GIRLS JERSEY SKIRT
This is a quick and easy jersey skirt to make. It is made from two pieces of fabric. (As I was cutting this from a cardigan, I had to cut two bits of fabric for each piece and join them together to get the correct size.) When cutting your jersey fabric make sure the direction of the 'stretch' goes around the body.
First measure around the waist. The first piece of fabric is the waistband. The size to cut is 3/4 length of your waist measurement x 6 inches (This gives a waistband depth of 3 inches, if you want your waistband wider or thinner, just adjust accordingly.)
Next measure from the top of your waistband to the knee. The second piece is for the skirt. The width should be 2 - 2.5 times (depending on how gathered you want your skirt) the waist measurement. Calculate the length of your skirt piece by taking away the waistband length, then add 1 inch for seams. (So in my case, Daisy's measurement was 11 inches from waist to knee. So I cut this piece 9 inches long (11 - 3 + 1)
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| 1. Pull thread to create gathers |
1. Put the machine on the longest stitch length and sew a line of straight stitches along the top of the skirt piece. (Do not back stitch). Pull the thread to gather the fabric - it's easier if you gather from each end. Gather the fabric until it matches the length of your waistband piece. Adjust the gathers so they are spaced evenly along the length.
(Ignore the overcasting stitches on the top of my pieces of fabric - I was going to make a skirt where the top edge would be exposed, but changed my design half-way through!)
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| 3. Pin pieces together |
2. Fold the waistband piece along the long length and press in place.
3. Pin the top of your skirt piece to your waistband piece (at the long open side). Right side to right side.
4. Using a stretch zig zag stitch, sew along 1/2 inch from the edge. Unpick the gathering thread. Overcast the raw edges if you want a neat finish!
5. Sew up the side seam.
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| 6. Overcast bottom edge in same or contrasting colour. |
6. Using a stretch stitch on your maching, overcast the bottom edge to finish.
HESSIAN TOTE BAG
2 pieces of hessian 18 x 23 inches for the bag, 2 pieces 4 x 25 inches for the handles - although you could make this bag any size you want. I halved the bag measurements for Daisy's bag.
Turn under and press 1/4 inch and then a further 4 inch along the top edge, pin and stitch the hem. Repeat with the other side. Pin the pieces right sides together (I inserted a little bit of ribbon, pointing inwards to create a 'label'). Stitch a seam around 3 sides. Zig-zag, or overstitch, the raw edges of the seams. Turn right side out and press.
To make the handles, turn in 1/4 inch along all sides of your handle piece, then fold in half lengthways. Press, pin and stitch. Pin the handle to the bag front, about 4 inches in from the sides of the bag and even with the stitching on the bag hem. Stitch in place. Repeat for the other handle on the back of the bag. Voila - you have a lovely natural tote bag!
Leave it plain, or embellish it however you like - with motifs, ribbons, buttons, flowers...
For mine, I made two flowers from wired ribbon. For each flower, take a 28 inch length of wire ribbon (whatever width you like - mine was 2.5mm). From one of the edges, pull out the wire, making sure you are holding it secure at the other end! As you pull the wire, one side of the ribbon will gather up and just shape it into a spiral. I then used a few stitches to hold it in place. To hide the raw edge of your ribbon at the top of your flower spiral, I pushed then end of the ribbon through the centre of the flower and secured it with a couple of stitches at the back of the flower. Stitch onto your bag. I then sewed a little button into the centre of the flower - you could use beads if you prefer.
For Daisy's bag, I used a decorative embroidery stitch on my machine and sewed along a length of muslin. I then attached this to the front of the bag - before I had attached the front piece of the bag to the back. Easy peasy.
SHIRRED PILLOWCASE DRESS
This is just an adaptation of the 'standard' pillowcase dress below.
1. Measure your child from a couple of inches below the shoulder (where the top of the dress will lie) to the knee. There is no need to add on a hem allowance.
2. Lay out your pillowcase and measure from the opening end up and cut straight across, to create a tube of fabric.
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| Step 4 |
3. Cut the armholes - same as step 3 below.
4. Double fold and press the raw edges at the arm holes - do not pin in place. Unfold the armholes again. You will use the middle fold line as your guide and to where to start and finish your line of shirring.
5. Double fold and press the raw edge at the top edge (only down by 1/4 inch), front and back. Pin and stitch in place.
6. Now for the shirring! Hand wind your elastic thread onto your machine bobbin. Not too loose, but NOT tight! Using your top hem as a guide, and starting on the middle crease of the arm hole (see step 4 above) stitch along the top of the dress, about 1/4 inch down, until you reach the middle crease of the other arm hole. Remember to stitch with the right side of your fabric facing up (you want the shirring elastic on the 'wrong' side of your fabric.
7. This first line of shirring should have gathered slightly. (If it hasn't, check your tension, or your bobbin may have been wound too loose). As you add more lines, it will gather up more. Stitch as many lines as you like - I stitched 7 on the front about 1/4 inch apart, 5 on the back slightly further apart.
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| Step 8 |
8. Now for all the loose ends. Make any adjustments to your 'gathers' by pulling gently on the elastic thread - DON'T pull it too hard or your thread will break. You don't want this. Ask me how I know. Once you are happy gather all the threads at one end together and tie them in a knot. Lay them down the edge of the arm hole.
9. Now double fold your arm hole again, following your crease lines, encasing the thread ends in the fold. Stitch the arm hole. I used two lines of stitching to ensure I had secured all the threads. Do the same with the other side.
10. Make straps by cutting two lengths of fabric. Fold both long edges into the middle, iron, then fold in half and stitch along the long edge to close. You will have to try the dress on your child to decide on the length of the straps, then simply stitch onto your dress.
SUMMER PILLOWCASE DRESS
This is such an easy dress to make and can be made to fit all girl ages. You could shorten it to a top if a pillowcase is too short for you!
1. Meaure your child from about an inch below the shoulder to where you want the hem to lie, ie above the knee, on the knee.
2. Lay your pillowcase out and measure up from the opening end and mark your measurement, adding on 1 inch. The open end of the pillowcase will be your bottom hem. Cut straight across the top of your pillowcase at your marked measurement. This will give you a tube of fabric, now open at both ends.
3. Now for the arm holes. At your top edge, measure 2 inches in from each side of the pillowcase and 3 inches down the side of the pillowcase. Draw a straight line and cut of the triangular piece of fabric.
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| Step 3 |
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| Step 4 (although I have only folded the raw edge down once. Fold twice for a neat edge! |
6. Fasten a safety pin to the end of your ribbon and thread through the front and back channel.7. As the ribbon now creates your shoulder straps, you will need to try the dress on your child at this point so you can decide how long your ribbon needs to be. Pin the ribbon together and sew the ends together. Pull the ribbon so that the join is encased with the channel and can't be seen.
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| The finished dress |
There are lots of different ways you could create the shoulder straps - you could thread elastic through the channel, pull to the desired effect and stitch in place, then add seperate shoulder straps. I decided just to use the ribbon, as it was quick and easy!
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