I've already shown this on Facebook, but know everyone doesn't do FB, so I thought I'd post it again here. I especially want to thank Andrea for sharing her twirl skirt math, this is what I did with it! The first pic is just so I could try out the waist elastic, the skirt isn't done yet, but she looked so cute, I took a pic...she had to run and get her matching shirt for the full effect!
And the completed skirt, without the kid in the middle.
It looks spectacular!!!!! Funny thing is the very first one I did was a Mickey/Minnie theme -- I didn't have an embroidery machine at the time though so I have less appliqued squares on mine and no yellow on it. Your dd looks great in it. Does she absolutely love twirling in it? It really looks fantastic -- you will get so many compliments on it -- that I guarantee you!
Thanks! It wasn't pattern, it was all done by measurements that Andrea shared with us a while back, and I think I used more blocks than she did because I wanted all the solid colors, plus the dot fabric to fill it out. And I rounded up to make it easy to cut to size...she had suggested increasing each row by 1.5 or 1.75, I started at 1.75 and went up a smidge from there. The waistband row is 30 x 5", with 1.25 turned over for the elastic, that's a size I know fits my DD well. Each tier has 12 blocks, all 5" wide, with increasing length to add the twirl factor. The top row is 5 x5, row 2 is 5 x 9", row 3 is 5 x 16". The ruffle is 5 x 22", pressed in half. I would have preferred to make the ruffles a bit fuller, but I ran out of fabric. But I don't think you can really tell.
I generally use 12 blocks per row -- I did the same thing with the Tink one -- 3 solids and 3 prints and each were repeated in each row. I think I've also made them with ten blocks in each row but then I increase the width of the block so the skirt stays full. I can't even tell that your ruffle isn't as full -- I actually may do what you did with your ruffle for my next patchwork to save on gathering time!
I always loved this -- one of my favorite takes on Ariel
Didn't someone (maybe you or Heather???) also make an Ariel style skirt out of a spiral pattern with a wispy fabric
or am I imagining things?
The tut you posted uses all the same size squares which works fine but then squares don't line up. The math of increasing each square width in successive rows allows the squares to line up and makes gathering and aligning easier -- either works and looks cute in the long run, but just wanted folks to know that the math Nanci posted allows for the aligned squares in successive tiers.
HOW DID YOU MAKE THIS?!??!!
I love these, but I can never seem to find a pattern
She posted the math above -- there is no pattern. I posted how to do it somewhere after the Tink dress I posted for Callie but Nanci just reposted above.
I love the rainbow unicorn! I couldn't really picture how it would look when you wrote about it before so it is nice to see the picture. You know a picture is worth a thousand words. LOL! The baseball outfit is super cute. It is nice that Alexa will be able to wear it for a couple of years. Did you make the shirt for your son too? How did you change your tote bag plan?
Yes, I made ds his shirt last year for a ball game and this year dd wanted to go to. She requested the same design on a red shirt. I actually made the design on a navy shirt for someone else and liked the navy better so did dd's from a navy shirt she had hanging in her closet. If she complained I figure I could just tell her I couldn't find a red t, but she didn't say a thing (for a change!).
For the tote I wanted to make the pocket piano keys all around. I saw an on line tut, but they were hand sewn and I was hoping I could finagle the rectangle on my embroidery machine but it wouldn't reduce to the right dimensions. There was no way I was going to do 40 rectangles by hand. So plan B was I found an on line applique for a set of piano keys -- I did two sets on one pocket and then on the other side I put some of Heather's music notes. It will still be cute, but not exactly what I was hoping for. All I did yesterday was cut fabric and applique the pockets. And today I have to take dd to the hospital to have her sutures removed which sounds very simple but travel time and wait time will make this an all afternoon event. I will pick her up from school at 1130 for a 1315 appt and hope to get done and back to school by 1530 to pick up ds -- I have to go over a draw bridge and through a tunnel to get to the hospital and then sometimes it takes 20-30 minutes to find a parking spot in the garage (I am NOT exaggerating). Traffic going home will be a royal mess if we don't get out of there before 2:30pm b/c there is a ship yard near there that has the same shifts as the hospital.
And something came in the mail yesterday!!!!! I had dd try it on right before bed -- it's only a hair loose so I am concerned if she doesn't wear it this year there is a chance she may not fit in it next year. She can't decide b/c she really loves the dress from Alli too. Maybe I'll post pics of her in both and get votes! If she wears yours I may have to put two tiny darts under the arms, but I think I could get by without doing so too. So thank you
it really is a gorgeous dress!
Thanks to everyone who commented! This way of making a patchwork twirl skirt was the easiest I've ever done, I've made at least 6 or7 seven using a pattern I bought off Ebay about 5 years ago. It might have been one of CarlaC's, before I knew who she was. Its still lots of gathering, but because you're matching corners, it seemed to go together lots easier for me. I use the zig-zag over crochet cotton method. I've got a multi-cord foot for my machine, so it sews easily without catching the gathering thread. I also used Andrea's trick of serging the edges before stitching the gathers, it makes for easier construction, and no loose threads. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. This is the first skirt I've done that actually works with the pettiskirt we have, we had her try it on just for fun. She liked it so much, she said she wants to wear it to WDW next weekend. I'm not sure about that though, I can see me now, stuck with it in my bag!
You can also do zig zag over dental floss -- my periodontist always gives out a huge roll of icky floss so I save his for the occasion!
I've never used a petti for dd -- I guarantee she wouldn't wear one and would complain it itched all the time. The skirts are full enough without on anyway, but they sure look cute with one on!
The unicorn tee looks great. I hope everyone had a good time at the ball game. I am sorry to hear about problems with your DD's teacher.
DD's teacher is NOT an awful teacher -- it's more so her personality getting on my nerves. She is very young and an overly excessive braggart! Her constant boasting is what is killing me -- she even started off her monthly news letter gloating
And my dd is a bit of a show-off at times as well and I fear seeing her teacher like this will only make dd worse. Thankfully only two more weeks of school and next year we transfer back to the other campus so dd goes back to having a teacher she's had twice before that we LOVE! REally crappy thing is dd started the year with an awesome teacher, but after about one to two months she became pg and was put on bedrest so we lost her.
I am on my phone so I can't quote, but Andrea love the shirt and baseball outfit. A and B look cute matching... and I am not into the yankees.
Tinkergbellmom that skirt and top are gorgeous!
Thank you for helpiing me with the machine queation and tank. No, I have another
QUESTION
I went to sew my easy fits tonightt. Everything was going well, and all of a sudden my machine started to sew funny. The bobbin seemed to get stuck, the thread got tangled and it was a mess. The stitches weren't catching. I cleaned the bobbin case, oiled it, rethreaded and changed my needle. What am I doing wrong?
What else can I do? Any ideas what the problem could be? I finally turned it off and posted on here
My sister's boyfriend is from NY so they are the huge Yankees' fans -- my kids were cheering for the Tides and were happy they won
My sister wore her Brewer's shirt (we're from Milwaukee).
You already did everything I would have told you to do for the machine. Triple check that there isn't a thread in the bobbin area.
And you have jinxed me with your bobbin issues -- remember I told you I was having some issues stitching something out and thought I had a bobbin wound wonky? Well, it was doing it again on and off yesterday and now my machine periodically squeaks! I have a feeling it will be going in for service soon!
I'm on my iPad so I can't quote anything...but Tori looks adorable...love that outfit !
Loving the patchwork skirt...even tho the directions sounded like a foreign language
I got the gear in to fix my moms old singer...got it all cleaned, replaced the gear...retimed it and then all excited to sew...and something is messed up with the tension...the underside of the fabric is a mess of excess thread. I've tried adjusting the tension but it's not getting better...any ideas?
I think I remember my mother swearing at that machine often...perhaps that's why I was so late to try sewing
Can I ask what pattern you used to complete this? Thanks!!
I was working on my launch outfit yesterday only to put a hole in the shirt
