Mermaid Skirt Tutorial

October 19, 2010

Mermaid Skirt Tutorial

This quick and easy Mermaid skirt can be whipped up in under an hour and is a great idea for a Halloween costume or everyday Mermaid action! Mine was whipped up in procrastination of another project so I really rushed it as to feel not so guilty....I am sure your Mermaid tails will turn out a lot more perfect than this one! If you make one up send me a photo HERE and I will feature it!

Step One - Measure Up Your Mermaid

You will need to measure:

The length for the back and front skirt (you will add the shape tail in the cutting of the fabric).

Waist for elastic and to get the front and back width.

Add 1/2 inch seam allowance to each side (1 inch all up).

It might also help to keep your Mermaid away from the pen or she might mess up your measurements! I took a photo before it got too out of hand. The measurements above fit a small 2 year old girl.

Step Two: Cut Out the Fabric

I used a plain cotton fabric recycled from a Sari which gave a nice scaley look but any colour will do!

You will need to cut:

2 Skirt Backs (one main and one lining)

2 Skirt Fronts (one main and one lining): Add a 6 inch long tail shape to the front piece as you cut - shape it as big or small as you want!

Step Three: Stitch Side Seams

Place the front and back lining right sides together and stitch sides seams down to the top of the tail backstitching at the start and end. Repeat for the main fabric.

Step Four: Stitch Tails and Skirt Back

Place the lining and main fabric right sides together and stitch around the tail and back of the skirt. Clip the edges and turn so that the right side is facing out and the lining is inside as shown below:

Step Five: Stuff and Stitch the Tail

Place poly fill (or similar stuffing material) into the tail and stitch above in an arc to seal it in. You can hand stitch this line and the detail on the tail which is what I would have done if I had the time or you can machine stitch it as shown. Stitch lines down on the tail piece to create a nicely shaped tail. I used four lines of stitching but it's really up to you how you design it!

Step Six: Sew the Waistband

Fold the waistband (main and lining fabric) over 1/4 inch and then again 1 inch to create the waistband. Press. Sew along the edge leaving an opening for the elastic. Insert the elastic and sew together. Sew the opening shut and it is complete!