Another simple elastic waist skirt!

Remember my post about how I make a simple elastic waist skirt? I decided I wanted to make the same skirt but with three fabrics instead of two so I'm back again with yet another easy tutorial. This one is just as simple with only two measurements, one simple math problem, and straight lines to sew. Don't worry, you can do it!

You will need ...

waist band fabric, 3/8 yard 
main fabric, for most this will be 5/8 yard or less depending on the desired length (for a 15" length I was able to use exactly 1/2 yard)
contrast fabric, 1/2 yard 
measuring tape 
scissors 
rotary cutter and cutting mat (don't worry if you don't have them, it just makes things easier)
thread
7/8 inch elastic although I often use 1/2 inch if that's what I have on hand

iron, sewing machine, you know, the typical stuff if you want to sew

You will need two measurements. The child's waist and the desired length. If you're unsure about what the length should be try measuring something in her closet that is the length you're looking for. My daughter is a skinny little thing and has a 23 1/2" waist and although she has grown a lot I only want her skirt to be about 15" long. She likes to pull her skirts down on her hips so if I make it longer it will be past her knees. I've spent a lot of time over the last year pulling her skirts up only to have her pull them back down. Now it's time to just sew them the way that works for us both.

Now, the simple math. 

Waist Band Fabric
Cut 2 pieces the width of the waist x 5 1/4" long. This will ultimately yield a waist band that is approximately 3 1/4" wide. For me, I will cut 2 pieces that are each 23 1/2" x 5 1/4".

If you are making a skirt for a waist 20" or smaller you can cut 1 piece on the fold.

Main fabric
Here is that one math problem I mentioned. Prepare yourself. Subtract 6" from your overall desired length. For me that will be 9" (15 minus 6). We will call this your adjusted length. That wasn't so bad was it?

Cut 2 pieces the width of the waist and the adjusted length. Again for me, that will be 2 pieces that are each 23 1/2" x 9".

Remember, if you are making a skirt for a waist 20" or smaller just cut 1 piece on the fold. 

Contrast fabric
Cut 2 pieces the width of the waist x 7 3/4" long. This will ultimately yield a contrast band that is approximately 3 1/2" wide. This means I will have 2 pieces, each 23 1/2" x 7 3/4".

And still, if you are making a skirt for a waist 20" or smaller you can cut 1 piece on the fold.

That's it for the cutting and the math. At this point you should have 6 pieces (3 for 20" waist or smaller). Now it's time to sew a few straight lines. For all seams the allowance is 3/8". 

Waist fabric 
With right sides together sew each side seam. I prefer to overcast mine when I am finished since I don't have a serger. If you are working with a smaller waist and cut 1 piece on the fold you only have 1 side seam to sew.

Main fabric  
With rights sides together sew each side seam. Overcast or serge if desired. If you are working with a smaller waist you only have 1 side seam here too.

Contrast fabric
With right sides together sew each side seam. Do NOT overcast or serge these seams. They will need to lie flat in a few minutes. If you are working with a smaller waist you still only have 1 side seam here as well.

Notice that the contrast fabric is not overcast but the main and waist fabrics are.

Still working with the contrast fabric that you didn't serge or overcast, press the seams open. Fold and iron the contrast fabric in half, right sides out, to create the contrast band. This is why we didn't serge or overcast the seams on the contrast. They are now tucked away neatly within the band.

Now you should have 3 tubes with only the contrast band folded in half. 

So far we have worked from the top down. Now I like to work from the bottom up. 

Next we are going to attach the contrast band to the main fabric.

Begin by pinning the contrast band to the bottom on the main band, right sides together starting with matching the side seams. If you are using directional fabrics be sure to check and make sure they are going to be facing the right direction before you sew. Once you've checked go ahead and sew the two fabrics together. I prefer to overcast here as well. 

Next, iron open with the inseam up. On the right side, using the seam as a guide, sew along to tack the inseam up. If you wanted to add ric rac this is a great place to do so. 

Now it's time to attach the waist fabric to the main fabric.

Begin by pinning the waist fabric to the main fabric right sides together. It's a good idea to check directional fabric here also. Now sew and if you prefer overcast the seam here as well. 

Next, iron open with the inseam down this time. This is a personal preference for me. If you want to iron the inseam pointing up here you certainly can. My little princess can some times get fussy over tags and things on her skin so I iron it down in hopes that it is less likely to rub her the wrong way. On the right side, using the seam as a guide again, sew along to tack the inseam whichever direction you prefer. The picture shows me sewing it with the inseam down.

The only thing left to do is create the casing for the waist and insert the elastic. You'll be finished in no time.

When creating a casing I always like to overcast the raw edge before I start. I don't know why. I'm sure I saw it or read it somewhere. You don't have to. I doubt anything would really happen if you didn't but I do.

Next, I press under approximately 3/8" of the raw edge and then another 1 1/4" to create the casing. 

Sew close to the lower edge of the casing leaving an opening to insert the elastic. 

Using a safety pin (because that's how my mom taught me) I then insert the elastic through the casing. I typically start with my waist measurement plus 1" for the elastic length. Once the elastic is through I pin the elastic ends together (maybe this is why I start with a safety pin) and try the skirt on. Of course the elastic always needs to be adjusted but that is simple. After adjusting the fit I sew the elastic together, distribute the fullness, and stitch the opening close (which I forgot to take a picture of).

I also make a habit of stitching in the ditch on the side seams to try to keep the elastic from shifting or twisting.

Now the only thing, and I do mean only thing, left to do is admire your work. You're finished! You made a super cute skirt using three different fabrics and hopefully had a little fun.

A few housekeeping items ...

The fabrics used are from Windham Fabrics Cabana Blooms collection.

The applique design used on the shirt is actually the frame from my Scalloped Bunny design. I skipped the bunny steps and merged in a capital H from 8 Claws and a Paw's Candi font. 

The shirt is from ARB Blanks. This was the first time that I used their shirts. They ship unbelievably quickly and the shirts are a very nice quality. I do think they have a trim, feminine fit (the girls at least) which is fine as long as you are paying attention to the size chart when ordering. 

I did make the headband from a combination of patterns and tutorials. I'll work on a tutorial for that another day so check back soon.

Thanks for reading!

Blessings,
Bridgette

Sewing with Friends

I have a sewing buddy! You know the kind. Trips to the fabric store together. Fun days sitting side by side talking over the hum of our machines. The pride of shared finished projects. A sewing buddy. 

A few months ago (okay, the first day of school) we made a trip to our favorite fabric store. There was no surprise when this resulted in a wonderful day together and a few more things in our baskets than planned. Oh well. A great fabric store will do that to the best of us. 

One of the things that she left with was Izzy & Ivy Designs' Stella dress and skirt pattern. My friend really wanted to tackle it and I agreed to help if needed. When she showed the pattern to her daughter the decision to sew it was confirmed and the fabric choices were made too. Her daughter wanted it to look just like the pattern using Riley Blake's Sugar & Spice fabrics. Thankfully I was already familiar with the line so I began locating the fabrics and we decided we would make it together. 

Together almost turned into forever. Each week we would try to find time to sew together and each week life would get in the way. Some weeks our schedules just couldn't line up. Often when they did we had other "Mom" issues to tackle that cut into our sewing time. And some days when we were supposed to be sewing we just talked. (Those are some of my favorites.) But, we did get it done and her and I, as well as our daughters, are very pleased with the finished products.  

Unfortunately this doesn't have the happiest of endings. My sewing buddy is moving across the country in just a few weeks and this was the last of our projects together ... kinda. I'm positive we'll be working on projects side by side via skype as soon as she is settled. That's just how great she is!

Christmas Card Display

I'll admit it. I'm not so good at this blogging thing. I have ideas all the time but I don't do a very good job of sitting down and writing them. Occasionally though I do get around to it and this is one of those moments. Of course having my husband pick up a movie on the way home for him and the kids to watch certainly helps.

Did you see my post for displaying children's artwork? Even nearly two years later it still gets used daily and worked so well that I decided to do the same thing for hanging our Christmas cards. All you need are simple cafe rods, command strips and curtain rings. I did spray paint my cafe rods black first (go ahead use your shocked face) and used the command strips instead of the hanging hardware so they weren't permanent and didn't leave any marks on the walls. After that it's as simple as sticking the command strips up, putting the rings on the rods and hanging them. Once your cards start rolling in you just clip them on the hooks. It really is that easy. 

By the way, if you're looking at the cards in the picture and you happen to be my number one follower and notice your card from a few years ago just know that we keep all of our cards from years passed with our decorations and this is the stack that I pulled out to use for demonstration. It did bring quite the smile to my face to see how young the boys looked just a few years ago. 

How I Make a Simple Elastic Waist Skirt with a Scalloped Edge

Have you seen my simple elastic waist skirt tutorial? Ready to try something slightly different? This tutorial will show you how to make a simple skirt with a scalloped edge. Don't worry if you think you're reading the same instructions as my other skirt tutorial. I copied and pasted a lot of it because they are a lot alike.

You will need ...
main fabric, 1 yard or less depending on the size
contrast fabric, 1/2 yard or less depending on the size
measuring tape 
scissors (pinking shears will be helpful too)
rotary cutter and cutting mat (don't worry if you don't have them, it just makes things easier)
thread
7/8 inch elastic although I often use 1/2 inch if that's what I have on hand

iron, sewing machine, you know, the typical stuff if you want to sew
a marking pen or chalk
a compass or something for drawing semi circles (I used my big Pyrex measuring bowl ... really!)

First, you will want to measure the waist of your child and decide what finished length you like. Right now my daughter is 6 years old. She has a 22" waist and I like her skirts to be about 14" long. 

Now, some simple math.

Main Fabric Subtract 1/2" from your desired length. For me that will be 13 1/2" (14 minus 1/2). We will call this your adjusted length.

Cut 2 pieces the width of the waist and the adjusted length. Again for me, that will be 22 x 13 1/2.

If you are working with a waist 20" or smaller just cut one piece on the fold.

Contrast Fabric

Cut 2 pieces the width of the waist x 7" long. This will ultimately yield a contrast band that is approximately 3 inches wide. 

Again, if you are making a skirt for a waist 20" or smaller you can cut 1 piece on the fold.

Now it's time to sew a few straight lines. For all seams the allowance is 3/8". 

Main fabric

With right sides together sew each side seam. I prefer to overcast mine when I am finished since I don't have a serger. If you are working with a smaller waist and previously cut 1 piece on the fold you only have 1 side seam to sew.

Contrast fabric

With right sides together sew each side seam. Do NOT overcast or serge these seams. They will need to lie flat in a few minutes. If you are working with a smaller waist you only have 1 side seam here too.

Press the seams open. Fold and iron the contrast fabric in half, right sides together. This is where we will work on the scallops. 

Now it's time to make a few marks so we can begin to draw the scallops. Using a straight edge and a marking pen or chalk mark a horizontal line along the middle of the band, adjusting the band to extend your mark completely around.

It's time for a little more math but nothing too complicated. I think it's harder for me to explain. Take the width of your original fabric pieces and double it. The width should be the waist measurement which for me was 22 so double that is 44. This is the combined length of the two pieces before seam allowances. Now, subtract 1 1/2 for the seam allowances. That leaves me with 42 1/2. Basically I'm trying to calculate how much "band" I have to divide into scallops. Now divide that number by 10. For me that is 42.5/10=4.25. This means that each of my 10 scallops should be 4 1/4 inches wide. I was very lucky and ended up with an easy measurement. Depending on the width of your waist you may not be. It's okay though. The skirt has a gathered waist so it is forgiving. Your scallops don't have to be perfectly even so do your best and be happy. Now, starting at a seam, measure and mark the width of your scallops along your horizontal line. You should have width marks to allow for 5 scallops on each side.

Mark your scallop width along the horizontal line.

Now that you have your marks you need the scallops. This is where the compass or other round item comes into place. I used my big Pyrex measuring bowl. Hey I said it was an easy pattern, not sophisticated. My bowl had a diameter of just about 4 1/4 inches so it was perfect for me and yes, I was standing in my kitchen with my measuring tape checking bowls and plates for something that was close enough.

Starting at the side seam place your round object between two marks. Be sure that it is almost at the fold of your fabric but not quite and trace the lower half. Repeat this step for each of the 10 scallops adjusting where you need. When you are finished you should have 10 scallops drawn on your fabric, 5 on each side.

  

See how the scallops come almost to the fold but not quite? That's what you're aiming for.

After you have drawn all of the scallops it's time to stitch them. Simply stitch over the lines that you've drawn being sure to lift your presser foot to turn at each point and really whenever you need to help your fabric around. This isn't a difficult stitch but you do need to be patient to be sure that you are staying on your marks reasonably well and that you're guiding the fabric around. If you try to go to fast you will end up with jagged scallops. Just take your time and work your way around.

Okay, you're getting there. No more math, no more curves to sew, just some trimming and ironing then putting the pieces together.

Now that your scallops are sewn you need to trim the excess fabric away. I prefer to use my pinking shears for this because it helps when it's time to turn the fabric out. Whether you use pinking shears or not be patient and trim reasonably close to the stitches. You'll want to make sure to cut away all of the folded edge at the bottom of your scallops. The points will need a little extra trimming to help them lie flat when they are turned. Be sure to trim away as much as possible on the side seams and cut a small slit as close to the point as possible for each one. After the trimming is done turn the scallops out and start ironing. I use the tip of a child's paint brush to push the fabric out. If you have points that aren't turning well you may need to go back and trim more fabric away. I had a few that I had to go back on and trim more away. 

You're in the home stretch. Now, pin the contrast band to the main band, right sides together, starting with matching the side seams. Sew, serge or overcast.

Next, iron open with the seam up. On the right side, using the seam as a guide, sew along to tack the seam up. If you wanted to add ric rac this is a great place to do so. 

In order to keep a straight line I keep the side of the foot lined up to the seam. 

The only thing left is to create the elastic casing and insert the elastic.

When creating a casing I always like to overcast the raw edge before I start. I don't know why. I'm sure I saw it or read it somewhere. You don't have to. I doubt anything would really happen if you didn't but I do.

Next, I press under approximately 3/8" of the raw edge and then another 1 1/4" to create the casing. Sew close to the lower edge of the casing leaving an opening to insert the elastic.

Using a safety pin (because that's how my mom taught me) I then insert the elastic through the casing. I typically start with my waist measurement plus 1" for the length. Once the elastic is through I pin the elastic ends together (maybe this is why I start with a safety pin) and try the skirt on. Of course the elastic always needs to be adjusted but that is simple. After adjusting the fit I sew the elastic together, distribute the fullness, and stitch the opening close. I also make a habit of stitching in the ditch on the side seams to try to keep the elastic from shifting or twisting.

Guess what's next. Nothing! You're finished. The only thing to do now is make another one now that you have the hang of it.

Truthfully I have rewritten the "scallop" directions at least 5 times. It is so much easier to just show someone than it is to put it in writing. If you have a question or a better way of saying something please feel free to comment. 

For those of you who applique here is a free design. This little bird is one of my very first designs. I actually used some of the same fabric as this skirt to test it more than a year ago. You can find the rest of my designs on my website as well as a 30% off Labor Day sale through 09/03/12. 

Cheers,

Bridgette