Pleated skirt

Sunday afternoon I made Sweet pea a new skirt. I wanted to make her a pleated one with some corduroy I had bought a couple of weeks ago. It did take over an hour to make because the pleats were time consuming.

To make you will need (for a size 6-12 months):

*piece of fabric cut to 4 3/4" x 25 1/2" (17" waist x 1.5), for waist band
*piece of fabric cut to 76 1/2" x 7 1/2", bottom of skirt to be pleated

* piece of 3/4" elastic 17 long" (size of her waist)

Sew with 1/4" seam allowance

***this is how I figured out how much fabric I needed for the pleats; I wanted to make the pleats 2" and it takes 4" of fabric to make 2" pleats. (2" in front and 2" in the back and 1" of fabric in between. You can see better what I am talking about in the photo below. Notice the bottom of the pleats it is easier to see.) The waist band measurement (25 1/2") divied by 2" (equials 12 3/4"). The placement of the pleats is every 2". Take the divided by number then (in my case 12 3/4") x it by 4" (every pleat takes 4" of fabric) equials 51". Add together the waist band width (25 1/2") and the number for the how much fabric we need for the pleats (51") = 76 1/2". ***

Step 1. I first hemmed the bottom of the fabric that is to be pleated (73 1/2" x 7 1/2"), press it under 1/4" then 1" then stitch in place.

Step2. Find the middle of the fabric that was just hemmed. That is where you are going to start making your pleats. From the center point measure out 1" from left side mark with stait pin, measure out 1" from right side of center and mark with strait pin. This will be the inside of the center pleat. Next measure out 2" from right side of marked place with the strait pin. Fold the 2" in half to make a 1" pocket, press and pin in place. Repeat to left side. First pleat done.

Now to make pleats to run down both sides of the center pleat. Measure out 2" from the right center of the first pleat, mark. Measure out another 2" fold under to create 1" pocket. (see picture above) Press and pin in place. Repeat to other side to form second pleat. Continue down right side until you reach the end. Then you will do the same by working on the left side of the center pleat. (there will be about 3" of fabric at both ends that will be pleated to allow for sewing the back seam.)

Step 3. run a strait stitch over the top of the pleats to baste into place, pulling out the strait pins as you go.

Step 4. with right sides together, pin the top of the pleated fabric to the waist band. stitch in place. Press open.

step 5. with right sides together, pin the back seam toghether and stitch. press open. (see picture above.)


step 6. Make casting for elastic waist band. Press down a 1/4" then down 1", pin in place. Sew with leaving a 1" space open to thread elastic through. Run elastic through with a strait pin, then sew both ends of elastic toghether. Tuck into casting, pining in place. Last sew up 1" opening and it's done!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. :)

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Gigggles, Glitz & Glam

I am thankful for

my boys!

God has blessed my husband and I with three wonderful sons. They keep us on our toes but most of all they make us smile and laugh. They are always reminding us of what is important in life.

God has been good to us. :)

A Red Rose Skirt

My mom had sent me a couple of boxes of fabric that she wasn't using a couple of months ago (my favorite kinda mail!). In the boxes was this beautiful scrap piece of red rose fabric not even a 1/4 of a yard and this strip of white print on white fabric that wasn't even as much as of the red fabric. It didn't take me long to decide I was going to make Sweet pea a skirt out of it. Thank goodness it doesn't take a lot of fabric to make her a skirt. :)

I made the skirt double her waist measurement plus I added 2" for growing for the width around and and 10" long (that is before the waist band was sewn for the elastic waist). The ruffle at the bottom was 1.5x the waist width and 2" long. I had cut the ruffle 4" long, pressed it in half and gathered it; then stitched it to the bottom of the skirt. It was really quick to make, maybe 30 minutes.

I had planned this skirt for Valentine's Day but I think it works very well for Christmas too.

Here Sweet pea is playing with the pots and cooking spoons. She just loves opening the cabinets up and getting anything she can grab.

Notice the hair bow is gone? That is her new thing, she will pull it off of her head and clap her hands and say YAY! Of course mommy would love for her to leave it in. ;)

Baby it's cold outside!

I made my little girl a crochet shell stitch beanie hat for the colder weather. I found the pattern over at The Dainty Daisy. I just love girly hats! I used a soft pink yarn for the main part of her hat and a fuzzy, extra soft, silky yarn for the flower. I found the flower yarn over at Hobby Lobby for about $6, just love it! It was a bit harder to crochet with it but the end results are worth it. Then to finish it off I added a sparkly button in the middle. Now Sweet pea will be warm and look good this winter!

Here is the baby blanket that I made her after she was born. I used the left over yarn for the main part of her hat.

I just love this picture of her, might have to make it bigger and put it up on the wall. :)

Why I love fall

I just love fall, the cooler weather, the shorter days, and most of all the beautiful the changing of colors of the leaves. I seen this tree at my boys' school while I went to pick them up on Monday. This tree just stood out to me with the few and only red leaves around among yellow and lime green leaves. God really knows how to make a beautiful fall. Little things like this just make me smile.

Scottie Dog Dress

I spent Monday making Sweet pea a Scottie dog dress. A girl can't have enough Christmas dresses! The fabric is a very soft corduroy and the dog is out of left over fabric from her jackit from her Christmas dress so he is very soft too. I drew the applique pattern myself, I know not the best looking thing but I think it came out not too bad. :) Now I am making one for my friend that had her baby girl on Monday. I can't wait to see the little baby!

I hope you all have a blessed Wednesday!

Suede leather fall skirt

I made Sweet pea a suede leather skirt this last week for this fall. I seen one for sale online for over $30 and thought I could make that. It wasn't very hard at all but I do love sewing skirts. My little model didn't want to stand up for me so this was the best picture I have of her wearing her skirt.

This is how I figured out how I needed to cut my fabric. She has a 17 inch waist (1.5 x her waist length) and I wanted the skirt to come down between her knees and ankles (I'll try not to be confusing) so I held it up to her and came up with 10" length for the skirt and 2 5/8" for the top band.

What you will need to make a skirt 6-12 months size:

2 pieces 15 1/2" x 10" for skirt front and back

2 pieces 15 1/2" x 2 5/8" for top band

2 pieces 5"x5" for pockets

2 pieces 1 1/2" x 36" for the bottom ruffle

To get started I traces out the cut for the pockets ,fake pockets ;) that is, I used a coffee mug that I placed on the top left and right side of the skirt front and cut both sides out. Then press the cut outs under. When I did this I set my iron to a lower setting and placed a piece scrap fabric over the suede leather as not to hurt the it. Next pin in place the back of the pockets (5"x5" pieces) behind the cuts you have just made. I used a double needle on mine. Then take the ruffle pieces and hem them and run a gathering stitch across the top of both pieces. Gather them and pin in place on both the front and back skirt pieces. Stitch in place.

I then did a top stitch on the front side of skirt just right above the ruffle, see picture just below.

Next sew the front and back pieces together. Then your going to sew the two waist band pieces together. Then make your casting for the elastic. I pressed the waist band down 1 1/8" then stitched it in place with leaving a 1" space open to run the elastic through.

Then attach the waist band to the bottom of the skirt. I also pressed the band out and did a top stitch just below the stitching for the casting. Last run your elastic through and stich it, sew the 1" space that was left open closed and your done!

Here she isn't to thrilled, but still very cute! (pardon the flooring, it is by our front door. We are in the procces of ripping flooring up and putting down hard wood flooring. We just finished painting as well as you can see the paint on the floor, opps!