Simple Sassy Summer Skirt

I'm loving the ruffles!  So cute and feminine and so summery.

If you love ruffles too, check out my ruffled summer bag by clicking here.

Several people have asked for directions for this

simple and sassy summer skirt-SSSS.

I have shown 3 variations.  Following the basic directions you can make

any number of variations.

All of these are Moda fabrics designed by my good friend Lila Tueller.

You can catch her blog by clicking here.  She has some great patterns too.

My friend Barb who has sewn skirts from Lila's fabrics call her skirts

her "happy skirts" because the fabrics are so fun.

Directions:

1.  Measure your hips and add 4 inches.  This will make it so the skirt

is wide enough to get on and to sit down in.

2.  Measure from your waist to where you want the body of the skirt to end.

I made mine 20 inches long. 

3.  Add 1 1/2 inches to this last measurement to allow for the

casing for the elastic and any trimming of the serger.

You should now have a length of 21 1/2 (longer or shorter if desired )

and a width of your hips plus 4 inches.

4.  Cut a piece of fabric measuring this, i.e. 21 1/2 x 39

5.  Sew up one side seam.  Press and turn right sides out.

6.  Serge the top and bottom to finish the raw edges.

7.  Turn down the casing for the elastic on the top edge - I used

1 inch elastic, so I made the casing 1 1/4 inches wide.

8. Sew the casing, leaving room to insert the elastic.

9.  Measure the elastic.  Most people are wearing it down a little

on their hips.  You can always adjust the elastic.

10.  Insert the elastic using a large bobby pin or safety pin.

11.  Sew the ends of the elastic together.

12. Try the skirt on before closing the hole so that you can adjust

the elastic if needed.

13.  Sew the casing closed.

14.  I usually stitch across the elastic at the seam and half way

around the skirt now so the elastic won't roll.

15.  Decide how many ruffles you want on your skirt and how deep they will be.

I chose 4 inch ruffles. 

16.  Measure your ruffles and cut.  You will want them to be twice

what the width of the skirt is, i.e. 39 inches times 2 is 78 inches, by the 4

inches in width. So cut one or two ruffles 78 inches x 4 inches.

17.  Serge the top and bottom of the ruffles and sew the ends together, right

sides together.

18.  Sew a gathering stitch around the top of each ruffle.  Mark it in fourths. 

Mark your skirt in fourths.

Pull up the gathering stitch and pin it on top of the skirt, matching the pins

that mark it into fourths.

19.  Sew the ruffle onto your skirt.

20.  Add a flower pin if you want.

Voila!

You have a fun new summer skirt.  These took me about an hour to make.

This skirt had a 6 inch panel of coordinating fabric added,

so I cut the skirt 15 1/2 x 39 inches.  I used one ruffle on this skirt.

If you want to learn how to make this cute flower click here.

On this skirt I made two ruffles, adding the top one 3 1/2 inches above

the bottom one, so they slightly overlap to cover the seam.

I mark that with a pen and draw a line which gets covered up

by the stitching.  That way your top ruffle goes on straight.

On this skirt I made two ruffles like the previous skirt, each 4 inches.

When I finished, I added a 1 1/2 inch ruffle that the edge is left

unfinished on and is sewn on down the middle.  This one is about 4 times

the fullness rather than the normal 2 times the fullness.  I just start at the seam

and keep overlapping the ends until the you come back around to the seam.

Have fun, let me know what you design.

Yes, that is a purple iron, every girl should have one!

Lovin' Purple

I will be posting this on Just Something I Whipped Up

and

Sunday Showcase.