Does anybody know any mail order/internet sites where I can buy modest (knee length) skirts for an 11 year old girl? I've looked at thrift shops, Goodwill, etc. and have checked LandsEnd and several other similar sites. I'd make some myself - they just don't turn out right, although I'm getting desperate, so I might have to attempt it. Thanks.

-- Christina (introibo2000@yahoo.com), June 07, 2001

Answers

Response to Modest children's skirts?

I don't know about places to order them, but you can probobly have modest skirts made very reasonably and nicely by a local seamstress or sewing/alterations shop. You can save money by purchasing the cloth of choice, notions, and pattern. Nothing is quite like clothing made special for a person, and the cost is pretty in line with average quality clothing. An adept seamstress or tailor can complete a simple skirt in about an hour or slightly more.

-- Marty (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), June 07, 2001.

Response to Modest children's skirts?

If you are interested, my DW Ann should be able to help you through the "snags" (I have her permission to offer help).

Can you site any specific difficulties? She says "See and Sew" patterns (Walmart) are good to work with. What is your daughter's weight and height?

You must cut your fabric correctly, but beyond that you can keep tearing out seams and backtrackas needed until you are satisfied.

Ann made both of our Daughter Laura's Prom Gowns, and many wedding and evening gowns.

Her email is ann1956ann@hotmail.com

Rick

-- Rick K (rick_122@hotmail.com), June 07, 2001.

Response to Modest children's skirts?

What size does she wear? I have two daughters, one 12 and one 15 and they wear long skirts. I usually find them at department stores and Junior shops. I just got a great deal at Ame's -- only $7 for a great long cargo skirt. We do order mail order from Newport News www.newport-news.com, Chadwick's www.chadwicks.com, and Lerner's www.LERNERcatalog.com. Just type in skirts and they'll show what they have available, they'll send you a paper catalog too. The reason I asked what size is that some of the mail order places start at a size 6. If you have a CATO nearby they usually sell long skirts too for a reasonable price and start at size 1 or 3. I hope this helps.

-- Sharon (spangenberg@hovac.com), June 08, 2001.

Response to Modest children's skirts?

If you're looking for "good" (as in going to church) skirts, follow the advice already given. Having moved around a lot, I have found that the thrift shops in the South tend to have a better selection of long skirts than those in the northern states.

If you are looking for "kick around the house" play skirts, here's what I do for my daughter. I hope these instructions don't confuse you, as these skirts are really quite simple.

Take two measurements: #1, waistline and #2, length from belly button to desired length (I usually go a couple inches below the knee).

Multiply the waist measurement by 3, and add 5-6 inches to the length measurement. Using these dimensions, cut a rectangle of fabric. (If your fabric is not wide enough, you will need to cut 2 narrower pieces and sew them together to make the right size rectangle.)

Determine which edge is the waist; serge or zig-zag that edge. Turn under 1 1/2 inches; press. Stitch 1 1/4 inches from fold to form casing.

Cut a piece of 1" wide elastic a comfortable waist measurement plus one inch. Insert elastic through the casing, tacking firmly at both ends, making sure ends of elastic are even with edge of fabric.

With right sides together, sew seam from top to bottom, going over the elastic ends several times for reinforcement.

Turn up hem to desired length, press, and stitch in place.

As you get practice with this, you might want to figure how to add pockets.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), June 08, 2001.

I have the same problem with my daughter. She hates the fashions the stores carry for 7 and 8 year olds. She says they look like tennage girls stuff.

I've had good luck with buying a simple skirt at the thrift store a size or two larger, to get the length, then taking in the side seams. If its something that has pockets or belt loops my seamstress friend helps with that for very little money. In fact sometimes I trade honey or veggies for the work.

-- jennifer (schwabauer@aol.com), June 08, 2001.

I've had success with a company called Lilies of the Field. Their address is 6809 West Mills Ave, Hutchinson KS 67501-8895. They have modest dresses, jumpers, and skirts in a nice selection of fabrics. They will also special order for size or length.

-- Deborah Lawton (jlawton@kaltelnet.net), June 08, 2001.

Christian,

We too have have had the same problem with most stores not having age appropriate and modest clothing.

One thing I've done for my daughters is to take women's dresses or skirts that were not good for wearing (usually they'd been given to us) and cut them down and make skirts out of them. One of older daughter's favorite skirts to wear about the house came from one of those dresses that have the elasticized bodice and spaghetti straps. I cut off the top, at the lenth I needed allowing for a casing and just put the elastic waist in. The "skirt" was already hemmed and even had a ruffle.

We've also been disgusted with the selection of slips the stores have to offer so I made some half slips for them. Like one of the other posts said, take a rectangle, make it at least double the waistline of the one to wear it, hem it, put in a casing and elastic, presto....inexpensive slips.

I even bought some eyelet with a pretty border so I didn't even have to hem it AND.... when the skirt begins to get a little shorter as they grow, the eyelet slip looks like a petticoat sticking out.

Another thing you can do instead of cutting off fabric to get the right hem lenth is to put tuck pleats in the skirt or slip and then let them out as they grow. A row of three tucks running horizontally around the skirt looks quite quaint too.

-- Heather in MD (heathergorden@hotmail.com), June 13, 2001.

Hi, my mother has the same problem with buying modest clothes, and she has a hard time sewing, and I have tryed searching on www.google.com for childrens long skirts and have found a few places here is one http://www.pelicankids.com/PKWebSite/catalogfrontpage.shtml also, www.mysimon.com will find the cheapest places, you might find girls skirts.I hope this helps, and the Lord be with you -Mallorie

-- Mallorie (lrn426@mediaone.net), December 27, 2001.

We do custom modest sewing for ladies and their daughters. We believe in modesty in clothing which is hard to find today. Look us up on the web; search Google and type in Lydia of Purple.

Coleen

-- Coleen (modesty@lakeozark.net), February 26, 2002.

I think pants are more modest than skirts (not to mention more practical) in many circumstances, but you could buy one skirt, then make a pattern from it (there are several books out on making patterns from finished clothing--check amazon or your local large bookstore). Some fabric stores may or may not carry that type of book due to competition with pattern companies, whose products they also carry.

You might also want to look at the Nancy Zieman (from Sewing with Nancy on PBS) books and website www.nancysnotions.com

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), February 27, 2002.

If you go to the website in my above post, click on to "Free Projects", scroll down to "Reversible Skirt", and click on that. It says to modify a pattern, but once you do, then you can make it reversible and get double the wear out of it. Hope this helps.

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), February 27, 2002.

Christina,

How have you done with your skirt problem?

I have discovered that wearing sweatpants under my skirts around the house makes a world of difference for warmth.

-- LBD, Maryland (lavenderbluedilly@hotmail.com), February 27, 2002.

Christina: We have used Lilies of the Field and the work was outstanding. We ordered jumper with matching bloomers for the little girls. I am now making my own and the little girls love their bloomers. In the winter I have found that buying dark colored leggings (for us Navy blue) are very warm under our demium jumpers and skirts. I wouldn't be without them myself

-- Marie in Central WA (Mamafila@aol.com), February 27, 2002.