Fanciful Fringe Skirt Made Easy - Using My Own Fringemaker

This week I'm on a fringe project kick, thanks to my new fringe making abilities.  On Wednesday I shared how I've learned to use the My Own Fringemaker® tool and how I can now turn any string, ribbon or yarn into gorgeous fringe.  Today I'm showing how to make extra long, 12 inch fringe with it and how to turn that into a Fanciful Fringe Skirt in just minutes.  

Why Make A Fringe Skirt?

With a pair of shorts underneath, this little skirt makes an everyday outfit look way more fun.

It's got a nice bit of sway - perfect for doing the hula:

And plenty of movement for pretty twirls:

It's also great for dance class, costumes and playing dress-up.  The looks change depending on what type of ribbon you use.  Green raffia makes a great Hawaiian grass skirt, silky strands a perfect for a 1920s flapper, metallic or variegated to make fun fairy looks. Lots more options and way cheaper than buying fringe by the yard or ready-made skirts.  And by using the fringe's header as a casing, there's no complicated waistband to sew. Beyond easy!

Added bonus: the elastic waistband means it's easy for kids to put on & take off too.

Materials:

- Skein of ribbon or yarn (1 should be plenty - exactly how much depends on the thickness) 

- My Own Fringemaker® tool (foam noodle & tulle is included)

- Sewing machine

- Shears

- 1/4 inch wide elastic and safety pin

I got this spool of metallic tie-dye ribbon with the My Own Fringemaker.  I thought this would be perfect for a fairy-style fringe skirt:

The technique to getting the extra long fringe length uses a pool noodle on the bottom rod of the My Own Fringemaker.  A perfectly sized foam noodle was included with the tool, so it was super easy to just slip it on the bottom rod and start working.  I started by knotting the ribbon on the top rod at one end and then winding my ribbon on as I did with my previous fringe projects:

I made sure to cinch up & wrap the strands close together as I wanted to make it nice & full. I used the built-in ruler on the My Own Fringemaker base to get it the exact width I wanted - 24 inches - and then tied it off when ready.  

To easily sew it up, and create the waistband casing, I placed a piece of tulle over the top fold and held it in place with the tool's elastic band:

Then I removed the rod unit from the base and it was time to sew it up with a zipper foot (while everything is still on the rods).  

About 6 overlapping passes is just right to make sure every strand is strongly sewn down in place:

Time to cut!  My daughter is 5 and I wanted it to fall at her knees, so I carefully cut the ribbon on one side just under the stitching (cutting further away would make it shorter):

The ribbon fringe simply fell away from the noodle covered rod in perfectly even pieces.  Then I trimmed off the excess tulle from either side to neaten things up.

Now there's a nice, extra long fringe that's ready to be made into a skirt in a hot second. This could be sewn onto fabric or a ready-made skirt to simply add a fringe top layer, but thanks to ithe built-in casing, it can be made into it's own skirt:

I cut a piece of elastic to the waist size I wanted - my daughter was 22 inches.  I used a safety pin to snake the elastic through the casing.  I found it was easiest to put the safety pin right up to the rod and pull the fringe off the rod and directly onto the elastic.  I made a second 24 inch wide piece, following all the previous steps, to get the fullness we wanted.

One half of the skirt

All that was left was to overlap and stitch together the ends of the elastic and then evenly spread the waistband to conceal it.

Now it's ready to add a little dazzle to any outfit:

And little legs can't help but dance & prance while wearing it:



Now I'm combing my stash looking for more fun materials to fringe up into skirts.  What kind would you make?



I was not financially compensated for this post.  I received the My Own Fringemaker® tool to review.  The opinions are completely my own, based on my experience.  For my complete disclosure policy, click here. 

DIY Pattern: Crochet Lace Layered Skirt Tutorial

Crochet lace is making a big reappearance on the fashion front this summer.  I like it because it can be both casual and dressy just by changing what you wear with it.  Pair it with a dressy top & jewelry for a night out or just a breezy t-shirt for a lazy day with the kids. I wanted to make something colorful with an overlay of crochet lace and came up with this Crochet Layered Skirt.  The best part is no purchased pattern required!!

This is also a great way to add some bright colors to your wardrobe without feeling like a neon sign. The overlay softens the color and adds some nice texture:

Here's how to make one...

Materials:
- Colorful lining fabric (this could be something silky or just plain cotton)*
- Crochet lace fabric 
- 1/4 inch wide double fold bias tape
- 1 inch wide, no-roll elastic
- Paper, pencil, yard stick, tape measure
- Sewing notions (pins, matching thread, safety pin or bodkin)

* Exactly how much fabric you'll need depends on desired the length and size of your skirt.  I'm about a size 4 and wanted mine to be 18 inches long, so about 5/8yd was enough.

For my lining I used some scraps of peachy-pink vintage fabric leftover from a dress my mom had made years ago.  It was some sort of synthetic with a silky sheen and a little bit of stretch.  On it's own it would have been a bit too much as a primary fabric, but it was perfect as the under layer for this skirt.  Don't be afraid to try a color or fabric outside your usual comfort zone!

To start, we'll need to make a paper pattern based on measurements.  It's quick & easy - I promise!  Start by taking a hip measurement and deciding on your skirt length.

To calculate the waist, take your hip measurement and add 4 inches (this is seam allowance + ease), then divide by 4.  So for a 34 inch hip, the measurement would be 9 1/2 inches. Make a mark on the edge of the paper and this number of inches to the right of the edge.  

Then mark 1/2 inch above the outer marking: 

Next, connect the edge mark and top mark with a curved line to create the waist (a design ruler can make this super easy, you can find more info on those here).

Take the desired length measurement and add 3 inches for the waistband and mark this far down from the waist.  Use a yard stick to make and flare out as much or as little as desired from the outer edge.  Cut out and your new, custom fit, skirt pattern is ready to use.

Now cut out two pairs of skirts - one from the lining, the other from the crochet lace.  Each piece will need to be cut on the fold.  I stuck a pin through the wrong sides of my lace since it can be tricky to see which side is which after you've cut off the selvage.

With right sides facing, stitch together the side seams of each pair with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.  

On my lining I just trimmed my raw edge with pinking shears since that fabric was no-fray.  I trimmed and then did a short zig-zag over the edge of the lace to keep that from fraying.  I'd show it, but it's impossible to see the thread through the lace (which is good since it makes the seams pretty hidden).

Now pull both skirts right side out and place the crochet lace over the lining and pin at the waist.  Baste all the way around 1/4 inch from the edge.

Time to do the waistband!  Since my lining fabric was vintage scraps, I wasn't sure how iron-friendly it was to press the waistband folds & didn't want to risk ruining it.  I measured 3 inches down from the edge and drew a line all the way across each side with my disappearing pen.  

Then I folded the raw edge down 1/2 inch by hand and then folded down again to the marked pin and pinned.  

I stitched all the way around, 1/4 inch from the fold edge, and left a 1 inch gap to snake my elastic through (using a safety pin on one end).  Then I overlapped & stitched the elastic ends together, then stitched the gap closed.

To finish off the hem I kept it simple.  Since the lining won't fray I left it raw.  It's underneath so it's not noticeable.  For the crochet overlay I used some cream colored 1/4 inch wide double fold bias tape.  I worked slowly to make sure the lace was well and truly encased all the way around.  

I really like how it looks and it also gives a nice effect so the skirt's folds flare slightly instead of just hang straight down.  By changing the length, flare of skirt, lace style and lining color you can make loads of different versions.  Summer fashions sorted!

I'm also sharing this project with my FAVE LINK PARTIES.

Click HERE to check them out!

Sewing for Myself: Book Review For Sew What! Skirts

A few weeks ago I declared I was going to start sewing for myself.  Making the kinds of things I wanted to wear and actually would.  No more finishing something, hating it, and putting it straight in the back of the closet.  

Today's effort is a sassy little skirt just in time for the upcoming 4th of July festivities.  It's a Fitted Waist A-Line Skirt from the book Sew What! Skirts: 16 Simple Styles You Can Make with Fabulous Fabrics by Francesca DenHartog.

This is also the book I used to make this elastic waisted, full skirt a while back:

This book is great for so many reasons.  First, it's perfect for someone new to sewing (or just new to sewing women's clothing).  It gives you a lot of good foundation info and explains why and how to use   zippers, waistbands, facings - all the things that usually scare people away.  It also teaches you how to sew skirts without a pattern - just using your measurements and easily drafting up what's needed.  And it gives a lot of good tips for variations on the styles so you can change up the looks or get creative with your own ideas.


The one thing I wish there was more of is pictures of the finished items from all sides.  Each skirt has a front image of just the skirt, unworn, and one modeled shot.  And for most of the shots on an actual person it's taken from the side, out of focus, sitting down or, weirdly enough, in motion, so it's hard to see how it actually looks on someone.  Not exactly helpful for visualizing or selecting the most flattering styles for your body type.

The skirt design I used was called East Meets West and calls for using two colorful prints.  I thought these prints from the Red, White & True Blue collection by Karen Snyder were perfect for this design.  They have a fun 1940's USO-style vibe to them.  This is my best retro pin-up look (I know I'm horrible at posing for the camera, please don't laugh):

The design calls for a side zipper, which was pretty easy to install.  Until recently I always thought zippers were a pain and shied away from them, but after making this, and a few other things recently, zippers are my new best friend.  Especially for wearables since they give a more fitted and professional look than any other closure can.

The waistband for this style is just a simple strip of double fold bias tape so that adds a nice and very easy finish.  I was in a bit of a rush and completely forgot the book's advice to try it on before sewing in the zipper or waistband.  This is key for a fitted waist so you can easily take in the sides, add darts or trim downward if things are a little loose or too tight.  So I discovered after-the-fact that it gaped a bit at the waist.  Doh!  I had to taken in just the one side a bit to fix it up, so it's not the best fit ever, but I know better for next time.

One last thing I wanted to point out was how I finished where the fabrics met.  The design called for stitching a ribbon on top, but it seemed like gilding the lily to add more, so I just topstitched with my twin needle using blue thread on the blue fabric & red on the red stars for a nice, subtle detail.  Overall I'm pretty pleased and can't wait to create some more skirts!

Sharing this with my FAVE LINK PARTIES too-

Click HERE to check them out!

Flirty Skirty Ends the Mommy Clothes Rut

Hey Craft Lovers!  Less than a week to go until CraftShare begins. I'm excited to share what I've been learning and see what good ideas you have to share too. There are some really great guest posters lined up as well, so there's loads of good fun coming!  Join in on the fun & spread the word by grabbing the CraftShare button.  Our first topic will be Laminated Cotton. Projects, tips, tutorials & more and remember to add any photos of things you've made with laminated cotton to the CraftShare Flickr group to show off your handiwork:)

Now on to my latest project.  Improvements to my summer wardrobe have been desperately needed.  Having been pregnant last summer means there's not a lot of properly fitting stuff in the ol' closet and I've fallen into the trap of the "Mommy Clothes Rut":  t-shirts, jeans, plain shorts and boring shoes.  Practical, but ugh in the style department.  With the warm weather finally here, I'm determined to break out of the blah with some flirty, girly clothes.  I finally tried out a book I got for Christmas called Sew What! Skirts that gives loads of techniques & design ideas for skirts.  Here's my first item:

Design-wise it's nothing fancy, just a full skirt with an elastic waist, but this fabric doesn't need an intricate shape to look pretty, so why gild the lily?  I do love making stuff, but sometimes I have to wonder when I see other blogs spend HOURS on lots of intricate assembling for everyday shirts or skirts.  I can appreciate the skills & effort put in, but when you've got several kids to chase after, is it worth it to spend several hours or even days on lots of pieces or tricky stitch work when it's just going to get ice cream, hose water or sand spilled on it?

My solution is to cut some time crunch corners: find a basic shape that looks good and let the cuteness of fabric do the work.  This took about $7 of fabric + $1 of elastic, an hour's worth of time and the result will work for a night out or a day at the beach.  And if it's introduced to some chocolate ice cream or some misplaced sunscreen, I won't mind;)