Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Summer Skirts

I was inspired by my friend and fellow etsy seller Candy to make my daughters a couple of adorable Easter skirts a few months back. And since I just can’t seem to be bothered with patterns these days I figured these were a good project that would actually get done. Well, I’ve since made 7 more and ruffled skirts 014with the addition of my new ruffler foot (which I swear looks like something invented during the industrial revolution) I can make these in about 45 minutes now. I will never ever gather anything with two rows of basting stitches again. (Or with the zig-zag over the dental floss trick.) Never because I’d rather have a root canal. ruffled skirts 001
Here’s my formula to make these skirts without a pattern. As if you even need the formula.
Three layered skirt: Measure your daughter’s waist and multiply by 2.  My girls have the same waist of 21”. So I cut a strip of fabric 42”. (If you are brave enough to make a skirt without a pattern I assume you can figure out how long to make each layer.) For the middle layer multiply the width of the first layer (42”) by 1.5”. So that’s how wide the second layer is cut, 63”. For the third layer multiply 63”x1.5. You get the picture. (For the skirt on the bottom left I used my pinking blade so I could leave the raw edges showing. Loved it!)
 ruffled skirts 009ruffled skirts 003
  For the two layer skirt I think it turns out better to double the width of the first layer for the one ruffle. So again, for a 21” waist cut your first layer 42” wide and the second layer 82” wide.  I’m thinking I need to make myself one out of an irish handkerchief-weight linen or gauze-y cotton.  Hallie would rather wear a skirt anyday so I think I’ll make her a couple more. Nothing is better than summer. Nothing.

12 comments:

Ilene said...

It's like you are speaking Chinese.

Cynthia said...

is it bad that i laughed out loud when i read your comment ilene? some fellow sewers read my blog, hence the info. for the rest of you, it's just nice to see pics, right?

Nancey said...

Nice fabrics, and thanks for the #s. I've been "eyeing it" for too long. Happy happy summer.

Candy said...

holy crap those are cute! I want to steal that one with the raw edges, with the solid pink. and that ruffle foot is hilarious. it is quite the beast huh?
very very cute!
We need to catch up!

Anonymous said...

Ilene, your comment made me laugh out loud, too!

Cute skirts, Cyn!

Love,
Patty

Brittany & Barry said...

Too cute!!!

Debbie said...

Super cute. I would love a ruffle foot, since I, too, hate gathering stuff. You lucky little seamstress!

marymary said...

I hate gathering too, but I also can't quite figure out how to get everything to come out the right length with the gathering foot. Do you have any tips? Maybe yours isn't a decades old one from D.I. (hey, it works!) and you actually have detailed instructions that came with it to solve this problem. Hmmm.

Carolyn#2 said...

Those are so cute! I'm so jealous of your sewing machine and all it's contraptions. I pretty much have to stick to major basics with mine.

the five of us said...

Those are fantastic! Really cute. Thanks for the inspiration!

What on earth is a pinking blade? Going to google that right now! And a ruffler foot - ok, I'm going to buy one tonight - you just made my decision that much easier!

Beautiful fabrics, too!

the five of us said...

Ok - pinking blade - like a fiskars blade with the scalloped blade?

That really keeps the fray in check? Wow - love that idea!!!

sorry - re-commenting and taking up a spot!

J and S Garcia said...

Ohhhh I so want to go on a sewing spree now!!! To bad my machine is out of commission right now!!! My darling three year old did something to it and the tension is shot....off to the shop it goes!

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