Sew A Doll Sized Table Skirt

The table skirt beneath is made from a silk ivory colored fabric and the
 table cloth on top is cut from a plastic sheet from the dollar store. The
 dolls are ready for a formal summer banquet. The top plastic table 
cloth is from a dollar store.

       Granted, table skirts are not something that every little girl requests for her dolls. But because I use them in doll displays, I've decided to include some quick general instructions for those of you who may be interested in hosting a doll party, wedding, or formal event in the near future. 

       A table skirt is a tricky sewing project because it requires patience, so sign up the nearest adult for help if you are not an experienced sewer. 

       First, you will need to do a little measuring of your doll's table. Wrap a tape measure around the entire outer edge of the table and double that measurement for the length of fabric that will be required to create the gathered table skirt. Allow for a seam at the bottom touching the floor and also 1/3" seam at the top of your table skirt for hemming to the table top cover.

       To cut enough fabric to cover the table top, lay your doll's table upside down on top of the wrong side of your fabric. Trace around the table's edge with chalk and then measure approx. 1/3" more outside of this tracing for a seam allowance with a second chalk mark. Cut out this fabric rectangle, square, oval or circle and iron on a lining of the same size, if your fabric of choice is flimsy. 

       Sew the short wrong sides together of your table skirt. Then ad a hem on the bottom half of the skirt using a straight stitch by hand or with a sewing machine. Press open the side seam and press down the hem. 

       Gather a ruffle using a large bias stitch and a bright red thread so that you can easily remove this stitch after the ruffle has been sewn into the table top cover with a tighter seam.

       Use straight pins to evenly attach the ruffled skirt to the table top fabric wrong sides together. Sew in a hem around this piece approx. 1/3" or 1/4". If you are doing this with a machine, be careful to remove the pins before letting the needle run over them. This is tricky work but once you have made the table skirt in a few neutral colors, you will be able to set up some fairly glamorous displays for your doll's parties!

Left, is the sewn table skirt finished. Right is a closer view of the pleated/ruffled edge.

More Table Skirt Projects and Example Displays:

• See table skirts at the tablecloth factory
• How to tape a pleated table skirt (no sew)