Cuffed Stripwork Skirt
These skirts are pretty easy to make. All you need is a little math. You need two measurements- waist and length. My daughter has a 24 inch waist and she is 15 inches from waist to knee.
Waistband- I cut the length of the fabric by 6.5 inches. I have one of those cool quilters strip cutter from Wallys. Thats why I use 6.5 inches. To find the length of the waistband all you do is multiply your waist measurement by 1.5. My DD has a 24 inch waist so I cut 36 inches for her waistband. I serged the bottom length edge of the waistband. The I folded it right sides together and serge the short sides. This forms a big circle.
Skirt Length- I know that I needed 15 inches in total length. The waistband will eventually be 3 inches so that is my first number. Knowing I need 12 more inches I can decide how long I want my strips and cuff. I went with 9 inch strips and 3 inch cuff. The cuff needs to be doubled. It will be folded over so that measurement become 6. I also add 1 inch for a seam allowance for a total of 7 inches. I cut two 7 inch strips the length of the fabric.
Strip Width- For the width of this skirt I simply doubled the waistband- 72 inches. Then I divided the 72 in by the number of fabrics. 72 divided by 2 = 36. Six divides nicely into 36. Now I know that I will have 6 strips that are 6 inches wide. Again I add an inch for the seam allowance for a strip measuring at 7 x 10. I cut 6 strips in pink and 6 in blue.
Here are my measurements:
Waistband- 6.5 inches x 36 inches (24 inches x 1.5)
Length- 15 total inches with approx 3 inches for the waistband, 9 inches (10) for strips and 6 inches (7) for the cuff.
Strip Width- 7 x 10 inches
Cuff- 2 pieces 7 x length of fabric.
Now that you have all your pieces cut its time to start sewing. I serged the pink and the blue strips together. One of the things I have learned is how important the iron is. I read once that good seamstress spends just as much time at the iron as she does the sewing machine. Look at difference after the seams have been presses.
I am also a big fan of topstitching. A few years ago I was watching Project Runway and Heidi Klum really did not like an outfit. She said it looked home-sewn and that was not a compliment. Good topstitching is something that can make your outfits looked very polished. My Mom made all of her clothes in high school. Money was tight with four younger brothers so she took sewing classes. She has a few things from then and they are gorgeous with amazing top stitching. I normally set my stitch length to 3 and try to stitch pretty close to the seam.
After I topstitched all of the strips. I sewed pink ric-rac about ½ inch about the bottom of the strips. This is completely optional. I really have a love for all things ric rac. I try and sneak it in wherever I can!
To make the cuff I put the two long strips right sides together and then stitch. Then I pressed the seam. Next I folded the cuff lengthwise pressing as I went. Here is an example of do what I say and not what I do. LOL Really you should pin the cuff to the skirt. Stitch on the cupcake side over top the stitching from the ric rac. Then carefully serge the seam. I just serged it. It was getting late.
Next I pressed the seam and serged the sides right side together. Then I topstitched along the cuff.
Next use your favorite method to gather your skirt. Most of the time I use a basting stitch and replace the bobbin thread with royal blue upholstery thread. I also like the zig zag over dental floss method.
Next I place the waistband under my handy dandy clear ruler. I can see how many inches the gathers need to be and adjust accordingly. Once I have the skirt gathered to the correct measurement I tied the blue bobbin threads to the top threads. I pinned the waistband to the skirt right sides together and stitched. Then I removed the blue gathering threads.
I pressed the seam where the waistband and the skirt where stitched together. Here is where I have a small confession . . . You know all those measurements I gave you before? That is what I would normally have done. What I did last night was pull these strips out of the unfinished projects box. When I went to sew in the waist I noticed that the strips were the correct size for my 4 year old and not my long legged 7 year old. I had to make it work but changing the way the waistband was finished.
Ordinarily I would fold the waist over in half. By doing this it covers the seams where the waist and the skirt were stitched together. Since I needed to add some length to the skirt I just folded over the waist about 2 inches. Then I stitched in a casing and topstitched along the waist.
Next I inserted the elastic and stitched the elastic closed with a wide satin stitch. Then I stitched the opening of the casing. Finally I stitched down the center of the elastic pulling the elastic as I sewed. This is so the elastic does not get all twisted and tangled in the casing.
on April 8th.
I read Heathersue's tutorial on hand applique. If I follow that, should I be able to do this cupcake? (I know I couldn't do the cherry unless I did it by hand.) 
