Tuesday, March 30, 2010

The Skirt

Here it is--the one I told you about. The one you promised I could do if I tried....and boy did I try.
(Please check out Susan's original tutorial HERE...she is the professional, I just make stuff up)

Here is the scoop.
Was it easy? Yes.
Obviously....I did it!
I know how to use my machine just enough to throw together silly Halloween costumes and a few things around the house....but I have never in my life followed any kind of pattern, or actually measured something.

Here we go.

What you need:
2-3 yards of fabric
elastic, I used the 2 inch wide variety
coordinating fabric for the pockets*--*please check out the original tutorial!! I was a chicken and skipped out on the pockets, but after following her step by step I now realize how easy the pockets would have been.....next time.
straight pins
two sick children that stay in bed all day so you can get this done
(did I plan it this way, no....did it work out nicely, yes....sorry kids)
phone, to call your mother

Take measurements of:
your natural waist
from your waist to your knee or mid thigh, however long you want your skirt


For my skirt I cut my elastic 27 inches.
Then you want the width of your skirt to be at least 2 times the width of the elastic, so I cut 2 pieces of 30 inches by 23 inches.

Put your two pieces together, right sides facing each other, and stitch together.

turn over and press you seam down (like with an iron....has it been years since you ironed? me too!)

Press your hem 1/4" (mine is way more than a 1/4".....but I did measure extra long to give me a little wiggle room:)

Fold again, and stitch your hem--I hemmed something!

Sew your elastic together.
Pin your skirt in (aprx)1" sections to your elastic(remember your fabric is inside out again!)

Now to sew the elastic. You need to STRETCH the elastic as you go. pull it out with both hands, until your fabric lays flat, then sew.

After you've made it all the way around, do one more lap with a zigzag stitch on the edge of the fabric and elastic (stretch as you go again!)

Turn inside out, and you are DONE!!

Try not to look so much like a giant Easter egg/8 yr old, and please excuse the awesomeness that is my picc line peaking out of my shirt sleeve.
Thanks again to Susan's awesome skirt how-to...it made me a believer of sewing!

the end.

18 comments:

Ladinia DalinTasya said...

what a lovely skirt, love the colors and your hair too it's beautiful :)

Fairlightday said...

You kook very cute but not at all like an giant easter egg. :)
I'm always a bit afraid of the elastic waited/very gathered waist-ed skirts because I usually look very "hip-y" in them. You make me want to try again, just in case.

banananutmeg said...

freaking cute. I will make one soon.

Unknown said...

WAY TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awesome!

summer said...

oh man. i was so excited for this.
love, love, LOVE. wow.
it looks awesome. YOU look awesome.
way to go!

ps. you've inspired me. i've got to try this.

Shannon said...

It turned out very cute!!! I love the green/purple combo too. I would have skipped the pockets too cause I'm a fraidy cat. Glad it turned out.
PS-Your flats are my favorite!

Tara said...

Good job! Looks great. So- I sewed the squares together for baby's quilt. Um... nobody is seeing that thing but me. You actually sewed something well enough to wear in public!

Krista Lucas said...

so so so cute!!! i love it!

krista @kristalucasphotography.wordpress.com

{Erica} said...

LOVE IT!! I've booked marked this to make a few of these after the baby comes. You look adorable in anything but that skirt ensemble is darling!

Anonymous said...

great job, looks so nice!

Kelly said...

I love it! You made it look easy...maybe I'll have to give it a try!

Susan said...

you did an awesome job, i love it.

Ronni said...

The skirt is cute, but where did you get those shoes???

A Beautiful Life said...

totally came out cute! love the color, even your simple directions still sounded a tad hard to me..lol I wouldn't mind looking 8yr old again, then I could actually wear an elastic waist..us "hippy" women find it hard to wear such things, but it's totally darling on you, luv the splash of purple!

sheena said...

Thanks everyone!!

I liked to the shoes in Fridays post! They are from endless.com and on sale!

Bethany said...

UM... perfection. amazing work! you are so adorable! thanks for the tips!

Jill K said...

maybe i'll dust off my sewing machine...

Anonymous said...

it came out so well!!! great job. :]