It started with me wanting a shirt for Abby for Disney, while browsing thru Etsy I found one I loved. I figured I could make it. So we headed to JoAnn's and we found the perfect fabric. I cut out the Minnie head and sewed it to her shirt then I just pinned a hair bow to the shirt!
aint Minnie cute??
Then I wanted something for her to wear with it. So I did some searching and finally found out how to make one of those ruffle bottom skirts that was SO cute and such a great idea I couldn't resist. Go check out Make It and Love It for lots of other great cute sewing ideas!
You know how kids outgrow those jeans so fast it is sad? Well I have a great way to repurpose them.
First find the too short for her jeans.
Then I marked them where I wanted to cut them, which was a little below the zipper. Then cut across and zigzag stitch around the bottom of the new skirt.
Click on the pictures to make them bigger
now you have a skirt
Then you are gonna need to cut your fabric-a front piece and a back piece. To figure your length measure the width across the skirt then double that and add an inch for seams. I did mine at 27 just to be safe since I am no professional:) You will also need to decide how long you want your skirt to be. Measure your jean piece then figure how much fabric you need to add. Then you add 1 1/2in. for seams. I didn't have a big piece of fabric so I just halved mine and hoped for the best:)I think mine were about 5 3/4in. each.
so we have 2 pieces 27 inches long by 5 3/4 inches wide.
Then I put the two pieces right sides together and sewed up the short ends moved over a bit and sewed it again.
now these next steps I forgot to take a picture so use your imagination.
I folded the long edge over on both the top and bottom about 1/4in. ironed and then another 1/4in. and ironed again. Then I sewed it down, this is your top and bottom seam.
At this point you should have what looks like a big circle with a finished edge on both the top and bottom.
Now to make it ruffled. Turn your dial up to the longest straight stitch; stitch across the top front leave the ends of the thread long, stitch across the top back and again leave the end of the thread long.
Next will help you to line your fabric pieces back up on the jean piece. Place pins at the sides, the center front and the center back of your fabric. Do this to your jean piece also.
Back to the ruffle-Take that thread you left long grab the top thread and pull, ever so gently, you don't want to break the thread.
Do this on both ends, the fabric will gather just slide it along the thread til it is the width you need. Do this on the back side also.
Once it is the right width pin it to the jean piece. Line up your pins, then I pinned the center front and center back, then I lined up the edge seams and pinned there.
At this point you can mess with the ruffle to even it up. Once it is to your liking pin it all around the jean piece.
Sew it on being careful to not mess up the ruffles you just created. Cut all those pesky pieces of thread and now you have a completely SUPER cute skirt that in my case matches that SUPER cute shirt I made earlier in the day. Yep I got both done in one day, if I were a better at sewing it would have taken me no time at all, but I am not and I am a wee bit slow. I figure though working off and on for one day to get this done is well worth it!!
Can't you just picture her looking SO freaking cute at Animal Kingdom?? Oh I can't wait!
