How to Make a Little Girl Skirt from a Woman's Skirt.

There are a TON of tutorials on how to do this out there already but I just had to make one myself:) This skirt is one that I got from my mom when I was in junior high. Then about 2 years ago the zipper broke and I kept telling myself that I would learn how to fix a zipper...yeah right. Today I was finally putting away all of my clothes in the closet (after one week of sitting folded in the laundry baskets) and came across this lovely skirt. Amaree already has about 8 skirts in her drawer but I just had to make another one using a dear friend (skirt) to make it.
Materials needed:

• One women's skirt or shirt 
• Elastic 
• Matching thread
• Sewing machine:)
• Safety pins (for pulling the elastic through the casing)

Put your skirt on your cutting mat and figure out how long you want the little girl skirt. You can measure your little one but I usually just eye ball it. 

Now it's time to cut!

Since the sides are already sewn together all you have to do is sew an elastic casing!

Turn your skirt inside out and figure out how wide your casing needs to be (just a little big wider than your elastic). Now you can fold over that width and pin it in place all the way around or do what I do and just wing it;) 

Sew all the way around until the last 1-2 inches and stop. This is your opening for your elastic.

Your elastic length should be 2-3 inches shorter than your child's waist measurement. I did 2 so Amaree had room to grow.

Attach a safety pin to both ends of your elastic. 

Now insert one end into the opening like picture above.

Once the pin is in, push it through (it bunches like this) until it won't move. Then, while holding the pin in place with one thumb, pull the fabric the opposite direction with the other so that the elastic catches  up with the safety pin.

Continue to do this until the other end of the safety pin reaches the opening. Pin both the elastic and a part  of the opening together so you don't accidentally pull your whole elastic through. 

Now finish pulling through all the way around the skirt until the first pin comes out of the opening. Pin the two ends of the elastic together (unattach the 2nd pin from the fabric) so you don't lose your elastic.

Your skirt will look something like this if you didn't adjust the skirt while pulling the elastic through the casing.

Lopsided! Ha. So now adjust/pull the fabric around so it evens out and looks like this:

You now need to stitch your elastic ends together. Use your zigzag setting to secure it even better. I sew back and forth about 3 times to make sure it doesn't come undone (trust me...it has happened one too many times!). 

Now push the elastic back inside the casing and fold the opening closed and stitch that puppy right up!

Remember to use straight stitch for this. No biggie if you don't:)

 Ta da~!

All done:) Well sorta...I wanted to add some embellishment to mine so I added some Yo yo flowers to the bottom, along with a matching bobbie flower.

Tutorial for that coming later.

Yo.

Have a wonderful day!

Shirt and Pant refashion

Today while Amaree ate her lunch in her highchair, I quickly refashioned some stained and ripped clothes into adorable new clothes for miss Amaree. First I took one of her shirts that had a huge chocolate stain on the bottom, cut off the stained section, created a skirt with some hand-me-down fabric (added ruffle to the bottom of the  rectangle, sewed the sides together to create a big tube, basted the top and gathered it to the size of the tshirt), sewed the two together and BAM! You have a whole new updated look:)

Disney, from Ruffles and Stuff has a really easy tutorial on how to make the same thing.

Now for the pants. I originally bought these "jeggings" at Walmart for $1. I bought 2 because I just can't resist the urge to buy clothing when it is discounted to a DOLLAR! Anywho, I took an existing pair of leggings (of Amaree's) and used it as my pattern. I wanted the zippers to be on her leggings as well so I matched the bottoms of the jeggings and the leggings, then cut. I will have to make a tutorial or find a good one to put on my blog for reference:) I haven't tried them on her so hopefully they fit! If not, I have already gotten my moneys worth (I wore them three times before the crotch ripped). 

Have a wonderful day!