DIY: Ruffled Crib Skirt Tutorial

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We just moved into our new house about a month ago, so we have been busy unpacking and getting the house ready.  I'm 33 weeks along, which means baby girl is going to be here in less than two months! I've started working on her nursery, and just finished the first project--an adorable ruffled crib skirt.  Would it be easier to buy bedding? Why yes, it would be.  Not only could I not find bedding in the color scheme I wanted for the room, but custom bedding would be $300-$400!  A little outrageous, even for my princess.  I found this awesome, step-by-step tutorial at The Ribbon Retreat.

Materials:
1 1/4 yard of each fabric for the ruffles
matching thread
pins
rotary cutter and mat
an old crib skirt or "scrap fabric" 

If you are using an old crib skirt, take it apart at the seems. If you are using new (or scrap) fabric, make the main piece out to be 28″ x 52″, which is the standard crib size. 

You will need one side (the front) to measure 12″ x 52″ and two sides to measure 12″ x 28″.

 I didn’t hem my pieces. I used pinking shears to give them a zig zag cut so they wouldn’t fray. I didn’t want to spend any extra time hemming something that wasn’t going to be seen. Before this project, I had never used pinking shears, and can I just say, I love them? :]

Cut your fabric into strips the length of the fabric and 6″ wide. 

Out of these strips of fabric we need to make long strips that are 2 1/2 times as long as each side. That will give the ruffles their super full look! Sew the strips of each fabric together, making 3 super long strips. Use a 1/4″ seam when sewing and press the seams as well. 

For the front side, we need a strip that is 130″, and the sides need to be 70″. Do this for each fabric. You will end up with 9 total strips, one in each fabric measuring 130″ and two in each fabric measuring 70″

.

Now hem by folding 1/4″ twice, pressing, and sewing it down. Do this to the short sides and then the bottom long side. Do this to all 9 pieces.

The next step is ruffling the strips. Sew along the top of the strip using your longest stitch (a basting stitch). Do not back stitch. 

Hold the top thread and start pushing the fabric towards the center. Because the strips are so long, I did this on both sides of the strip meeting in the middle. Do this until you have ruffled the strip to the length of the side fabric (either 28″ or 52″). 

Now that all the ruffles are finished, we are ready to sew them to the side pieces. Before we do that though, we need to mark where we will sew them.

 The top ruffle will be sewn along the top of the side fabric. Mark 4 1/2″ below that and 4 1/2″ again below that.

After the side fabric is marked, pin your bottom ruffle to the bottom line. Once pinned, sew the ruffle to the side fabric. I used a zig zag stitch. Back stitch in the beginning and end. Repeat with the other ruffles. 

You're done with the first side piece, yay! Isn't is beautiful?

Pin one short side piece to the short side of your main piece. Again sew just under the stitch line, back stitching at the beginning and end. I used the zig zag stitch here, as well.

Sew your other short side on the main piece using the same directions and then sew the front side piece on.

Now you have a beautiful ruffled crib skirt ready to go on your sweet baby girl’s crib! The next step is to sit and stare at your work and get even more excited for baby to come. I know I am! One project down, lots to go!

-Saleena