Go Back
–+ servings
antique wooden bed with a white bedspread, blue and white build near the footboard and a linen bed skirt
Print

DIY Bed Skirt

Learn how to make a simple linen bed skirts. Give your bed a soft and airy feel while hiding any unsightly box springs.
Course Sewing
Cuisine American
Keyword diy bed skirt
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 2 twin bed skirts
Author Lisa Bass
Cost 5

Equipment

  • Sewing machine
  • Serger (optional)
  • Pins
  • Measuring tape
  • Sewing scissors
  • Iron

Ingredients

  • Fabric - I used a linen table cloth and bed sheet
  • Coordinating thread

Instructions

  • Measure the sides of the bed (box spring area) and the end of the bed. Add 1/2 inch for seam allowance on all sides. Mine was 41″ by 74″, so it ended up being 42″ by 75″ with the allowance.
  • Measure the distance from the top of the box spring (or platform) to the floor. Add one inch for seam allowance.Since I need to make these custom due to the iron bars, next I measure where the bars were located, so I know where to add the slits. This turned out to be 16″ from the end.Iron your fabric.
  • Cut the top piece from the sheet or fabric. If using a sheet, make sure to use the hem already created as the top portion. Cut the side panels according to measurements. Make sure you add one inch for seam allowance on all sides. Since I used a linen tablecloth, I used the hems already created and only needed to add 1/2 inch seam allowance to attach it to the top piece. If your material doesn’t have a hem, add one inch to the bottom for hem allowance.
  • The boys’ beds had two steel bars that I needed to create slits for, so I created three panels for each side, totalling four 16″ long panels + hem allowance, so 18″ long, and two 42″ long + hem allowance, so 44″ long for each side. Lastly, one panel at 43″ for the end of the bed.

Sew

  • Hem the sides of each panel 1/2 inch over, then another half inch. Press and sew.
  • Lay out the top sheet, with the right side facing you. Lay panels on the top sheet with the right sides facing the sheet and line up the edges. For my case, I lined it up with 16″ panel, 42″ panel, 16″ panel.
  • Pin the panels down and sew the panels to the top piece.In the front, make sure there is a 1/2 inch space for the front panel.
  • Sew on all the panels. Check to see how the bedskirt fits on your bed. Make adjustments, if needed. Finish all the raw edges with a serger or a zig zag stitch. You don’t want to skip this step, because every time you go to wash the skirt, you will experience some fraying.

OPTIONAL: CREATE TIES

  • I then decided to add some ties to help the bed skirt fit better around the bars and give it a more custom look. Cut out strips of fabric 2″ by 18″.
  • Fold the top part over about a half an inch, then fold lengthwise in half (right sides together), and then sew down the length side.

Notes

  • This tutorial is completely customizable. Change the length, the width, add ties, ruffles, or slits.
  • Make sure to check the fit of the skirt before sewing the panels on. I found after trying it, that the extra small panels I added weren’t fitting well. So, I ended up removing them and adding ties.