Project: Ruffled Skirt

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Pattern for skirt purchased at Hobby Lobby

Hopefully you will notice something a bit different about my blog post today. I just finished sewing this skirt! I never dreamed that I would sew or that I would enjoy it as much as I do. My grandmother has some mad sewing skills. I thought it would be a shame if I didn't learn at least the basics of sewing from her. Last summer, we used this pattern to make the longer skirt with the pockets. That was my official crash course in sewing. I say this because we made the skirt in one day. My mind was spinning by the end of the day. I didn't know if I would ever even look at a sewing machine again.

Within the last month I have been inspired to sew by things that I have seen on Pinterest, my new obsession.



So I decided to make another skirt, but I wanted it to be different than the last. I definitely wanted the pockets gone. I had been looking at a skirt that I really liked that had a ruffle directly down the middle. I had no idea if I could actually do it or not, but I did, and nailed it on the first try.

I cut the pattern out as I was supposed to, except for the pockets. Before sewing the skirt together I decided to do the ruffle on the front piece of the skirt. It would be easier to do it that way and if I messed it up I wouldn't have to rip apart seams to cut another front piece. I cut the ruffle out using a rotary cutter and mat. I forget the exact dimensions, but I know the width was 7 inches. For the length, I measured the skirt length and multiplied that number by 3 for the ruffle. For ex: a 24 in skirt would need a 72 in long piece of fabric for a ruffle. Once my fabric was cut, I folded it down the middle, lengthwise, and ironed along the fold. Then I sewed in the loosest stitch possible on my machine down the ironed fold. When I got to the end I didn't sew-reverse-sew as I usually do. I left it free so that I could pull it in order to ruffle up my fabric. Did a lot of pulling and scrunching until the ruffle looked exactly the way I wanted it to look. Pinned it onto the center of my front piece and sewed a tight stitch directly down the middle. I hid the top of my ruffle underneath the waistband and the bottom hemmed up with the rest of the bottom of the skirt. Can't wait to wear this skirt!

I am still knitting, too! I have just been working on a baby blanket and it is taking me forever! Will post pictures as soon as I finish!

Happy Sewing and Knitting!