Cute blue skirt

I found this awesome fabric at Wal-Mart for $2 a yard and knew that I needed to make a skirt with it.  I didn't use a pattern, I just kind made it up as I went.  Real quick, here's what I did (if I make another, I write down what I did and maybe take process pictures, like a tutorial!): I cut 3 layers of fabric and serged the bottom edge of each layer to make my hemline.  I just kinda guessed on the width the skirt because I decided I was going to shir the waistband.  I attached all layers at the top edge, folding the back layer to the front to create a clean edge.  The I stitched the sides of the layers.  Then I shirred the waistband.  I had to wash it a few times to shrink it down because it was a bit big initially.  It helped that I didn't pre-wash the fabric (even though I usually do).  I got it done in time to wear to my cousin's graduation.  Enough talk, on to the pictures!!

 *****EDIT*****
 Ok, This morning I drew up some quick sketches of my process...or what it will be next time to make it easier.  I think it will work better this way than they way I did it.  Basically, I switched the order of 2 of the steps, this way will create nicer seams I think.  This will me a lite tutorial, meaning I didn't include any measurements as I didn't really measure much of anything.  It was more of an eh, that looks good process for me.  Ready?  Here we go! (please don't laugh at my sad little sketches...)

 I hope those made sense.  You can find many great tutorials for shirring.  I love Dana's over at Made.  Her tutorials and patterns are so professional looking and full of pictures and suggestions.  Someday maybe mine will look like that awesome.  Ok, now on to the pictures!!

As you can see, I made the layers different lengths to make it more interesting:

Here's a side by side of me wearing the skirt, both tucked and untucked.  I am more of an untucked kind of girl.  I just think it's more comfortable.

And of course, here's a pic of me wearing my new skirt:

I mentioned something about a possible tutorial for this skirt, which may happen in the future.  Right now I am working on a different tutorial.  I am working on a fun summer top that I am making up as I go.  Don't worry, I am taking plenty of pictures and writing down little notes and measurements as I go.  Hopefully I'll finish it some time soon!  I'm excited about possibly posting my first tutorial!!  Ok, I have 2 more purses to blog about, I need to take pictures of 1 of them so I can share them with you.  I'll hopefully get those up soon.

Thanks for looking!  Become a follower if you aren't already!  Leave a comment if you like something!  I love reading your comments!! 

~Christina

Fancy Shirred Top

I finally got around to try shirring. It was much easier than I thought it would be! You just load elastic thread on the bobbin by hand and use regular thread on top. Also, I used a longer stitch length. I tried it out on a piece of fabric that I wouldn't be too sad if I messed up horribly. I made a simple top out of my practice fabric.

My new shirred top!:

(I looked really tired, so my head is missing). I really like this top...I plan on making more. And maybe a sundress or 2! I'm going to be ready for warm weather. I might make this a Spring Top Week entry. I see what I have made when Rae starts accepting entries. Click on the Spring Top Week button in the side bar for more info.

It's supposed to be nice tomorrow, hopefully it is, because I want to play outside!
Thanks for looking!!

Fancy Dress, Dice Bag and more!!

Today's Ricky's birthday! It was a good, relaxing day. And now he's playing a bit WoW while I blog a bit. Yesterday I had promised to post something cute I had just finished. Well, I made some spaghetti! No...not pasta...spaghetti straps for a cute dress I made for my niece, Cecilia. I found some pre-shirred fabric in the remnant bin at Joann's and I had to have it and I had to make it into a cute dress for Cece. I took it over to measure it on her and she called me the next day to see if it was done because her mommy was home now. She was so excited, it was very cute. I gave it to her today. Okay, time for some pictures!

Here's the yummy spaghetti:

And here's the dress!:

I found instructions on how to shir fabric. I am determined that I will make something shirred by summer. It looks easy enough, I just have to be brave and hope my machine doesn't eat the elastic thread! I also made a little something for Ricky to match his WoW playing cushion. It's a DICE bag...haha that's right...a bag to put his D&D dice in!!

When I was looking for the bit of dice fabric that I knew I had left, I found a purse I made earlier this month that I didn't post. The pattern comes from Amy Karol's Bend-the-Rules Sewing: The Essential Guide to a Whole New Way to Sew book. It's called the Charming Handbag. It's cute and pretty simple.

The flower I made comes from the Rolled Rose tutorial I found of at Portabellopixie's blog. It didn't roll exactly how I wanted it to, but I like how it turned out.