Crib Skirt Tutorial - Nursery Makeover on a Budget!

*** Update with nursery pictures!!***

Looking to do a little nursery makeover on a budget?! Why not change out your crib skirt?! I made 2 for a mommy-to-be of twins! I wish I had a good finished product picture on my sons crib to show you, but I finished sewing at about midnight that night and wasn't about to wake up my little one to take a pic... and I had to hit up the post office early the next morning to ship it out! So... instead.. you get a picture of the one I made for my sons crib!



I haven't finished decorating his room yet, so for now it is what it is... and we are still missing out baseboards (we are saving up for them -- oh the joys of home ownership!)

But, here's how I did it... and how you can make your own too!
{like I said, I made this late at night, so pics are not super great... but they are enough that you can get the idea!}
• • • • •

What you need:
• 3 yards cotton fabric (for the skirt part)
• 1-1/2 yards of light-weight white cotton fabric (for the mattress part)
• scissors
• cutting mat, ruler, and rotary cutter
• thread, pins
• warm iron
• sewing machine

{I've had several questions about this so... just to clear it up... the materials listed are what is needed to make 1 crib skirt! Hope that helps!!}

• • • • •

First, measure your crib to get the height of your skirt! My mattress is at the lowest setting so my height is 15".
Second, iron all your fabric!!! {otherwise your cuts will be crooked!} 

• • • • •

Fold your white fabric in half length-wise {hot dog fold}. Place the folded edge on the bottom of your cutting mat. Make sure you have a straight edge at the start and measure out 53" and cut!


Open up your cut piece and fold it the other way {hamburger style!} Lay the folded edge on the left side of your cutting mat and measure 28-1/2" and cut!


Unfold your fabric and lay it out! Luckily {in our new house} I have a great big room to lay mine out on the floor!


Grab your print fabric and cut the same way. Fold in half length-wise {hot dog!} match folded edge to bottom of cutting mat and cut at 54" {1 inch longer than white fabric}.


Fold your fabric in half {hamburger style!} and with the folded edge on the left side of your cutting mat cut at 16" {one inch larger than the height that you want your crib skirt to be}. Remove the cut piece and scoot your fabric down. Measure another 16" {or whatever your first measurement was} and cut again. Save or discard the leftover fabric. {These are your two long side panels}


Repeat steps for the side panels. Your first cut, the length {while folded like a hot dog!}, should be cut at 29-1/2" {1 inch longer than the white fabric is wide}. Since it's less then 30" wide - depending on the size of your cutting mat - you can leave the fabric unfolded while cutting at 16" for the height of your crib skirt. {These are your two small side panels}.

Finished rectangle pieces should be:
2 @ 54"x16"
2 @ 29-1/2"x16"

• • • • •

Now, you are going to create the hemmed edge of your panels. Grab one panel {doesn't matter which one because you will be doing this to all four panels}. Make sure your iron is hot {if you are using cotton fabric I recommend that you use the steam setting on your iron}. You will be hemming 3 out of the four sides of your fabric. On the large panels, hem 1 long side and 2 short sides! Fold over the raw edge of the fabric 1/4" and iron, then fold it over again another 1/4" and iron. This will give you a nice finished edge! Then sew along the inside of your hem - just under 1/4" from the edge of your fabric.


Repeat for the other two sides of your fabric that get hemmed. {Personally, I start with the side edges of my panel first, then do the bottom edge that will be on the floor. I think it gives it a cleaner look... but in the long run it doesn't really matter which you do first}
*Make sure that you only hem the 3 sides!


Repeat the same process for the side panels of your bedskirt {the smaller rectangles}. Hem 1 long side and both short sides using the same process! I found it beneficial to lay my pieces out as I sewed so I could keep track of all my pieces {mostly because I was making 2 at the same time!}
*Make sure to iron your hems when you are done sewing to keep your fabric flat and to strengthen your thread!


Now, grab one of your small panels and your white fabric. Match the right side of your panel to the right side of your white fabric {if there is a right side!} and match the edge of the small side of the white fabric to the un-hemmed edge of your panel! {Did you follow that?!?!} Pin and sew along that edge. You can choose to straight stitch as I did, or you can overcast or serge it for added strength and aesthetics!

Once your done stitching, iron seam open and do the same with the other small panel and the other small side of the white fabric.




Now, take one of your long panels. Place the right side of your print to the right side of your white fabric and match the un-hemmed edge to the edge of the white fabric. Your corners should match up just right so that the edge of your side hem on your print matches up with the already sewn panels.

Pin and sew!



Repeat for the other long panel.

Iron your hems open once you are done sewing... and you are done!


Thanks to Bethany (the recipient of these two crib skirts) for the nursery pics! You nursery looks so cute!!!! 
{Her skirt length was a custom size, so be sure to measure your length from mattress to the ground carefully to get the look you want}




9 comments

  1. As the mommy of twins who received those awesome crib skirts, I promise to send a finished product picture to you when I have the nursery all set up...which should be soon! Thanks so much Katy!!

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  2. That would be awesome! I would love to see how everything looks! Thanks Bethany!!! :)

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  3. this is probably a really dumb questions, however is this the amount of fabric you need for two skirts or one?

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  4. Not a stupid question. It's the amount for 1 skirt.
    Thanks for stopping by! :)

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  5. I just used your tutorial to make a crib skirt for my soon-to-be-arriving-son's nursery. Great tutorial and SO easy! :) Thank you!

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  6. Love it! Using the pattern for my son's nursery!

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  7. Is this tutorial for two or is the material list for only one?

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    Replies
    1. The material list here is for 1 skirt. Thanks for asking!!

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  8. Thanks for your tutorial, I want to make a crib skirt next week.

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Thank you so much for stopping by. I would love to hear from you!