Things You'll Need
Measuring tape
Skirt Fabric
Elastic (.5- or .75-inch)
Scissors
Needle
Thread
Bed skirts can add to the décor of your bedroom, hide an unsightly box spring mattress, or even better, hide the old boxes you have stored under your bed. With the many patterns and designs available, the right bed skirt will add style to your room. Elastic bed skirts have the advantage that they can be put on and removed with ease (no lugging that heavy mattress around), they stay in place better, and are easier to make by hand than the traditional style bed skirt.
Step 1
Measure from the floor to the top edge of the box spring, using a measuring tape, to determine the "drop" or the height the skirt will have. Measure the circumference of the bed by running the tape measure around the bed in its entirety. This will determine how long your fabric will need to be to cover the entire circumference of the bed.
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Step 2
Add three inches to the number you measured as your drop. This extra material will be used to create a pocket for the elastic. Cut the fabric to the determined height. Cut the necessary number of pieces across equaling the circumference plus four inches These four extra inches will give you some extra sewing fabric. Multiply the circumference by two if you want to make a ruffled bed skirt. It takes twice as much fabric to achieve the ruffled look.
Step 3
Sew the pieces of fabric together until you have one extremely long piece of fabric.
Step 4
Fold the top of the fabric over the back to create a pocket for the elastic to go through. Sew across the bottom length of the fold. This pocket is where you will feed the elastic through.
Step 5
Cut your elastic three or four inches shorter than the circumference of the bed. Use .5- to .75-inch elastic. Thinner elastic can be pulled off the bed by the weight of the fabric. Feed the elastic all the way through the pocket you created using a safety pin.
Step 6
Sew the two ends of the elastic together. Place the skirt over the box spring to check the fit. If it doesn't seem tight enough cut off more elastic and sew the ends together again for a tighter fit. Do not sew up the pocket until you have the fit you desire.
Step 7
Sew the pockets closed. Folding the fabric in half, with the outside facing in, sew the ends of the fabric together. This will ensure that the finished seam is on the inside of the bed skirt underneath, where it cannot be seen.
Step 8
Align your finished skirt around the box spring.
Tip
You can add decorative trim or adornments to your bed skirt
Warning
Avoid cutting your elastic too short, it is easier to remove more later than add it.
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