Mock Crib Skirt DIY

I was determined to make a "traditional" crib skirt. At least I was until it came time to actually make it. I realized all too quickly that it wasn't practical to get the end result I wanted. So, I decided to make one of those loose side panels that attaches to the crib spring and can be moved as the crib lowers. The big reason is the way my crib spring attaches to the frame. There is no way possible to have a standard crib skirt lay smoothly over these bars. It always ends up bunched like crazy in the corners.

I learned that the last time around when Squirt used the crib, and it bugged me the entire two years she slept there. Lesson learned - figure out something that would lay flat.

Since the nursery is a shared space and the crib is basically sandwiched between a wall and a bookshelf there is only one side that is exposed. The space underneath is desperately needed for storage, so it needs concealment, but only on one side. There is always the way that they did it over on Young House Love, but I wanted something a little more tailored. I took the idea and changed it to work with our crib and the thinner material I'd purchased.

My fabric was about 58 inches wide, and my crib spring was 51 inches so I decided to use the full width of the material.

*** In full disclosure these pictures are HORRIBLE, not that you need me to tell you that. I had time to kill one evening and let's face it, projects typically happen when they can and not necessarily when there is pretty lighting.***

Using a rotary cutter, I cut one strip from the fabric 27 inches long. I've seen so many blogs that say it's impossible to cut fabric straight. No, it isn't. It does help a LOT though if you've got the right tools.

I remember my mom using metal seam gauges to press her seams to the perfect width, but I tend to cheat and make my own out of a piece of cardstock. I drew 3 different lines to represent the different hem widths I was going to use for this panel. The sides were pressed over 1.

My ironing board cover is heinous. I've wanted to replace it for about a decade now. I'm sorry you have to see it here. After pressing I pinned the fold to keep it in place. You could use hem tape if you like, but I had the means and ability to sew it. Plus, I like the look of a stitched hem better than mysteriously clean edged fabric.

I stitched a 3/4 inch hem on the sides. Then I used my handy-dandy cardstock seam gauge again and folded the bottom edge up 1 1/2 inches. I knew I wanted a wider seam for the bottom edge. I pinned and stitched it at 1 1/4 inches from the bottom, then added a second row of stitching 1/4 inch from the first.

The double row of stitching looks a little more polished and substantial for the base of the skirt.

{Yes, I used a carpentry tape measure. I couldn't find my cloth one and this worked in a pinch.} Since I knew I wanted a pleat in the center, I hadn't worried that the material was a bit wider than what I needed the finished skirt panel to be. To create the pleat I first folded the material in half. The skirt needed to be 51 inches finished witdth so I measured the folded panel 25.5 inches from the sewn edge (plus an extra 1/8 inch cushion because I decided I'd rather have it slightly larger than slightly smaller).

I marked finished width with the white pin, and the true center of the fabric with the red pin.

Bringing the red pin to the white and smoothing the edges gave me one perfect pleat. In order to make sure it stayed centered and even I did the same thing along the bottom edge as well. Along the top edge I stitched it a few times to hold the pleat in place. Since I wanted the bottom one open I left it pinned.

Using the pinned/sewn folds as a guide I smoothed out the fabric keeping it as even as possible and pressed the pleat in place. This is the view from the back.

When viewed from the front it looks like this.

After realizing that it is an awfully long narrow pleat, I decided to stitch it in place periodically. I only really cared about the pleat being open at the bottom edge but wanted it to stay tidy looking while on the bed. I measured the front of the crib to see how high the stitches should be to stay hidden behind the wood. For my crib I ended up using 11 inches and 22 inches.

I stitched it in a "V" pattern like shown above. The stiches didn't show up in pictures, so humor me that the text makes sense. I think of this as a "cheerleader skirt pleat" since I seem to remember them having v shaped reinforcements. I could be wrong, it's just the image in my head from being jealous when my friend made cheer in 8th grade and I didn't. It's just as well, I'd have never been comfortable in one of those tiny skirts.

To finish the top, I first folded it over 1/2 inch and stitched it at 1/4 inch. Then I used ribbon already on hand (since it's going to be buried beneath the mattress I decided I could survive if it didn't match). I divided the length into seven and placed the a folded over ribbon at those intervals. That way there was a tie at each end, in the center, and two between each edge and the center.

I stitched them on twice just to be safe. I'd hate for the thing to fall apart in a month or two.

Here it is finished and laying in my hallway in the middle of the night. It doesn't look like much here.

This is more what I'm talking about - except for once again the really terrible lighting. See how the center pleat is mostly hidden behind the center bar? I could have stitched it completely down just leaving the bottom section open but I didn't actually realize that until I was finished.

This is why the crib skirt is so necessary for us. We are definitely using the space under there and I don't want to have to stare at everything each and every day. If I had enough space to use adorable baskets for baby related storage I'm not sure this would be so important to me.

The crib skirt is tied straight to the spring and can be moved as the mattress is raised so it will always just grace the floor. As much as I didn't want to do that at first, I'm really excited to know that I won't have to redo this project as the mattress moves. This idea really is brilliant. I've also seen binder clips used for this purpose. My fabric is smooth and polished so I felt that it would slip out of the clips and drive me crazy. This way I know it won't budge until I want it to.

Doesn't that look nice? I was planning on doing side panels the same way, but decided they weren't needed since you don't see the sides at all. Fortunately I have plenty of material left over if I change my mind one day. I won't tell you how long I spent trying to iron the fitted sheet so it would look just right in a picture. I'm totally over it and will never try such a silly thing again. The map is from my years teaching and will be getting a little makeover of it's own pretty soon!

Things are coming together!