- 1). Measure from the floor to the top edge of the box springs for the finished drop, which is the bed skirt length once installed. Add 1 inch to the finished drop for the working drop.
- 2). Cut 54-inch wide drapery lining material 76 inches long to make a bed skirt decking. Fold one of the width ends under 1/2 inch and pin. Straight stitch the pinned end with a 1/4-inch seam allowance on your sewing machine.
- 3). Cut solid fabric or a railroaded print -- where the pattern runs lengthwise -- into five panels. Cut two panels measuring 76 inches long and the width of your working drop. Mark the wrong sides of each piece with an "S" for side.
Cut one panel measuring 54 inches long and the width of your working drop. Mark the wrong side with an "F" for foot. Cut two panels measuring 9 inches long and the width of your working drop. Mark the wrong sides with a "C" for corner and also mark the panels with tailor's chalk. - 4). Mark the wrong side of each panel with a tailor's chalk arrow pointing toward what will become the bed skirt top, even on solid fabrics. Fabric weaves sometimes make solids appear different when turned in other directions.
- 5). Turn both ends (that run parallel to your chalk arrows) of all five panels under 1/2 inch. Pin the wrong sides together. Topstitch the pinned ends on your sewing machine, using a straight stitch and a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
- 6). Turn the bottoms (the sides facing away from your chalk arrows) of all five panels under 1/2 inch to create the bed skirt hem. Pin the hems and topstitch them with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
- 7). Lay the decking fabric right side up. Lay one of the panels marked with an "S" right side down on the decking. Align the hemmed top corner of the decking with the end of the panel. Align the arrow marked top of the panel with the unhemmed long side of the decking. Pin the panel to the decking. Repeat with the other "S" marked panel and the other long side of the decking. Straight stitch the panels to the decking with a 1/2-inch seam allowance.
- 8). Lay the decking right side up. Find the center of the of the unhemmed short side of the decking and mark it with tailor's chalk. Fold the panel marked "F" in half width-wise with the wrong sides together to find the center. Mark the center with tailor's chalk.
Pin the center of the panel to the center mark on the decking, right sides together, with the unfinished edges aligned. Work outward from each side of the center pin, pinning the rest of the panel to the decking. Straight stitch the panel to the decking with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. - 9). Lay the decking right side up. Fold one of the "C" panels in half to find the center of the arrow-marked top edge. Mark the center point. Pin the center of the "C" panel to one of the bottom corners of the decking. Work out from the center pin, pinning the rest of the panel to the decking.
The panel will overlap the side and bottom panels already sewn to the decking. Pleat the seam allowance as necessary to pin around the corners. Repeat with the second "C" panel and the decking's other bottom corner. Straight stitch the corner panels to the decking with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. - 10
Remove all straight pins and clip any loose threads. Iron the bed skirt according to the fabric manufacturer's instructions.
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