It's Autumn by Rachel Measham-Pywell

It’s Autumn, A girls skirt with pockets and drawstring detail and matching Sweet Heart appliquéd top.  Designed by Rachel Measham-Pywell from Four Wise Monkeys.

 

It’s Autumn is a simple skirt made with a fine baby cord fabric for the cooler weather.  It is ideal to make with quilting cottons for the warmer months too. This skirt is made in a size four, but the pattern can easily be made larger or smaller by adding or subtracting a few centimetres.  Just right for a play in the park, feeding the ducks and tossing a few autumn leaves.  Of course it has plenty of twirl-ability too!

What you need

*A half inch seam allowances has been used unless otherwise stated.  Iron all your fabric before starting.

90 cm of main fabric – I have used a fine cord fabric - available from Quilt Fabric Delights

 130 cm of bias binding – for pockets and drawstring - available from Quilt Fabric Delights

Small amount of matching fabric for pocket lining

Elastic

2 matching buttons (optional)

Long sleeved tee

Scrap of fabric for the appliqué  

Scrap of interfacing – for buttonholes

Getting started

Print your pattern and cut out the two pocket pieces. 

From the main fabric

Cut 2 x 6” x 16” strips (waistband),  2 x 12.5 x 28” strips (skirt),  2 x Pocket Front (I fussy cut my pockets)

From the pocket lining fabric

Cut 2 x Pocket Lining 

From the bias binding

Cut 2 x 3.5” (top of pockets),  42” strip (drawstring)

From the interfacing

Cut 1” x 3.5” strip

 

 Step 1 – Waistband Construction

Take one of your 6” x 16” waistband strips.  Fold it in half, and mark the halfway point.  On the wrong side of the fabric, mark the central point 1.5” down. 

 

Centre your piece of interfacing on the wrong side of your fabric so it is 1.5” down from the top edge of the waistband and iron into place.

 

Using a fade away pen,  mark the centre of the intefacing.  Next mark two lines each 3/8  inch either side of the central point.  Each line should measuse ¾ inch in length. 

 

Using your sewing machine,   stitch a buttonhole over the marked line.  Open the buttonhole by carefully using a quick unpick.   The buttonholes will form part of the waistband and the drawstring will be threaded through.

Take the two waistband pieces and join together by sewing both of the short sides,  right sides together, forming a circle.  Press the seams open. Finish the seams with your perfered technique.  I have used pinking shears.

Step 2 – Pocket Construction

Take one of your pocket front pieces.  Using a long stitch on your sewing machine,  sew two rows of gathering stitches in the top ¼ inch of the top of the pocket. 

Tie off the threads on one end, then pull the bobbin threads to create gathers, until the top of the pocket measures 3.5” .  Arrange the gathers so most of the gathers are at the centre of the pocket.

 

Take one of the 3.5” pieces of bias binding and iron it open.  With right sides together,  sew it to the top of the pocket front.  Then sew a pocket lining to the remaining long edge of the bias binding.  Press the bias binding towards the pocket pieces. 

 

Fold the pocket in half with the right sides together.  Match the sides and pin.

Sew around your pocket edges using a ¼ inch seam, leaving a small gap, around 1.5 inches wide for turning in the side of the pocket.  Clip the corners and clip tiny cuts round the pocket curves without snipping the seam,  then  turn your pocket through the small gap. Use the end of a paint brush or a chop stick to push the corners out.  Tuck the fabric into the gap creating a smooth edge, and press your pocket with your iron.  Repeat for all both pockets. 

 

Step 3 – Attach the pockets

Take one of your pieces of fabric measureing  12.5” x 28” and fold in half.  Measure 5” across from the centre and 2.5” down.  At this point pin the corner of your pocket.  Ensureing that your pocket is straight,  pin into place. 

 

Repeat on the other half of the fabric with the second pocket. Sew the pockets to the fabric by stitching 1/8 inch around the sides and bottom, leaving the top of the pockets open and closing the turning gap as you sew.

Step 4 – Join the skirt

 

Take the two skirt pieces and join together by sewing both of the short sides,  right sides together, forming a circle.  Press the seams open. Finish the seams with your perfered technique.

Using a long stitch on your sewing machine, sew two rows of gathering stitches in the top ¼ inch of the top of the skirt.  

 

Measure the skirt circle and the waistband circle and mark each quarter with a pin.  Place the waistband over the skirt, right sides together,  with the buttonholes pointing down (see pic).  Match the quarter points and the seams and pin into place.  Tie together the ends of the gathering stitches together at one end.   Pull the untied bobbin threads to create a row of gathers around the skirt, until it reaches the same size at the waistband.  Tie off the end of your thread to secure the gathers.

 

Once the gathers are arranged around the skirt,  sew the waistband and skirt pieces together.  Neaten the edge of the seam by using a zig zag or overlocker stitch.   Press the finished seam upwards towards the top of the waistband. 

On the right side of the skirt,  top stitch 1/8 inch above the join on the waistband side of the fabric,  catching the seam that was pressed upwards on the underside as you sew.

Step 5 – Make the waistband

Turn the raw edge of the waistband over ½ inch and press.  Turn over another 1” and press.  Pin, then stitch the waistband along the bottom folded edge.  Your edge should finish just below the buttonholes and forms the casing.

 

Measure your child’s waist, and cut a piece of elastic that is slightly smaller than the child’s waist measurement.  Using a safety pin, thread the elastic through the buttonhole and around the casing and out again through the same buttonhole.  Overlap the elastic and sew to join the two ends.   Push the joined ends into place through the buttonhole.

 

Take your 42” piece of bias binding and make the drawstring by folding over the short ends and pin.  Fold the binding in half, enclosing the ends and stitch across the short ends and along the long side.  Using a safety pin, thread the drawstring through the buttonhole and around the casing.  Pull the drawstring through the other buttonhole.  Tie into a cute bow.

Step 6 – Finishing the skirt

Finish your Autumn skirt by turning the raw edge of the hem over ¼ inch them press.  Turn over another 1/2” and press.  Sew along the fold.   Add two cute buttons to the pockets and stitch into place.   You are done!

Sweet Heart Tee

The Sweet Heart Tee is made by appliquéing onto a store bought or ready made tee.

Trace the heart from the pattern onto visofix.  Following the manufactures directions fuse the vliesofix to the wrong side of the fabric.  I fussy cut my fabric so a dolly would be in the centre of the heart. Carefully cut around the heart.

       

Measure 4.5” down from the neck of the tee and centre the heart so it is placed using the pic as a guide. Following manufactures instructions, press into place.

Using a zig zag or buttonhole stitch on your sewing stitch carefully around the heart.  It is a good idea to practice on a scrap piece of fabric first.

 

You are finished!  A sweet little set to enjoy all the fun that Autumn brings!

Comments

[My 1st Bambina !]

This is tutorial is great !!! Thanks for sharing !!!
Definitely will try to make one for my little one ... hopefully by summer.

[KIm]

I am definately going to make one for my daughter. It's adorable. Thanks so much.

[becky]

Very cute - TFS. this will be a cute addition to my daughters school clothes

[Tanya]

Great tute! What size would you say the finished skirt is?