The 4th of July is coming right up and today I have a FREE skort pattern to share with you!
Get ready to celebrate America’s birthday in style!
And since little ones should be free to run, play, cartwheel and generally be un-ladylike we’ve got you covered…
And don’t worry this is a quick and easy project! While it may look time-intensive the secret is all in the fabric 🙂 I used a holiday banner panel to get a fun pieced looked without all the work. But you don’t have to let anyone know your little secret…
And while we’re talking about secrets I’ll let you in on one more 🙂 The Ribbon Retreat now carries korker ribbons! Yup…that’s right! All curled up, bundled into darling color combinations and ready to go. I used one pack of red, white, and blue and it was the perfect amount of ribbon to make 2 BIG bows! I cut each strand into five 3″ chunks and then used this tutorial to assemble them.
Let’s make a skort! All of my supplies were generously provided by The Ribbon Retreat
FREE Skort Pattern Step 1: Grab your Supplies. The secret to this super easy skort is in the fabric. You only need half so if you have 2 little girls to sew for you’ll be all set with just one panel 🙂 Or if you like extra full skirts you could use the entire panel. You can use any fabric you like the panel gives it a fun pieced look. If you’re using another print you’ll need 1/3 yard. The shorts and waistband can be made from a knit or woven. A 1/2 yard cut will be plenty.
FREE Skort Pattern Step 2: Download Your Free Pattern for Newsletter of Facebook Group Subscribers
The pattern is free when you Subscribe to our Newsletter or join our Facebook Group! . (Pattern Coupon Code is found in New Subscriber E-mail and/or first post in Facebook Group). The pattern is available for sizes 2t-4t as that’s what works best with the fabric panel. If you are using knit for the shorts you may want to go down one size for the shorts for a bit slimmer fit. The pattern will print out on 3 pages. Tape it together along the dashed lines as shown in the diagram. Cut out 1 left and 1 right shorts piece. If you just want to make a skirt you can just leave the shorts portion out. On your pattern piece you’ll also find the dimensions for the skirt and waistband and a recommended elastic length. Use a 1/2″ seam allowance unless otherwise noted.
FREE Skort Pattern Step 3: Let’s start with the shorts. With right sides together (RST) sew the left and right leg together along the front and back rise. Make sure you leave the inseam open.
FREE Skort Pattern Step 4: With RST sew the front and back together along the inseam.
FREE Skort Pattern Step 5: Fold the bottom edge of the shorts up 1/2″ and hem. If you are using knits you’ll want to hem with a zig-zag stitch or double needle so the seams will have some stretch. If you are using a woven you’ll want to finish the top edge by turning it under 1/4″ or finishing with a serger so it doesn’t fray.
FREE Skort Pattern Step 6: With RST sew the short ends of the waistband together.
FREE Skort Pattern Step 7: With RST sew the skirt piece together along the selvage edges. I ended up using a 3/4″ seam allowance for this step which resulted in the print lining up perfectly in back so pay attention to your dots and adjust your seam allowance accordingly 🙂 Press this seam open. 
FREE Skort Pattern Step 8: Fold the bottom edge up 1/4″ and then another 1/2″ towards the wrong side and press flat. Topstitch in place to hem. I used the edge with the blue dots as my hem. 
FREE Skort Pattern Step 9: Gather the top edge of the skirt to match the width of the waistband. 
FREE Skort Pattern Step 10: Slide the shorts inside the skirt and baste the top edges together. Make sure the center back seam (the side with the higher rise) of the shorts is aligned with your skirt seam. 
FREE Skort Pattern Step 11: With RST slide the waistband over the skort. Line up the waistband seam with the skirt seam and sew together. 
FREE Skort Pattern Step 12: Bring the waistband up and then back down inside the skort so it’s covering the seam allowance. Tuck the raw edge in 1/4″ and topstitch in place along the bottom edge leaving a 1″ gap in back for the elastic. 
FREE Skort Pattern Step 13: Thread your elastic (I used 1″ no-roll) through the casing. Overlap the ends 1/2″ and sew together. 
FREE Skort Pattern Step 14: Topstitch the gap in the waistband shut. This is a good time to tuck in a tag or loop of ribbon to help your little one know which side is the back 🙂
FREE Skort Pattern Step 15: Admire your new skort!!
Happy 4th of July!!
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6 Responses
adorable, can we make them in big girl sizes?? like adults??
The Skyline Skort is similar: http://www.peekaboopatternshop.com/skyline-skort/
Your daughter is so cute–she reminds me so much of my sister at that age. 🙂 Thank you for this great pattern. I definitely want to make some of these play-friendly skirts for my granddaughters.
Amy, this is such a cute pattern. I have a question. My granddaughter’s waist is 20.5 inches. She is wearing 3T store bought clothes comfortably. It says to cut the waistband to 24.5 and it will sew then at 23.5 utilizing the half inch seam. So it seams a little big, but then it says to cut the elastic at 19.5 which results in 18.5 when sewn, which is too little. I know she has to pull it over her bottom, which is bigger than her waist, hence the 23.5 size for the waistband makes sense. So does the size for the elastic work for a 3T?
I don’t know when a reply will come, and am sewing this week, so I am going to cut and sew for the 3T size, and use elastic to the come to her waist size at 20.5 when finished, because the 19 will be potentially uncomfortable.
Thank you for the pattern, I know little Zoe will love it in red/white/blue.
You generally want elastic to be a bit smaller than the child’s waist. If it’s the same size it will slip down. I always cut my elastic to 1″ smaller than my daughter’s waist and she’s never found it uncomfortable. The waistband will gather up some once the elastic is in it. It’s cut to match the width of the top of the shorts which have enough ease in them for the bottom.
Love all of your patterns and can’t wait to try this one! Thanks for the freebie!