Stacy from Apple Tree Boutique and Patchyapple shows how to make an easy bubble skirt for girls. All it takes is two rectangles of knit fabric. This is a quick, easy sewing project great for beginners or anyone wanting to knock out some summer play skirts fast. Get the how-to.
[photo from Patchyapple]
Bubble skirts are back, and honestly, this may be one of the easiest ways to sew one.
This beginner-friendly bubble skirt tutorial uses just two rectangles of knit fabric. There is no paper pattern to print, no zipper to install and no fiddly traditional hem to press into submission. The folded fabric creates the soft puffed shape at the bottom, while the stretchy knit waistband keeps the skirt comfortable enough for everyday play.
It is the sort of quick sewing project that is perfect when you want to make something wearable without turning the entire dining table into a pattern-cutting station.
Stacy from Patchyapple originally shared this clever method after making two skirts in around 40 minutes. That is my kind of children’s sewing project: quick, practical and forgiving enough for beginners.
Why This Easy Bubble Skirt Works
The skirt is made from two separate fabric tubes:
- A smaller folded tube forms the stretchy waistband.
- A larger folded and gathered tube forms the bubble-shaped skirt.
Because both sections are folded with the raw edges together, the folded edge becomes the finished top or hem. This gives the skirt its rounded shape without requiring a separate lining or traditional hem.
The original version was sewn with cotton-Lycra knit fabric, which provides the stretch needed for the waistband and creates a soft, comfortable skirt.
Choose a knit with good recovery rather than one that stretches and stays stretched. Cotton jersey with Lycra or spandex is ideal. Before cutting into your favourite fabric, pull it gently and make sure it springs back into shape.
A rotary cutter, acrylic ruler and self-healing cutting mat make cutting knit rectangles much easier. Knit fabric has a habit of shifting around just when you think everything is lined up, usually while you are congratulating yourself on how smoothly the project is going.
Supplies
- Cotton-Lycra or stretch jersey knit fabric
- Coordinating polyester thread
- Sewing machine or serger
- Ballpoint or stretch sewing-machine needle
- Fabric scissors or rotary cutter
- Cutting mat and acrylic ruler
- Measuring tape
- Fabric clips or pins
- Optional gathering thread
You do not need elastic for this version because the stretchy folded waistband holds the skirt in place.
How to Measure the Skirt
The original tutorial used an 18 × 6-inch waistband rectangle for a child with a waist measurement of approximately 24½ inches. The knit waistband was intentionally cut smaller than the actual waist so it would stretch to fit.
Use those measurements only as a guide. The correct dimensions will depend on the child’s waist, the amount of stretch in your fabric and the finished skirt length you want.
Waistband Width
Measure around the child’s waist where the skirt will sit.
Test the stretch of your knit before cutting. As a starting point, cut the waistband rectangle approximately 75–85% of the waist measurement, plus seam allowance.
For example, for a 24-inch waist:
- At 80%, the finished waistband would measure approximately 19¼ inches.
- Add your chosen seam allowance before cutting.
The waistband rectangle will be folded in half lengthwise, so cut it twice the desired finished waistband height.
A 6-inch-high rectangle creates a waistband approximately 3 inches deep before seam allowances.
Skirt Width
The skirt section needs to be considerably wider than the waistband so it can be gathered into the full bubble shape.
The original project used the full width of the knit fabric. A width of approximately 1½ to 2 times the child’s waist is a practical starting point, although you can add more fabric for a fuller puffball shape.
Skirt Length
The skirt rectangle will also be folded in half, so cut it approximately twice the desired finished skirt length, allowing extra for the waist seam and the amount of bubbling you want.
For a finished skirt around 14 inches long, a rectangle approximately 28–30 inches deep would be a reasonable starting point.
It is always worth holding the folded fabric against the child before sewing. Children have a remarkable ability to grow between measuring and finishing the seam.
How to Sew the Bubble Skirt
1. Cut the Two Rectangles
Cut one smaller rectangle for the waistband and one much larger rectangle for the skirt.
Make sure the greatest amount of stretch runs around the body rather than vertically.
2. Sew the Waistband Into a Tube
With right sides together, bring the short ends of the waistband rectangle together.
Sew or serge the short ends to form a tube.
Fold the tube in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together and the raw edges aligned. The folded edge will become the top of the waistband.
3. Sew the Skirt Into a Tube
Place the skirt rectangle right sides together and sew the short ends together to form a large tube.
Fold this tube in half with the wrong sides together and the raw edges aligned.
The folded edge becomes the rounded bubble hem, so no separate hemming is required.
4. Gather the Skirt
Gather the aligned raw edges of the folded skirt tube until they are approximately the same circumference as the waistband.
You can sew two rows of long basting stitches and pull the bobbin threads to gather the fabric evenly.
The original tutorial used a serger to create the gathering. Either method works, provided the gathers are evenly distributed.
5. Quarter-Mark Both Pieces
Mark the waistband into four equal sections using clips or pins.
Do the same with the gathered skirt.
Quarter-marking prevents all the gathers from migrating to one side, which is one of those tiny sewing annoyances you usually discover after the seam has already been finished.
6. Join the Waistband and Skirt
Place the waistband around the gathered skirt with the raw edges aligned.
Match the side seam and quarter marks.
Pin or clip the layers together, distributing the gathers evenly between each mark.
Sew the skirt to the waistband using a stretch stitch, narrow zigzag stitch or serger. Stretch the waistband gently as you sew so it matches the gathered skirt edge, but do not stretch the skirt fabric itself.
7. Finish and Check the Fit
Turn the skirt right side out and check that the waistband seam is secure and the gathers are evenly distributed.
Because knit fabric does not usually fray, the construction is wonderfully simple. A serged seam gives the neatest finish, but a regular sewing machine with a stretch needle and zigzag stitch will work perfectly well.
Tips for Sewing Knit Fabric
If you are new to sewing with stretch fabric, do not let it intimidate you. Knit fabric can be a little wriggly, but this project is very forgiving.
Use a ballpoint or stretch needle so the needle slides between the fabric fibres instead of damaging them.
Avoid using a straight stitch on seams that need to stretch. A narrow zigzag or your machine’s stretch stitch is less likely to snap when the skirt is pulled on.
If the fabric keeps being pushed into the needle plate, begin sewing on a small scrap of fabric and feed the skirt seam in behind it. This little leader scrap often prevents the machine from chewing the first few stitches.
A walking foot can also help feed slippery or stretchy layers evenly.
Easy Ways to Customise the Skirt
Once you understand the basic two-tube construction, it is very easy to make variations.
Try using:
- Striped jersey for a casual play skirt
- Floral cotton-Lycra for a boutique-style finish
- Contrasting fabric for the waistband
- Colour-blocked knit panels
- A decorative bow stitched securely to the waistband
- Two layers of lightweight knit for extra fullness
- A slightly longer length worn with leggings
For a different bubble-skirt finish, have a look at this paper-bag bubble skirt tutorial, which uses a ruffled elastic waistband and can be adapted to different sizes.
There is also a flouncy bubble skirt with a wide elastic waistband made with chiffon and lining. That version works for children, teenagers and adults and is a lovely option when you want something dressier.
You may also like this little girl’s bubble skirt tutorial featuring a darker chambray-style finish.
A Quick Beginner Sewing Project
This easy knit bubble skirt is a brilliant project for learning how to sew stretch fabric because the entire design is based on simple rectangles.
There are no curved pattern pieces, closures or complicated fitting adjustments. Once the two tubes have been sewn, the project is really just a matter of folding, gathering and joining them together.
It is also a handy stash-busting project if you have a larger piece of cotton jersey left over from another garment. Depending on the child’s size, you may even be able to repurpose a large adult knit dress or oversized T-shirt.
Visit Patchyapple for the original easy bubble skirt tutorial and the creator’s original fabric measurements.
Whether you make one in soft florals, cheerful stripes or a wonderfully loud print chosen by the child herself, this is the sort of skirt that is comfortable enough for play but still looks delightfully dressed up.
And because there is no traditional hem, you may even finish it before anyone asks what is for dinner.
