo old daughter who LOVES going to the park and I HATE shorts because they don’t fit me right. I just made one for knee length and can not wait to go to the store tomorrow for more fabric!!

    THANK YOU!!!!

    Reply
  10. Slauditory says

    September 16, 2013 at 11:54 am

    Hi! I just started learning how to sew about a month or two ago. I just made this skirt–it took two evenings. I’m getting lots of compliments on it! Thank you for making such an easy-to-understand-and-execute tutorial available!

    Reply
  11. Linda says

    April 14, 2014 at 10:07 am

    I made this to match a dress I made for my granddaughter and her American Girl doll. Since the picture looked full I made the width narrower like she did. BE CAREFUL! If you have a “tummy or hips” you will make a big mistake. I cannot wear this because it turned out like a straight skirt. And the pockets stick out because it is too tight. It is fast to make and I have more material to make another but I will make it wider than what she did in her pattern. I’m not a huge woman just have the “baby and age” tummy. Just disappointed about the skirt. Our granddaughter lives 12 hours away by car and we are visiting in three weeks.

    Reply
    • Linda says

      April 24, 2014 at 1:21 pm

      Well I made another and it turned out perfect! Not sure what I did wrong last time but this one is perfect. I might try making the next one less full

      I made it in 2 1/2 hours. Yeah!

      Reply
      • Kim Layton says

        May 13, 2014 at 10:33 am

        Awesome…thanks for stopping back by and letting me know!

        ~Kim

        Reply
  12. Sandra Gordon says

    August 22, 2014 at 2:57 pm

    I need some help to make sure I cut this skirt correctly. This is the first attempt at the skirt for an adult and I’m making it for my sister. HELP.

    Okay so her waist is about 32 inches and her length is about 17 inches – We are doing the two fabric pattern(with the stripe) Can you help me make sure my match is correct and I’m understanding everything correctly?

    So her width is 64 and her length is 17 right?

    I cut EACH panel –
    W+1 = 64 +1 which is 65
    L-4)+3 = 17-4=3) + 3 = 16

    so the width of each panel is 65 inches wide by 16 inches long ???? Right?

    The stripe is w + 1 = 65 plus L= 5 so the stripe will be 65 wide by 5in long right?

    Using 1/2 seem allowance this will give me a skirt that is 17 inches long when finished right?

    Please help me understand it.

    Reply
  13. Kim says

    April 7, 2017 at 3:22 pm

    Hi, I’m sort of a beginning sewer too, so maybe this is a dumb question — I think I understand how to get the measurements. But that didn’t help me know how much fabric to get, in yards, when I go to the fabric store….am I missing something easy? Thanks, Kim

    Reply
  14. golu dolls says

    August 15, 2018 at 9:01 am

    looking good

    Reply
  15. kanchipuram sarees says

    August 15, 2018 at 9:01 am

    nice post

    Reply
Previous Post Island Style Craft Studio – Palm Tree Princess
Next Post 6 Tips and Tools for Pinterest Lovers

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Never miss a post:

Enter your email address:

Sell doTERRAEssential Oils How to Start a Blog for Your Etsy Business

 


 

 

 


follow EverythingEtsy on Pinterest


Disclosure: Various posts and pages on this site include affiliate links. We could earn a referral fee if you make a purchase through those links. Your purchase won't cost you more because you followed our link and we only refer you to sources we can personally recommend.

RSS Now at HandmadeandCraft.com

  • 12 DIY Kitchen Ideas
  • 15 Easter Cupcake Recipes
  • Organize with a Chalkboard Wall Calendar!

RSS Now at KimberlyLayton.com

  • St. Patrick’s Day Crochet Shamrock Pattern & Video Tutorial
  • Printable Coloring Pages for St. Patrick’s Day
  • How to Get Your Business Featured on Blogs

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2025 EverythingEtsy.com · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy ·


The term "Etsy" is a registered trademark of Etsy, Inc. - This site is not affiliated w/ Etsy, Inc.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT