Every July the ladies behind Simple Simon & Company and Project Run & Play host an event called Skirting the Issue. Skirting the Issue is a month long event where you are invited to sew along by making skirts (and quilts and pillowcases) to donate to local Foster Care centers for the girls (and boys) to receive. Ready all about it HERE.
For a little skirt inspiration, we've blended two Modkid patterns into the perfect playground skort! You can think of it as the Perfect Leggings with the addition of a yoga skirt. Or, think of it as the FREE Yoga Skirt with the addition of shorts underneath. Either way it's a win!
You will need knit fabric, the Perfect Leggings pattern and the Free Yoga Skirt tutorial. First, cut the perfect leggings pattern in your desired size. Hold off cutting the skirt pieces until the shorts are assembled. Note: All seam allowances are 1/2" unless noted otherwise.
Assemble the shorts per the pattern instructions until step 4. Basically you will stop when it is time to sew the waistband elastic. I chose to wait to hem the legs until I was ready to hem the skirt, so I would only switch to my twin needle once.
I found the yoga skirt waistband to be a bit tight with this fabric, I recommend measuring the waist of the shorts you just assembled. Use that measurement for the width of the waistband. You do not need to account for a seam allowance, since you want the band to be a bit tighter than the shorts. Use the same height for the waistband, 15", as the tutorial indicates. Also, cut the band in one rectangle so all of our seams with be at the center back. For my skirt, the shorts waist measured 20", so I cut a waistband rectangle 20" wide (direction of stretch) and 15" tall. Sew the rectangle right sides together along the 15" side forming a circle. Fold this tube in half wrong sides together to create the waistband with a finished folded edge and two raw edges. Now is a good time to test the fit on the intended wearer. You want the waistband to fit snugly to hold up the skirt!
Determine the length of the skirt using the same method as the yoga skirt tutorial just be sure the finished length will be longer than the shorts. Cut the skirt that length for the full width of the fabric. Again, keeping it one piece, so the seam will be at the center back. Fold the rectangle in half right sides together and stitch the short ends together forming a circle of fabric.
Insert the shorts inside the skirt aligning the top edges and the back center seams with the right side of the shorts facing the wrong side of the skirt. Baste the skirt to the shorts.
Lay your waistband over the right side of the yoga skirt’s top gathered edge aligning back center seam and keeping raw edges even. The shorts will be on the inside. Pin in place all around, adjusting the skirt’s gathered edge to fit. Stitch with a stretch stitch. You will be stitching through the shorts, gathered skirt, and two layers of the waistband.
Turn the waist band right side out and fold the yoga waistband down.
That's it!! Perfect for twirling, swinging, and hanging on the monkey bars! Don't just limit yourself to shorts here either. Skirted leggings would be equally cute!
