Skirts Requested

 This past weekend was spent with a visit to see two of my nieces. 

I needed new measurements for both of them, 

so I had to smile when the oldest pulled out a paper with         

a drawing of angels & hearts for me to use.  

These little drawings always make me smile later on in the week when I go back to check on their measurements that I had written down.  I really need to make a quilted wall hanging out of all these little drawings and measurements!

The request this time was "SKIRTS!".  

I'm sorry, but to be exact it was "SKIRTS, not like one but like more than two!"  

Thankfully I had been sorting through my fabric stash and found quite a few yards that would work.  

Four down...a few more to go! 

 Their requests were "PUPCAKES!"  

"Yeah, cupcakes...wait no, OWLS!"

I was lucky enough to find both on one print.  

 I like to use my RO's tags to mark the back of the skirts for them.  It's also handy to leave a little opening into the elastic waistband area, so you can adjust the size of the elastic as they grow! 

A little applique and it's a cute outfit! 

You don't really need a pattern to create these type of skirts.  

There are so many tutorials, youtube video's, or DIY links online to help you out. 

What do I do? 

Here are the basics:

1. Measure their waist & from waist to knee. 

2. Cut out your pieces, making sure you add for your seam allowances, hems etc. I cut-out on the fold of the fabric, using the full width of the fabric.  So far for my nieces sizes, this fits perfect.  (this also gives you only one side seam to sew up).  The waistband piece I cut out 2- 3" wider than their waist, width depends on your taste for the skirt!

3. Sew the hem first. I usually double this piece/fold in half so that it shows the "right side" on the underside of the skirt a bit.  Very cute for the girls who like to twirl!

4. Do a french seam up the side seam.

5. Sew the waistband into a circle, leaving a small opening for the size of your elastic.   Gather the top of the skirt and pin along one edge of the waistband (checking to make sure that the hole for the elastic insertion is on the correct side).

6. Sew skirt to waistband.  Trim, press the seams, all that stuff.  Fold under the top of the waistband, fold in half and press again.  Sew up your waistband.  

7. Insert your elastic into the hole you left.  

8. There you made a skirt!