I’m sure it began a while ago for most, but I’m just getting back into my sewing room since winter and it feels great! My first finished project for spring was inspired by some rather simple, but cute t-shirts I found at Target for my girls.
These little shirts were just screaming for a white ruffle skirt to pair with them. I love the look of ruffles, but I’ve always dreaded sewing them… their just tedious. Until now!
I’m SO HAPPY Dana posted this fantastic tutorial on ways to gather/ruffle fabric. Her “cheating” way is now my ONLY way to gather a ruffle. SO much easier than fighting with that ruffler foot, which I’ve never really quite managed to get to work on my machine.
I also used Dana’s Layered Skirt tutorial as my basis for making these little skirts, with just a couple of adjustments.
I used a biased cut waistband from Simplicity 2483 and attached it to the top of the last connector piece. I did this so the distance between the waistband and the first ruffle would lay flat under a longer t-shirt and to add some overall length. I prefer longer skirts over shorter ones.
I put in a lining as well, I knew at least in early spring this would be worn with tights so I thought a lining would be good to avoid the skirt sticking to the tights or riding up.
This was a white seersucker from my stash, and just enough of it too, I think I have about 3” of it left!
And the girls really love wearing them. They were so excited to put them on for these photos, they could not hold still for even a second!
The only change I would have made was to increase the width of the last ruffle and connector piece. There is plenty of ease to wear it with, but I think it hangs just a little too strait. I little more a-line shape to it I think would have been just perfect. So, that being said, I moved right into my next project, which also includes ruffles and a little different remix of the same layered tutorial. It turned out SO CUTE!! Just need to get some photos now!
Super cute and sweet, you really can't go wrong with navy stripes.
ReplyDeleteReally cute on your adorable girls! Fun and girls but chic as well.
ReplyDeleteOops, meant to write "fun and girly but chic as well." :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Amanda!!
DeletePlease share how you did the seams. Very pretty and neat! - Jemimah
ReplyDeleteJemimah - the seams are done just like the tutorial I linked to in the post. http://www.danamadeit.com/2012/03/tutorial-the-layered-skirt.html
ReplyDeleteEach ruffle is sewn to another strip, building from bottom to top. Hope this helps, let me know if you need more info!
Thanks Jennifer for responding. Your seam looks like it has topstitching. I am comparing it to Dana photo with two skirts one blue and one pink. You can see a little bit of the seam on the pink one. Thanks - Jemimah
DeleteOh, OK. I see what you were talking about. All I did was press and topstitch each seam allowance to the connector strip above it, basically the same way you understitch a seam allowance to a facing or lining. That way everything would tend to lay towards the hem and the seam allowances would stay nice and neat on the inside. It wasn't really necessary to do, but I feel like it gave it a little more of a finished look. :)
DeleteThanks Jennifer! that is a great tip. - Jemimah
DeleteSo glad you're back:) I love the sewing that you post, and these skirts are no exception! They look great with the striped tops, and of course the girls must love the ruffle factor. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteThese are SO cute and your girls look adorable! Love your blog, I just found it, will be back!
ReplyDelete