Thursday, September 24, 2009

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

Friday, September 11, 2009

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!!!!!