So Much To Make: GIRLS

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Mermaid Maxi Skirt Tutorial

Easy, cute, and comfy! I love how this turned out! I already have the fabric to make myself one, too. I decided to let my little mini-me model so I could get this tutorial published.

I've seen similar tutorials on Pinterest, but I was concerned about how comfortable the skirts would be to walk in. Adding a seam around the bottom of the already-snug skirt when attaching the ruffle would eliminate the awesome stretchy feature that makes maxi skirts so comfortable. I knew my daughter would want to MOVE in her Mermaid Maxi, so I created my own process to make this as comfy a skirt as it is cute!

Here's what you'll need:

Jersey knit fabric (amount depends on size)
Coordinating Thread
Elastic Thread

1. Measure the circumference of the hips (widest part around the boot-tay), and add an inch. This is the width of your main piece.

Measure from the belly-button to the ankle and subtract 4 inches. This is the length of your main piece. Cut this piece.

Then, cut a piece of fabric twice the length of your hip measurement, and 5 inches wide. This will be the ruffle.

2. Fold each of the pieces in half as shown, and cut 5" curves (as shown) through both layers on each piece. I cut the ruffle curve, then laid the triangle pieces over the skirt piece to use as a guide in cutting it.

3. Sew a lettuce edge along the curve and across the bottom edge of the ruffle piece. I have an easy tutorial for sewing a lettuce edge here.

This is an optional step, but it does give it a nice, finished edge that will help it last longer.

4. Fill your sewing machine bobbin with elastic thread. Use regular thread for the top stitch. Sew a single gathering stitch (regular straight stitch with 4+ stitch length setting and no tying off at beginning or end) across the top (non-lettuce-edge) of the ruffle. Pull the elastic thread to make a ruffle the length of the curved bottom of the skirt.

5. Turn the ruffle upside down (right sides together) along the base of the skirt piece, matching up raw edges. Pin in place. Don't skimp on the pins here. Sewing on top of a ruffle is exponentially easier based on the number of pins you use to guide you.

6. Sew the ruffle in place using elastic thread in the bobbin and tying off with a back stitch at each end. This is the key to a skirt that will move with little legs! Turn right side out.

7. Fold right sides together lengthwise. Pin the long edge (not the ruffle edge). Replace the bobbin with all-purpose thread. Sew with a 1/2 inch seam allowance, or serge if you have a serger.

8. FOR THE WAIST: Two options--First (the one I did here): make a shirred waist using rows of elastic thread along the top of the skirt. This works well if you have a small-medium waist. Instruction for the shirred waist option are found here.

Second option: Make a yoga-style waist. This requires extra fabric. This tutorial shows how to make a yoga-style waist band to attach to the top of the skirt. **Note: the seam on this skirt goes in the front. If you add a waistband, the waistband seam should be in the back--opposite the front seam.

And you are finished! Stretchy, even around ruffle! My little lady was running around, laying on the floor flapping like a mermaid, and wrestling her brothers in it already! And she wore it to church the next day! LOVE!

This post is visiting these link-ups.

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Lovin' the Layers Skirt Tutorial

This skirt has been on my to-do list for a while. I have actually dreamed about the process I used. (Seriously.) I had these 2 yards of fun orange fabric to use, but I wanted to get it right. I spent tons of time perusing Pinterest for a tutorial on how to make this, but I never found one that had the finished product I was looking for.

Finally, after thinking, dreaming, and making a plan, I took the plunge. And I LOVE the result. And I had enough fabric left to make a little skirt for my little helper!

I began with 2 yards of 60" jersey knit fabric. My fabric was not heavy at all, which worked well to avoid a bulky-look with the many layers.

1. Measure your waist and cut a 12-inch wide strip of fabric the length of your waist measurement. Jersey-knit is very stretchy, so err on side of snug, not loose. Sew this piece together at the short ends, right sides together.

2. Fold this piece in half length-wise, wrong sides together. This is your waistband. You can slip it on to see if you like how it fits. Once you are satisfied, set it aside.

3. Now to the skirt. Measure around the widest part of your hips/bum. Add 8 inches to that measurement. Next determine the length you would like. You can use a skirt you own or wrap the fabric around your waist and mark with chalk where you want it to fall. Now cut a piece of fabric that is the width of your hips + 8" and as long as you would like the skirt to be.

4. Fold and pin the length of this piece, right sides together. Sew her up.

5.Using the rest of the fabric, make 8-inch wide loops that are the same circumference as the body of the skirt. I did this by making an identical skirt body and then cutting it into 8-inch sections.

6. Pin one of the 8-inch loops to the top of the skirt body (right sides up on both). Be sure to line up the back seams. Sew this in place. No gathering stiches are needed for this skirt. :)

7. Cut 2 of the 8-inch wide loops lengthwise at an angle to look like this. If you need measurements--the short end is about 3 inches wide; the long end is 5 inches.

8. Now the fun begins. Pin then sew one layer at a time to the body of the skirt. Make sure the layer above covers the top edge of the layer under it. Use the asymmetrical layers to off-set each other. I did 2 asymmetical layers after the first one, then another regular layer. I finished with another asymmetrical one. Play with your design to get it just the way you want.

And be sure to line up the seams on the back.

9. Once the layers are all sewn on, it's time to attach the skirt to the waistband. I used the method I learned from V and Co.'s ruffle skirt. She explains and illustrates it well. I will explain below, but if you need further guidance, go check her tutorial out.

Slide the waistband over the top of the skirt so it is circling the outside. The raw edges of the waist band will be next to the top edge of the skirt (which is double-layers because of the top tier of the skirt). Pin the back seams together. Then find the exact middle of the front of the skirt and of the waistband and pin those together. Now find the mid-point between the front and back of both and pin at those points. Continue to find the mid points between pins and keep on pinning. Your skirt will have lots of gaps. That is how to make this a nice, flowy skirt (and not skin-tight), without ever using a gathering stitch.

Once you have pins at almost every inch around, sew the waistband on.

Turn the band back up, and you are done!