halloweenie stripey skirt with ruffle

i challenged myself this week... i decided to make a new skirt for every work day...

so far i have done so and i have 1 day left (i really should be sewing now instead of blogging haha)

so yesterday i decided to make another elastic waistband pencil skirt (like my blue anchor one but with double the ruffle) and i took pictures for a tutorial as promised.

without further adieu... here's my new skirt

i marked my pattern with my tailor's chalk...

i took  my widest measurement around my bottom then added 2 inches (for seam allowance and ease of movement)

then cut a pattern that is as wide as your measurement and as long as you would like your skirt

i then measured my waist  and added 2 inches

then next step is the math and drafting. you subtract your waist from your widest measurement then divide by 2. example: there was a 6 inch difference for me, divided by 2 is 3 inches

so on EACH side of the width from the rectangle you just cut, mark 3 inches in. then grab a yardstick and draw a straight line from your 3 inch marks to the corner below it.

cut the excess off and you should have a trapezoid to your measurements...

you will use 2 trapezoids and then cut for the ruffle. i cut a 5 inch ruffle twice the length of the bottom of skirt

THE WIDER SIDE IS THE TOP HEM AND THE SKINNIER SIDE IS THE BOTTOM HEM

i had to cut 2 pieces to achieve the length of the ruffle

pins the skirt wrong sides together

sew up the sides and trim the excess

iron the seam to the side

then turn right sides together and iron seams flat

sew up the sides again then iron them flat

to see how i do my top hem inserting the elastic and bottom hem see tutorial here

DO NOT SEW BOTTOM HEM YET, just iron appropriately

now for the ruffle... first i sewed the 2 pieces together and ironed the seam flat

then fold the ruffle in half lengthwise right sides together and iron

to create the gathers for your ruffle you will want to sew using a straight stitch of the lonngest length. (my machine has a gathering foot so i put that attachment). sew the whole length of the ruffle.

you will then have to work it a bit to make it a true ruffle. hold the bottom stitch and manipulate the fabric in towards the center. slow and gentle so you do not break the stitches.

you want to make it so it is 2 inches longer than the bottom hem.

once you have it the length you want, use a tool to turn right sides out.

iron the ruffle to bring  the seam to the top and make it less of a tube. pin the ruffle to the bottom hem, right sides together.

sew the ruffle to the bottom hem. when you get to the open sides you will fold one side an inch in and then insert the unfolded one into the tube. sew down to secure them.

iron the hem flat as you can down

bask in your glory =D

fuuuuuuu fuuuuuuuuu

 now off to make a skirt for tomorrow... this week was sewwwww busy making a skirt a night but it was a fun challenge...