Hair Bows

With the baby coming, I've been wanting to make sure I have bows to match outfits. I have a bunch of ribbon, so I was able to make these 3 in one afternoon.  The top one is for Mara, and the others are for the baby.  I actually made 3 of the blue one so the girls could match.  I found a bunch of tutorials on YouTube on how to make them.  I still have a ton of clips and ribbon to make some more :)

Rick Rack Skirt

The instructions for this Rick Rack Skirt are very similar to the Vertical Strips.
I forgot to take pictures when I started it, sorry.

You will need: 2/3 yard of main fabric, 1/2 yard of coordinating fabric, coordinating rick rack the total diameter of the skirt.

Step 1: take waist measurement and times it by 3 to get your total diameter for the skirt.

Cut main fabric into panel of 10 inches by total diameter (you will have to piece it together. I had a strip 10 x 40 and a strip 10 x 20 that I sewed together)

Cut coordinating fabric: Top strip 4 inches by total diameter. Bottom strip 6 inches by total diameter. (Again, you'll have to piece it together)

After piecing together, sew the top and bottom strips onto the main panel to look like this:

Since I don't have a serger, I like to do a small zigzag near the edge of my seams, instead of pressing open.
After all strips are sewn together, match sides to sew into a tube.
Next, fold bottom layer (6 inch) up to meet the hem and sew.
I used a small zigzag to attach.

This is what it will look like when done. Inside:

Outside:

On the outside, use longest stitch along the edge of the top layer and main panel to make a finished top stitch.

This is what it will look like. I also made the tube for the elastic.

Add rick rack to the bottom of skirt on the seam.

Finished:

Add elastic, and you're done!!

I loved it so much I made 3!

Conli, Sawyer, & Mara

Vertical Strip Skirt

For some reason I like to use Fat Quarters on my skirts. I find that I have just enough fabric for what I want and it works out well.

You will need at least 4 different fabrics of Fat Quarters, and 1 yard of coordinating fabric.

Step 1: take waist measurement and times it by 3 to get your total diameter for the skirt.

Cut the Fat Quarters into strips of 6 inches by 10 inches. I used 3 strips of each pattern, to equal 12 strips. (This is for a 3 year old. If you are making this for someone smaller or bigger, adjust length and width of strips by a few inches)

To maintain a good width, I used a smaller seam, about 1/4 inch.

Sew all your strips together length wise, alternating patterns.

Press seams open.

Measure the finished width of the strips after they are sewn together. Cut the yard of fabric the length you need, by 6 inches wide (for the bottom strip) and the length, by 4 inches wide for the top strip. (Depending on the finished length of the strips, you might need to piece together the strips for the top & bottom.)
Sew the top strip (4 inches) onto the 6x10 strips. (If you pieced together the top, find the middle of the strips and line it up so it matches. Once again, I used a seam of 1/4 inch.
This is what it will look like when you get the top piece sewn on.
For the bottom strip(6 inches): Attach it the same way as the top strip. Then sew the skirt together to make a tube, and press the seam open. To make the bottom hem, fold the bottom strip up to meet the opposite edge and sew on top of the existing seam. Press seam up.

Then sew a top stitch next to the seams.
This adds a finer detail and also reinforces the seams.
I did a top stitch along the seam of the top strip and in each 6x10 strip to make sure that I got EVERY seam.

On the top strip fold over to make a tube for the elastic. Add your elastic and you're done!!!

(You can see more detailed instructions on placing elastic here.)

The finished product!!!!!

Mara's 5 Tier Skirt - Instructions

Wanna Make This??I used 5 Fat Quarters of Fabric

Fold in half width wise (so the selvage matches up)

Trim off edges. Make sure that you have at least 8 inches in the width before you trim. Fat Quarters will have the EXACT amount of fabric that you need, so remember, measure twice, cut once!
After trimming the frayed edges, I cut the fabric on the selvage ends to measure 19 inches long.
Then I cut it into 4 inch strips.
When you are done cutting all the fabric you will have 12 strips of your main fabric and 8 strips of your coordinating fabric.

First Tier - 2 Strips
Second Tier - 3 Strips
Third Tier - 4 Strips
Fourth Tier - 5 Strips
Fifth Tier - 6 Strips

Place your fabric right sides together, sew a 1/2 inch seam.

Press seams open.

How to Ruffle:

Use your longest stitch and stitch on the 1/4 inch mark

(I like to have it run right by the foot)

And a second stitch on the 1/2 inch mark. (Make sure NOT to back stitch)

Hold onto the top strings and pull the fabric the opposite direction to ruffle. Do this on both sides until it's even throughout.

(You don't have to ruffle it too much, so don't over-do it)

Ruffle the second layer to match the first in length.

Pin together

Sew together with a 1/2 inch seam.

Sew a wide zig-zag to keep fabric together (if you have a serger, do that!)

The first two tiers!!

Follow the ruffle instructions for tiers 3, 4, and 5.

(Make sure to not ruffle too much, or you'll have to re-pin a bunch!)

Once done sewing all tiers together. Match up sides and pin together.

Sew a 1/2 inch seam and press open.

On the bottom layer fold fabric over twice for a small hem.

Sew hem at 1/4 inch.

Finished hem.

To place elastic, fold top tier over 1/4 inch, press, then fold and press again about 3/4 - 1 inch. Enough to feed your elastic through.

Sew the top hem, but make sure to leave a space about 1-1 & 1/2 inches wide to feed elastic through.

Like this:

Mara's waist is about 22 inches, so I cut my elastic about 23 inches, so I can overlap it.

It's easy to feed elastic with a safety pin.

When you get near the end of the elastic, pin the end so it doesn't go through the waist hem.

After you have feed it through, overlap your elastic about 1 inch and sew together.

(I like to pin it together and try it on Mara so I can make sure it's the right size for her waist)

After sewing the elastic together, sew up the hole.

I like to sew the elastic at the seam, so it won't move around and twist. I also pull the elastic tight, so the skirt ruffles evenly, then sew it again at the back seam.

Here's the finished product!!!

Finished length is about 14 inches
Then it's time to have a photo shoot of what you've made :)