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

Girlie-Girl Ruffled Top and Skirt

Girlie-Girl

Adjective: Adding ruffles, lace, ribbon, tulle, soft colors, and combining those elements for a feminine feel

Adapted Summer Chevron Shirt into
Girlie Girl Ruffled Top, Skirt, and Headband

Rick rack over back yoke seam with fabric loops slit opening

 
This is my third submission to the May Challenge at Project Run and Play.

(I just couldn't help myself as ideas just kept running though my head  of ways to adapt this pattern.)  

When I made the Stripes and Flounces shirt, I created changes in the original pattern that kept the center front of the shirt flat, but added flared out flounces in the back and front sides.  So I used this same idea, but left the rounded cut-outs flat and filled them with ruffles on both the side front and lower back of the shirt.

Light Pink Tulle

Toile Print Ribbon  

Eyelet Lace

Rosebud Gauze Fabric

White Batiste with ribbons,rickrack, and tucks 

gently rounded side front cut-out

This shirt is completely lined with a soft white knit fabric from Riley Blake.  Why?  My granddaughter has super sensitive skin issues (eczema) and I knew that all those ruffle layers rubbing her skin would not be comfortable for her.

 The last ruffle on the shirt goes completely around the shirt and is attached to the knit lining.

 The top of the skirt, that touches Miss C's waist, is made from this soft knit also.  I've learned that when you sew a garment for someone you must consider both
 the beauty of the design and the comfort of the feel.

And lastly... add a bit of frosting to the outfit.

  

Smiles,
Deborah 
P. S.   The sewing lesson with Miss E and Me on Friday will be about adding a gathered ruffle.

French Pups Short Set

French Pups Short Set

Using the free pattern shown on the left, Summer Chevrons Shirt by The Crafty Cupboard, this is my second submission to the May Challenge at Project Run and Play.

 I love the creative freedom of playing around with a pattern more than one time.

Some of the changes that I made to the design were:
1) On the first top, I added a bit more length above the waistline elastic to give it more ease and poof. I also wanted the elastic to fall in the polka dotted area of the material so the lines of stitching would be more invisible.

2) Sleeveless instead of the flutter sleeves. By the way, my sensitive skin granddaughter did not like the first sewing of the sleeve area with it's double fold bias tape finish...it was too "itchy."  So I took it apart and used a satin bias tape that lays flat on the inside of the garment.  That smooth surface made it "un-itchy" for her.
3) Knit iron-on interfacing in the back slit opening was added for extra stability.

4) I love the Michael Miller fabric, "French Pups." 

  So I was very careful in the layout of my pattern on the fabric to get pups that were not cut-off or cut-in-half. I traced the pattern onto this Pellon Tru Grid Tracing Material that is a see through non-woven fabric.  Using it made it easy to line up the pups correctly to get the design effect that I was looking for in the finished garment. 

5)  I made a second top from a women's extra large knit shirt that I found at a neighborhood garage sale.  It looked brand new, and I couldn't wait to recycle it. I cut it apart and used the Summer Chevron Pattern to cut out the shirt front. Then I cut out the shirt back with a higher neckline . I also placed the fold on the third  stripe to allow extra fabric at the center back,  which I sewed into a box pleat. Lastly, I cut the hemline shorter in the front and much longer in the back.

6)  I added patch pockets to the back of the shorts.  Here is a tutorial on making the patch pockets from Miss E and Me.

7) The shorts have 1 inch wide elastic in the waistband.  Notice the added panel to the front of the shorts.

 Smiles,
Deborah and my girls

Sewing with Miss E and Me: Patch Pockets

Here's our Friday Sewing Lesson with Miss E and Me.

Here is an easy way for a beginner sewer to make patch pockets.

The ruler is in the photo to show you that the first pocket is laying on top of the fabric.

 1. Cut out one pocket. To cut out another pocket exactly the same, lay the first pocket on top of the fabric and match the pattern. Pin, and cut out.

 2. Pin the pockets on a piece of lining fabric.
 Sew all around the pocket using a 1/4 inch seam.

 Now, cut out the pocket and lining material.

 

3. Cut a small slit in the lining fabric only.

 4. Turn the pocket gently right side out through the slit. Press the pocket. Next get out some Wonder Under.

 5.  Place the Wonder Under inside the pocket through the slit.  Make sure the slit edges are close together, and then iron to melt the Wonder Under and seam the slit closed.

6.  Topstitch any decorative stitching on the pocket, and then pin to garment.  Sew around 3 edges of the pocket, back-stitching at the beginning and end of the pocket. 

Smiles,

Miss E and Me