Easy Pioneer Trek Skirt Instructions DIY

My aunt needed a couple of trek skirts for the stake youth conference coming up, but they were for unspecified young women.  I have no idea the height or weight of the girls, so I had brain storm an idea so that it would fit anyone or most anyone AND look a little attractive so that they would wear it.

Here is the pattern I came up with.  It has a waistband in the front and a drawstring/tie back.  The back half extends to 40 inches in length from one side of the front to the other.  The front is about 14.5 inches across.  That is about 54 inches, give or take for the waist expansion.

I used a Full Size Bed Sheet.  I used the top and bottom edges for the hems of the skirt.  The + 2.5" hem is the extra length needed if you are NOT using a bed sheet.  I made 2 skirts- one for a 5'8" girl and another for a 5'4" girl out of one bed sheet with a little extra leftover.  I apologize if these are confusing patterns or instructions- someone with a little knowledge of basic construction should do okay with it.  Most of the 'how to' is with pictures.  If you need clarification, just let me know!

Here are the measurements and instructions

Cut both skirt pieces from head edge to foot edge of the sheet. Use the space between the 2 skirt pieces to cut the ties and waistband.  You can get 2 skirts out of one full size bed sheet and maybe some bonnets.

cut out pieces

3/8 and 5/8 baste stitches on front skirt

15 inch waistband match gather length

attach waistband at 4/8 

The easiest way for me to attach a waistband to a gathered skirt without having 'mushed' or 'folded' gathers sewn in is to stitch between the 2 lines of gathering stitches.  So I bastes stitch at 3/8" and 5/8" but attach it at 4/8" inch.  It works very well.  

4/8" or 1/2" measured 

fold under 1/4" to 3/8" and stitch on open edge of waistband

fold over and pin just over the stitch line

Mark the back skirt so the front will end up the same length

fold the back skirt in half and mark two 1"wide buttonholes

buttonholes marked

put pins through the markings on right side

put fusible interfacing centered over pins on wrong side

turn up 1/4" on edge and stitch.  Fold over on marking and iron

1 1/3" stitching from edge for the casing

Use dowel or pen or pencil to push tie inside out. 

Once you push the end out even a little, slide the dowel out while gripping the tie end and then you can easily just pull the tie end the rest of the way out with ease.

iron and then stitch down the length

Use a safety pin to thread the raw edge of the tie to the raw edge of the back

Stitch the tie edge to the skirt edge before attaching the skirt front to the skirt back

Attach front to back, matching seams.  Reinforce seam with another stitching-

Fold the seam to the side and stitch it down onto the skirt.  It will prevent seams ripping during the trek.

side of skirt

the back gathered and tied

back not gathered- cute helper!

Bed Sheet edges- super easy!