Hi everyone, hope you’re having a great summer! I’ve been wanting to release another free pattern for awhile now to say thank you to all of your support with my pattern shop, Hey June. I thought a fun, easy, practical, (northern hemisphere) summer-friendly knit pattern would be the perfect way to say thanks! So here you go – it’s the Monkey Bar Skirt!
(ps: You may also have noticed that we’re not running Skirt Week this year. Because, you know, life. So hopefully this will be a little consolation prize.)
The Monkey Bar Skirt is a knit skort with an option for either an a-line skirt or a gathered tiered skirt. The waistband is just a yoga-style double layer of knit, so you don’t even need elastic! And of course, the best part – it has built in bike shorts, making it very monkey bar friendly:
My girls live in this style of skirt during the warmer months. They’re cute, easy to care for (no ironing, holla!), and they can cartwheel to their little hearts’ content with no wardrobe malfunctions.
The Monkey Bar Skirt is available in sizes 2T – 10. There’s no size chart included, but it’s meant to align with ready-to-wear sizes from your favorite big box clothing store (ahemTargetahem). If your girl wears a 6 in retail, a 6 should work here too. Also, the skirt length is meant to hit mid-thigh. If you want a longer or shorter skirt, it’s very easy to just extend the lines of the skirt pattern to suit your style.
This pattern uses about a half yard of 60″ fabric, so it’s a great way to showcase a pretty knit print without using a ton of fabric. Make one in every color of the rainbow and she’ll be set for summer! Grab your free copy of the Monkey Bar Skirt now and you’ll be whipping up these little gems within an hour.
Happy summer!
the fine print: This is a free pattern. Please keep that in mind before you engage in any customer service requests. I know many bloggers are gun shy about releasing free patterns because historically there have been a lot of unreasonable requests and rudeness (not from Crafterhours readers, obviously, because you guys are the best. I can honestly say that I haven’t had a single issue with a free pattern from you guys). I’m happy to answer any questions you may have, but I can’t offer the same hand-holding that I would for a paid pattern. I can’t email this pattern to you, I can’t make it in bigger/smaller sizes, and I can’t make a skirt and mail it to you. I hate to have to put this out there, but I’m hoping it’ll prevent any future disappointment and angst. Ok, I’m done now – go forth and sew!
Jackie says
My 3 girls will love this!!!!! Cannot thank you enough!!!! :-)
Ari Green says
It’s very cute! I can’t wait to make one for Eddie!
Corinnea says
I was just wishing I had a pattern like this for Bella. You think they’d notice if I left work to go sew??? Thank you!!
Veronica says
Thanks! I can’t wait to try it out for Ella. I’m thinking this would be perfect in solid, boring khaki, black, or navy for her standard school attire. Need to start working on that school wardrobe very soon!
Betsy Maness says
Thank you SOOOOO much for this pattern! I have been looking for this type of skirt for my active/girly grand daughter!
Angela says
Thank you so much. This is such great timing because just last week I looked at a skort we have like this and was measuring it to copy it. Now I can just use the pattern. Yay!
Kelly says
Thank you! I have a tee shirt of mine that just bit the dust that I was thinking could be upcycled, and this will be perfect!
Michelle E says
Thank you! This is awesome for fun/bright/anythingyouwant summer wear as well as those awesome/boring/mandatory school uniform clothes! The FREE part makes it just thatmuchbetter!!!
I truly appreciate the time and effort you went into making and sharing this.
Jess says
Love this thank you! this is one of those things i hesitate to buy a pattern for since its simple enough to figure it out on my own, but I LOVE that you have done it for us!
ErinErin says
Thank you so much for releasing this! My 6 year old is OBSESSED with monkey bars, AND skirts, and well.. we got problems. She hates wearing separate shorts underneath. I am totally going to make her one of these!
stripyhat says
You rock! I am SO fed up of daughter flashing her knickers on monkey bars! Skorts coming right up!
AmberO says
This is fantastic. Thanks so much!
Heather says
This looks awesome!…I’m trying to figure out where to find the time to whip two of these up for my girls before we go on holidays this Friday…but I have so many to do’s getting ready that I don’t know If I can swing it. Is sleep optional? :)
Shino says
This is perfect. Thank you so much, Adrianna! Will make one or two or more of this as soon as I get my printer back from the loooong journey from the US to Japan…!!! Good luck on yours too…
Sally says
Wow! Thank you again for making my granddaughters and my sewing room very happy!
Charity says
I looooove skirts for my girls with shorts or bloomers built in! Thank you for the pattern!
Sharlyn says
So cute! Thanks for sharing
Beatriz Azuara says
thank you very much for the patterns, I love this skirt and can move, jump and run all you want, it is very comfortable.
Penya, an apprentice housewife says
Thank you for share this cute pattern. My little monkey girl surely need this!
Laura Adams says
1st time here, and I must say, I am delighted! My granddaughter starts kindergarten next month, & this darling little skort will be perfect on the playground. Love, love, love the fabrics you used, & the yoga waistband. Thank you!
CassieAZ says
I agree!
Mary says
Thank you so much! I was just thinking about needing a pattern like this last night so this is perfect! As a side note, I bought your Lane Raglan shirt pattern earlier this year and I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve made 3 already with more to come!
Debra Kay Neiman says
Thank you so much!
Kim Anderson says
Thank you so much!
Alice says
Thanks for offering this pattern. It just may be my “go to” pattern for our Monkey Gal who lives for monkey bars, trees, anything she can climb. Loves to wear skirts 24/7 too! Since we’re in Florida – this will be in the year round wardrobe too. Again, thanks so much.
Amy Anson says
With 3 bouncy granddaughters this will come in handy and used often. Thank you sew much for your generosity!
anneweaver1974 says
Awesome!! I’ve got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for tomorrow morning that links to your free pattern:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/free-pattern-girls-monkey-bar-skirt-with-built-in-shorts/2014/07/11/
–Anne
Frederica Chakhachiro says
I don’t really sew but this might be the item to get me sewing. Can you email me the pattern?
Adrianna says
lol :)
Jen D says
This looks great! I am a knit newbie… where did you find those cute knit prints?? Thanks!!
crafterhours says
HI Jen! The triangles are from Girl Charlee…the dots are so old I don’t remember. But I also buy knits from fabric.com, banberry place, fabric fairy, wanderlust fabric, and random stores on etsy. Happy shopping :)
CassieAZ says
Many thanks for the perfect pattern! Thanks so much for the online fabric store info! The pattern is so cute-I can’t wait to make a few for my GD for kindergarten! Finding great fun fabrics has been the challenge but now I’m set!
Kathy says
Thank you! So cute, and perfect for summer!
JJ says
So cute — I only wish I’d seen this before my daughter headed off to camp for a week! Thanks so much for sharing your time and talent with your readers. :)
Miss Manitas says
Supercute skirt!!!
June says
You are awesome. Thank you.
Sheryl Ball says
Time to get started for my granddaughter to head to Kindergarten!!
CassieAZ says
Me, too!
lisa says
I need something like that for cycling thru town–a combo bike shorts & skirt. I am a grandma age gal but still need active clothes.
lacey says
i want this pattern in adult sizes
Clare says
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for – thank you so much!
Erika says
My 11/2 year old will get a lot of use out of these, thanks for the pattern!
prolificprojectstarter says
Thank you so much. My 6 year old has a ready to wear skort (skirt and shorts combined) and it is so practical, I was wondering if I could work out how to make her some more, but now you’ve taken all the effort out.
Lindsay says
These are great! So adorable!
Tarah says
I have been looking for a pattern like this for some time now. Thank you for sharing it. However, when I download the file and I go to open it it crashes on me, I’m really bummed.
Adrianna says
Hi Tarah, make sure you’re opening it with Adobe, not mac preview. Or you can open it with a browser and print from there. Hope that helps!
Deepika says
Thank you so much for this pattern. I just made it for my daughter. Love it! http://sewing.patternreview.com/review/pattern/101854
Rachel says
This is such an awesome pattern! Thank you so much for giving it away!
I’m curious if you, or any of your awesome readers, have switched up the fabric for the skirt part? I have some adorable woven cotton that I’d like to use, but I’m trying to think how that would work. (I’d need an elastic waistband . . . a slightly gathered skirt . . . I must be missing something . . . ) Thanks!
Blanche says
Thank you for sharing this pattern! Exactly what our girls need in summer: the look of a skirt with the comfort of a pair of shorts for the playground!!!
Rachel says
I made one! I’ll be making lots more of these. THANK YOU for the free pattern! http://philwife.blogspot.com/2015/05/a-skort-for-catherine-monkey-bar-skirt.html
Liz says
I love this! It has been so hard to find skorts and reasonable length shorts for my niece in knits! So excited to find this! I will be pulling all of my knits out of my fabric stash this weekend and making a few of these!
maria says
hello
sorry but I cant find the patterns of this monkey bar skirt…
Is it no longer available?
Thanks
Susan says
Over here now! —> http://www.heyjunehandmade.com/product-category/free-patterns/
Reina Mora says
Thank you so much for this patter! I’m totally doing this for my lovely niece. MUCHAS GRACIAS!!!!
Julie says
Hi there – has this pattern been removed from your Craftsy page? I can’t seem to find it but would love to sew some of these up for my almost 3-year old rough-n-tumble goddaughter :)
Julie says
Aha – sorry, just saw your link to the new page :)
Katrin says
Where did you find it? Thank you
Katrin says
Sorry, I found it.
Glenda White says
unable to find this pattern.
Susan says
Now at: http://www.heyjunehandmade.com/product/monkey-bar-skirt/
Angel says
Where do I find the directions to put this adorable skirt together?
I’m new here!
Susan says
http://www.heyjunehandmade.com/