Sewing the Jean Flowers to the Jean Ruffled Skirt

Here is the skirt with no flowers.

12 flowers were added around the yoke of the skirt.

 

Notice how the flowers lie 2/3 on the yoke and 1/3 on top of the gathers of the first ruffle. Be sure your ruffle and gathers are pulled straight down under the flower.

 I used yellow-gold Jeans top-stitching thread that I bought at Hobby Lobby.  I also used a longer stitch length so the thread showed more.

Lastly, I decorated the flowers.

They really add a lot to the overall design.

Click HERE to go back to the main blog post on creating a Ruffled Jean Skirt.

Smiles,

Deborah

Sewing the Ruffles and Connecting Tiers to the Skirt Yoke

#1 Start by stitching the ends of each ruffle strip together to make one continuous circle of fabric. Finish the lower edge of each ruffle with a narrow hem –  turning the edge under ¼” and then another ¼”  Then, machine-stitch close to the second folded edge; this will form a 1/4" wide top-stitched hem. Press.

This shows the 1/4" wide top-stitched hem on 2 of the ruffles.

 Note: When I made the ruffles from a knit fabric, I used 1/2" wide top-stitched hems. This added weight kept the fabric from rolling.

#2  Sew the 2 pieces for each tier together at the side seams. Press open seams.

#3  Using a long machine stitch, sew a row of gathering stitches 1/2" from the upper edge on each ruffle. Gently draw up the gathers on the top ruffle, distributing the fullness evenly, so that the gathered edge measures the width of the lower edge of the jean top yoke. With right sides together and the side seam of the ruffle matching one of the side seams on the jean yoke, pin the lower edge of the yoke to the upper edge of the first gathered ruffle. Sew it with the gathered side up using a 1/2 inch seam.

See the different parts. Top black and white  Ruffle 1, then the Connecting Tier 1 section in the same fabric again. Next, the red Wimpy Kid Ruffle with black and white Connecting Tier 2.  Lastly, the black and white Wimpy Kid print which is the final Ruffle .

 #4  Adding the first tier.  Place the smaller width edge of Tier 1 over the ruffle seam you just sewed, matching  the side seams of the tier to the jean yoke.  Pin, and then sew with 1/2 " seam from the yoke side, so you see the previous stitching to allow you to stitch in the exact same place again.  This will encase the ruffle between the jean yoke and Tier 1.  Some seamstresses will suggest sewing  all 3 layers together at one time, but then you can't see your ruffles as you sew, so I do it in 2 steps. I want my gathers to be vertical and not pulled to the side.

#5  Gather Ruffle 2  and sew it to the bottom of  Connecting Tier 1.

#6  Sew Connecting Tier 2 to the bottom of Connecting Tier 1 and on top of the Ruffle 2.

#7  Gather Ruffle 3 and sew it to the bottom of Tier 2.

CONFESSION... I did so much gathering while sewing these 9 skirts that I decided to buy the Ruffler Attachment for my sewing machine. These are how the gathers look....pretty neat right.
 I RATIONALIZED the $60 purchase since I was "improving my sewing skills and trying new techniques..."


#8    Finish the seam allowances with either zig-zag stitches or serge them.

inside of skirt

Now you are ready to sew the flowers to the outside of the skirt along the lower yoke seam of the jean top.
Click Here to go back to the main blog post about sewing a Ruffled Jean Skirt. Smiles, Deborah

Using a Printable Step-by- Step Chart to Calculate How to Cut Out Your Ruffles and Connecting Pieces, Regardless of the Size of Skirt

Being a mathematician, I created a step-by-step guide to help you calculate how to cut out your ruffles and connecting pieces.

 

These 2 pages can be obtained from my Google Drive account by clicking HERE. 


      

Example of completed page

Example of completed page

So, now you can cut out all the needed ruffles and connecting tiers.

Click HERE to go back to the main blog post about sewing a Ruffled Jean Skirt.

Smiles,

Deborah

Recycled Ruffled Jean Skirt: Making the Flowers

This simple jean flower just makes my

recycled jean skirt come alive!

Using the leg portions of your jeans, trace simple 5 petal flowers and cut them out.

  To make them curl and distress the edge of the flower,

 launder them in the washing machine and dryer.  

This is what they look like when you take them out of the dryer.  Beware, for some reason these little flowers seem to disappear in my washer and dryer just like that elusive missing sock.  They turn up eventually, but I suggest cutting out 2 more than you need.

The size of the flower depends on the size of the skirt you are making. In each quarter of the skirt, I wanted 3 flowers to fill that space.

Notice in the above three photos how I decorated the flowers: mini-buttons, and french knots. Also while sewing the flowers to the skirt, part of the flower floats on top of the ruffle, and most of the flower is placed on the skirt yoke.  Some of the sewn lines are straight, and some of them are curved. I used "jeans thread", which is heavier top-stitching thread on most of my flowers, but the hedgehog skirt has white stitching to match the stitching on the original skirt.

This skirt has no center decoration and I did not launder the floweres...just pulled the edges of the flowers a bit so they frayed.

Hint:  If you decide to use french knots, embroider the flower before sewing it on the skirt.  I tried to just sew on the flowers and then add the french knots and ended up having to pull my needle through the fabric with

needle nose pliers.

Lastly, while the skirt with no flowers is cute, just compare it with the addition of just one flower.  How did I make that flower?  It decorated the legs of the original jeans, but this would be a great opportunity to use your embroidery machine to create some beautiful flowers.  Embroider them on the fabric from the legs of the jeans, and just cut them out and sew them on the skirt.  

Click HERE to back to the main blog post on sewing a Ruffled Jean Skirt.

Smiles,

Deborah

Recycled Ruffled Jean Skirt: Creating the Skirt Yoke

 Here is how to create the top yoke of your

 Recycled Ruffled Jean Skirt

1.  Cut open the inner seam on the jeans pants.

 Don't unpick the seam...just cut!

 2. Now unpick the stitches in the crouch seam, just below the zipper, in the front. Unpick the stitches in the back to just below the pocket bottoms. 

In this example, I left the curve in the center front seam below the zipper.

3.  Now. to create a flat yoke, overlap the top seam over the second side of the pants front. This seam can be left curved, or you can fold the edge under and straighten out the curved seam. You will be resewing this seam again with "jeans thread."  I bought my jean's thread at Hobby Lobby. It's a thicker top-stitching thread in the familiar golden yellow color.  

The process is the same on the pants front and pants back.

(I should have used a little longer stitch length on the example shown above.)

Pants Front.  Sewing from the zipper down.

4.  Next, I placed the pants on the ironing board so the fabric could lay flat.  I measured down from the waistband to calculate the widest yoke that I could obtain from that particular pant.

 This size Toddler 5 pants measurement was 6 3/4 inches.

5.  Using a deep purple marking pen, I marked that same measurement,  6 3/4 inches, all around the jean front and back. 

As you can see, that measurement went through the bottom of the pocket. Don't worry about the front or back pocket, because the first ruffle seam will encase the bottom of the pocket.

6.  Using the purple line as your guide, zig-zag around the pants front and back.  Then cut off the excess fabric below the zig-zag.  
In the two examples pictured above, the top jeans yoke is finished with a serged edge, and the bottom example has a zig-zagged edge. They both work well.

On this example, I straighten out the seam below the zipper and then resewed the seam.

Your yoke is now ready for the bottom ruffles.

Click HERE to go back to the main blog post on sewing a Ruffled Jean Skirt.
Smiles,
Deborah

Frozen Jean Skirt

On July 14th, I will be linking up to Simple Simon and Company to support their yearly campaign to make skirts for girls in foster care. This event is held each July and over 600 skirts were donated across the United States last year.

Here is a sample of the design that I will be blogging about:

My July 14th posting will show you step-by-step how to make this cute jean skirt and it' s many variations.

This particular skirt variation features a serged edge on the ruffles of the skirt. Wooly nylon thread was used on the rolled hem edge.

Click HERE to go to the main blog post I wrote about How To Sew the Ruffled Jean Skirt.
 

Smiles,
Deborah

Wooly nylon thread is a yarn-like thread that is textured and yet extremely soft. This thread is very different from normal soft threads because it is very strong and durable despite its softness. Since the thread is also textured, it makes for excellent embellishment and can also be used for finishing decorative products.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/about_6606918_wooly-nylon-thread_.html

Wooly nylon thread is a yarn-like thread that is textured and yet extremely soft. This thread is very different from normal soft threads because it is very strong and durable despite its softness. Since the thread is also textured, it makes for excellent embellishment and can also be used for finishing decorative products.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/about_6606918_wooly-nylon-thread_.html

Wooly nylon thread is a yarn-like thread that is textured and yet extremely soft. This thread is very different from normal soft threads because it is very strong and durable despite its softness. Since the thread is also textured, it makes for excellent embellishment and can also be used for finishing decorative products.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/about_6606918_wooly-nylon-thread_.html

Wooly nylon thread is a yarn-like thread that is textured and yet extremely soft. This thread is very different from normal soft threads because it is very strong and durable despite its softness. Since the thread is also textured, it makes for excellent embellishment and can also be used for finishing decorative products.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/about_6606918_wooly-nylon-thread_.html

Wooly nylon thread is made up of multiple filaments and therefore is extremely strong. Each of the filaments in the thread is crimped and, when they are joined together, the resulting strand has a lot of elasticity, as well as a ravel-free finish. The thread produces soft cloth which can stretch well due to the inherent quality of the thread

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/about_6606918_wooly-nylon-thread_.html

Polka-Dot Princess

Move over Scarlet O'Hara...

Using the shades pictured above....

 the

POLKA DOT PRINCESS DRESS was created for Miss G.

(These shades were in Miss G's room when she was an infant.)

Of course, we used the Kiki and Company's DIY Frozen Dress Pattern as our starting point, to create our submission for the Project Run and Play's June Challenge.

Miss G's top is made from white silk and features a Renaissance "G"  initial.

  As  side note... my daughter was vacationing in a friend's cabin the wilds of Minnesota when I called her to ask for my granddaughter's measurements.  She didn't have any measurement items like a tape measure or ruler at the cabin. Being an old math nerd, I suggested she measure my granddaughter with a dollar bill which is exactly 6 inches long...  I'm glad that my daughter loves me, because only I would ask her to 
 measure her daughter with dollar bills.  

 

The back of the top is closed by velcro.  Since my measurements were  close estimates, I decided to add 2 widths of velcro. Notice the soft velcro under the polka dot ribbon. That is where the train will be attached.

Sparkly polka dot train

The train bottom is curved, as suggested by Kiki.

The skirt of the princess dress needed to be "twirly," as requested by my granddaughter, Miss G,  so I gathered the skirt onto the waistband tube and then added the elastic in the waistband to gather it even more.
 

Polka Dot Princess top and skirt, headband crown, and train.

Of course, what princess outfit is complete without your headband tiara.

A smile never left my face, as I cut, created, and sewed this wonderful princess dress. 

 I love to re-purpose , recycle, and  "think out side of the box."

I hope you enjoy the finished dress as much as I do.

Leave a comment and share your thoughts with me.

Smiles, 

Deborah