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Girls

A Multi-Purpose Maxi Skirt for $5 Friday

Awhile back I was wedding dress shopping with my little sister when I saw the cutest skirt.  It was white with a wide elastic waistband and had a bunch of pick-ups and as soon as I saw it I made a note to myself to make one like it for Grace this spring and today I finally did it.  (Dude, that was a long sentence.)
So yesterday I took Grace to Wal-Mart and let her choose any color fabric she wanted—she chose orange.  (Yes, I bought fabric at Wal-Mart…I’m not a fabric snob.)  I was thinking something like white but whatever, she was confident about the color, no wavering, so I went with it.  Good thing to, it was on sale for $2.00 a yard.  Sweet!
Then this morning we got to work. We wanted to get it done by this afternoon so she’d have it to wear to any potential parties that may come up this weekend.
Like a Cinco de Mayo fiesta:
a Kentucky Derby swaree,
or a spring wedding.
Now no matter what comes up Grace will be ready!  (And ready to strike a pose in her multi-purpose maxi skirt.)
So if you have a few yards of fabric, a free hour, and someone who needs a multi-purpose maxi skirt here’s how to make one.
You’ll need:
2 yards of fabric
2 inch wide elastic
Here’s what to do:
Measure you skirt wearing girl around the waist and from her waist to the floor.
Then:
 Each piece should be as wide as the waist measurement times 2.  And as long as the measurement from the waist to the floor.  (So Gracie’s waist is 18 inches and she is 22 inches long from her waist to the floor so each piece I cut was 36 inches by 22 inches.)
Next:
 Then:
 (I know this isn’t the correct time to hem the skirt…but this is when I did it because quite frankly it was easier.  Any real seamstress would be pulling her hair out right now reading this.  Anyways…)
After you hem then you:
(It will make like a little skirt sandwich.)
Now:
 Next:
 I cut mine the same as Gracie’s waist measurement minus 1 inch.
(Her waist is 18 inches so I cut the elastic 17 inches long.)
Now:
 Then:
Make sure your elastic is evenly spaced around the perimeter of your skirt.  This is kind of tricky because the skirt is twice as wide as the elastic but you can do it.
Now:
 You will have to stretch the elastic as you stitch—you’ll have to pull on it while sewing but you can do it.
After this your skirt is done except for the pickups so the only thing you have left to do is:
 I made Grace try the skirt on and then messed around deciding where we wanted the pick-ups while she was wearing it.
Once you have made your decision:
 Note:  I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO DO PICKUP’S…but it’s how I did them this afternoon.  There are about 8 million pick up tutorials—most of them really great—but I had only about 10 minutes left before I needed to move on to something else so this is what I did. ( It’s not “right” but it worked and I’m not changing it.)
So if you are like me and have only a few minutes to stitch up a pick up you better:
 I don’t, so I used one of Gracie’s teacups to do the trick—not really so handy but it got the job done.
And speaking of done—-now your done and ready for any shindig that may come your little one’s way.
Even if it’s only a lunch date to McDonald’s like we had today…she’ll want to look her best there to!
Sometimes Grace likes what I make and sometimes she hates it but occasionally I make something that she loves.  Today was one of those days.  I love those days  (Right now the skirt is sleeping on the end of her bed.)
So I’ll probably be making more—like the white one I envisioned with pickups made using the bias tape and ribbon method…we’ll see how it goes.  But until then I’ve got a Cinco de Mayo/Kentucky Derby weekend ahead of me which means I get to enjoy 2 of my favorite things…Mint Julep’s and Frozen Margarita’s (virgin of course).
How will I be able to handle so much beveragy goodness?  It will be hard but someones got to do it and I”m on the job.  So pass me the salt and the maraschino cherries!
Have a good weekend everyone.
ps—The spider is still in my van.  AGHHHHHH!!!!!

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Comments

  6. Vanessa@Designs By Sessa says

    That maxi skirt is absolutely adorable! And I love that she got to choose her fabric! That makes it so much fun! 🙂 And p.s. The spider story made me laugh out loud, so thank you for that, even though I know it’s not funny…. but kind of is… haha!