Sewing: Silver Quilted Mini Skirt (Tutorial)

Have you seen some of the quilted minis around? I love this one from crewcuts! And I've seen some cute sporty ones for women too (like this one and this one) but really, what woman can afford the extra padding?

So I decided to make one for Audrey. She loves sporty and she loves comfortable. Perfect.

I saw this fabric when I was picking up something else at Joann and then made a return trip to get it. I think the silver with a slight sheen is great for this skirt, but are you ready? It's ironing board cover fabric! I didn't even realize it until I was asked at the cutting table if I were making hotpads. Well, "who cares?" I thought: so it will be comfortable and sporty AND flameproof!

I think I got away with it because my husband didn't even blink when Audrey put this on. Did I?

There are other less utilitarian quilted fabrics around if you are interested. Such as these solid broadcloth quilted fabrics and these nylon ripstop versions. I love the nylon! Might have to make another...

Audrey seems to like the skirt, but these days it doesn't guarantee that it will be worn again... Oh, it's getting tricky. I was happy that she enjoyed it long enough to play in the leaves, and she did wear it to visit some friends this weekend to. So maybe I'm getting warmer. (I made her shirt too, which she likes without reservation, but more on that later...)

Fun to photograph my oldest. It seems like it's been a while. She was having such a great time playing in the leaves. And she looks so much older lately it is killing me!

As I was just saying, time moves so quickly...

 Want to make a quilted mini? I've got a tutorial. It's so easy! Click to read more.

YOU'LL NEED:

• 1/2 yard of quilted fabric
• (optional) 1/2 yard of lining fabric (I used a soft broadcloth but a knit would be great too)
• coordinating thread
• 1" elastic the length of your girl's waist plus 1"

TO MAKE:

Take your girl's waist measurement and add 50%. Then divide this in half for the width or your front and back pieces. So for example, if her waist is 20" you will add 50% to make it 30" and then divide that in half for a width of 15". Measure from just below her natural waist to right above her knee and then add 3" for the length of your front and back pieces. So for example, if you want the skirt length to be 13" your length will be 16"

1. Cut two pieces of quilted fabric measuring the width and length you just calculated (based on your girl's waist measurement and the desired length of the skirt). Cut two pieces of lining fabric the same size.
2. Back your quilted fabric with the lining fabric so that the wrong sides are together. Then lay the quilted fabric right sides together. You will have a stack from the bottom to the top: lining, quilted, quilted, lining.
3. Pin along the sides.
4. Stitch using a .5" seam allowance. Trim and finish the seam allowance by serging or zig-zagging. 
5. Turn down the top of the wait .5" and zigzag stitch in place.
6. Turn down the waist 1.25" to form a casing for the elastic and stitch (using a straight stitch) in place leaving a 2" opening for inserting the elastic.
7. Hem the skirt by turning it up .5" and stitching and then turning it up again .5" and stitching in place.
8. Using the largest safety pin you can find, thread the elastic through the casing, overlap the elastic ends by .5" and stitch multiple times to secure it, and then stitch the 2" casing opening closed.

You've done it! A quilted mini. Wasn't that quick?