DIY 10-minute ruffle skirt (Sew or no-sew!)

DIY 10 minute no sew ruffle skirt

This may be the easiest DIY I’ve done… 😉

In my last post, you saw how to make a sleeveless choli top that’s perfect for your holiday theme performance.

In this post – Holiday DIY series Pt 2 – I’ll show you how to make a SUPER EASY skirt with ruffles.

This is so easy that I’m not sure I call even call it a tutorial… BUT if you have fabric that you love and just can’t cut… this would be a great skirt to make with it! Or if you need a quick skirt for an event, this is perfect. Let’s get started!

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To make this skirt, all you need is:
1m of stretch fabric – I’m using the same 4-way stretch fabric I used to make the choli top.
If you want to sew, matching colour thread and regular sewing tools.
If you don’t want to sew, have a few safety pins ready.

DIY 10-minute Ruffle Skirt (Sew or No-Sew)

Step 1. Stand in front of a mirror with your fabric

10 minute ruffle skirt DIY step 1


Step 2. Hold the fabric with both hands, and adjust the length by fold the top edge inside. This also creates cleaner edge at the top. I like to make it so that the skirt touches the floor a little.

10 minute ruffle skirt DIY step 2


Step 3. Bring the ends forward and adjust the location of the slit. I like it over my right leg.

10 minute ruffle skirt DIY step 3


Step 4. Make sure it’s pretty tight around the waist, and that’s key. The stretchier your fabric is, the tighter you’d have to make this. Place pins to mark where the ends meet.

10 minute ruffle skirt DIY step 4


Step 5. Stitch down about 15cm or for a no-sew option, hold the layers together with a few safety pins.

10 minute ruffle skirt DIY step 5 stitch

If you want a funkier look, you can adjust where the ends meet so that the ruffles are asymmetrical and more random.

Asymmetrical ruffle idea

If you are willing to cut the fabric, after you stitch or safety pin the layers together, lay the skirt on the ground, and measure the skirt length at the slit. Pivot the measuring tape and transfer the measurement over to the edge of the fabric. From that point, trim the bottom corners like this. Cut in a nice curve. This way the bottom ends don’t touch the ground too much, so you don’t step on them and the ruffles cascade nicely.

Finishing touch for no sew skirt
Skirt hem cut line

That’s it! It’s a 10-minute project, and all you need is a meter of stretch fabric. But in my opinion, it doesn’t even look like such an easy skirt to make! It flows nicely, ruffles add nice detail, and it’s perfect for any dance occasion 🙂

No sew ruffle skirt DIY

Hope you liked this DIY, and if you did, please share with your dancer friends who may be working on a last minute holiday costume! 😀

In my next post, I’ll show you how to make sparkly star-shaped appliques to add to your holiday costumes. Sign up for the Sparkly Belly newsletter so you won’t miss it!

Thanks for reading, and keep sparkling! 😀

P.S. Pin on your belly dance DIY board!

10 minute no sew ruffle skirt DIY

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  3. That’s so clever Mao! Thank you. It’s also a great idea for a quick sarong on vacation, to go from the beach to shopping or dancing when you don’t have time to buy a skirt that you forgot to pack! Denise

    • Yes, true! 😀 I’m hearing from people who used veils or scarves to make skirts this way. Lots of creative ideas!

  5. This is a great idea! Every dancer should keep a yard of stretch fabric in her bag, just in case something happens to the original costume. (Heaven forbid! lol)

  7. Hi Mao Thanks for sharing I’m a complete beginner and inwas wondering. All fabric I have is frayed at the edges. How do you treat them? I know how to hem so you do that also around the waist? And if you stitch both ends, how donyou get in and out of the skirt?

    • Hi Dominique! Good question. Now I’m wondering if you’re using stretch fabric? This tutorial works best with stretch fabric. We rely on the stretch to get in and out of the skirt 🙂
      Most stretch fabric wouldn’t fray at the edges. If you’re using fabric without any stretch, you could insert a zipper at the back or side…. but it can be tricky to do if you’ve never done that.
      If you’d like, you can send me a photo of the fabric you’re working with and a sketch or image of the skirt you want to make to mao@sparklybelly.com and I’ll be happy to brainstorm ideas with you 🙂