Simple DiY Drop Cloth Bedskirt

I have been wanting to update my blue checker bedskirt for months, but came up short when shopping online.  So, what’s a frugal country girl to do?!  I’m glad you asked. (smile) I made my own out of some drop cloth that I picked up at the home improvement store the last time we were out.  Making my own was simple, inexpensive, and the best part…it was fun!  Want to see how simple the process was?  I must warn you that I am not a professional when it comes to sewing, but I do pretty well with the basic skills.  Over the years, I have managed to slipcover a love seat, an arm chair, sew countless window treatments, felt play food, baby toys, and even made a few pieces of clothing for the littles.

This simple project literally took me just under an hour and I used my old $5 bedskirt that I found at the local flea market as a template. Easy Peasy!

 

SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED

-Drop cloth

-Bernina 380 Sewing machine

-Janome Serger

-Scissors

-Straight pins

-Old flat sheet

 

It’s always a fun challenge to just use what you have around the farmhouse, but it doesn’t always workout that way.  That’s when it is nice to live close by to a home improvement store.  Ahh, I remember those days!  Living in the country has its pros and cons…just like anywhere else.  I will say that living far from big brand stores and shopping malls sure helps to feed your creativity. (wink)

I have used this kind of drop cloth a lot around the farmhouse.  Check out some of my other DiY drop cloth posts here and here.

 

The first thing I did was lay out my old bed skirt flat on the floor and grabbed an unused flat sheet from our linen closet.  We had several to choose from when we were stationed overseas.  I’m glad I didn’t get rid of them!  See, my hoarding finally paid off!  Well, that’s what I am telling my husband.  Hahaha!

Then I took my tape measure and measured how long I needed my side panels to be.  Next, I cut them down to size, making sure that I left at least a 1/4-1/2 inch seam allowance.

NOTE:  If you make your own, your measurements will vary depending on the size of your bed, material you use, and style you are wanting, so I’m not sharing specific numbers on this post.

 

PRACTICAL TIP

As much as possible, I use the hemmed side of the drop cloth for the bottom of my projects.  This makes it easier to have a uniform and clean look without more work. (wink)

 

When I measured my panels, I took into account that I was going to use pleats to give it a more custom look. Then I pinned my pleats as I went along the sides of the middle flat sheet and made sure that I had plenty of excess fabric to work with on each panel.  Whatever excess I had at the end, I easily cut and hemmed to size.

PRACTICAL TIP

I used my Janome serger on any raw edges to prevent fraying.  If you decide to make one of your own and do not have a serger, you can always use the zig zag stitch on your sewing machine.  It works just fine.

I did have to sew two panels together because I ran out of the original hemmed pieces I mentioned above. Not a big deal!  I just made sure the seam was hidden behind one of the pleats and hemmed the bottom to match.  Once everything was in place and the way I wanted it, I took the pieces to the sewing machine and sewed it all together with a straight stitch.  I was careful to make sure that the right side of my panels would be showing, once it was all done.  It’s a sad lesson to learn when you go through a whole project and then find out that the right sides were not together when you were sewing.  Seam ripper, anyone? Hahaha!

Again, I used my serger to clean up any raw edges.  No one will see this area, but I like things to look clean even on the under or backside of projects.  I’m weird like that!

Lastly, I cut any stray thread and placed my simple and inexpensive drop cloth bedskirt in place and then took a step back and admired my handy work.  (smile) I love simple DIY’s, don’t you?  It’s a nice boost of confidence in between those large and tedious home improvement projects.  Amen?!

I love the way it turned out!  This is my second time sewing a bedskirt from scratch.  If I need to make another one, I may make it a little longer to get that more romantic flowing effect.  Stay tuned to see which room in our farmhouse is next on our DiY project hit list.