Skirting the Issue: Chelise from CP

Hello, Chelise here! Since the last season of Project Run & Play ended, sewing just hasn’t had the same edge, challenge, and excitement (or stress). I loved being a part of the competition so much! It was such a great experience and I’m happy to be involved again with Liz and Elizabeth and Skirting the Issue. I did feel some sewing excitement again knowing that what I was making would be loved by another little girl who could use it.

 

For this tutorial and Skirting the Issue I recreated a version of the mermaid skirt in hopes another little girl will love it the way Drew has loved hers. This time in pink!

*For this waistband, use the waist measurement for the next size up from the size you want to make. This sizing chart is a great tool.
*Uses ½ inch seam allowance.
You will need:

• 1 piece interfacing and 1 piece fabric of the same size for the front band. To calculate the length, take {½ of the waist measurement (remember for the next size up!) and add 1 inch} for seam allowance. The width of both pieces should be 4 inches.
• 1 piece of ¾-inch elastic. The length is the same size as the first two pieces, {½ waist measurement plus 1 inch}.
• 1 piece of fabric, length is {½ waist measurement plus 5 inches}. Width is 4 inches. This piece and the elastic make up the back band.
• Four tabs cut out using this pattern.
• Four buttons.

1. Sew your tabs right sides together using ½-inch seam allowance. (You couldn’t see my pink stitches in the picture, so I outlined them for you. Turns out I can sew straighter than I can move the mouse!) Trim around the seam allowance and clip V’s into your curves like the tab on the right. Clip your V’s close enough, but not through the stitches.

2. Ironing step. Turn your tabs right side out and press flat with the iron. Iron the interfacing onto your front band fabric, by first trimming the interfacing so it is just smaller than the fabric and covering it with a separate fabric to iron over. Fold the front band and back band fabric in half and press. They should both look like the band in the bottom picture now.

3. Stitch around edges of tabs and sew in buttonholes. Make sure they are the right size depending on the buttons you decide to use! Read your machine manual if you are unsure how to sew a buttonhole.

4. Place elastic inside the folded back band so that the elastic runs up top right along the fold. The bottom raw edges are the seam allowance, so you don’t want the elastic running along the bottom. Stitch the elastic in place on both edges of band. There will be extra fabric in the middle.

5. Stretch out elastic until fabric is taut and sew a row of stitches first under where the elastic lies, making sure that the elastic is pushed up to the top of the fold. Sew 2 or 3 more rows throughout the elastic, stretching it out as you sew.
Helpful tip: be careful when you cut a large watermelon or you might receive a thumb injury like mine.

6. Put your pieces all together now like pictured on top, making sure the tabs are flush with the top of the bands. We don’t want them picked up with the seam allowance below. Sew both edges with a ½- inch seam allowance. Turn right side out and now your waistband looks like the bottom picture.

7. Place and sew your buttons. You can really place your buttons however you like depending on the range of sizes you want the skirt to cover. What I did is lay the tabs down flat, then marked through the centers of the buttonholes to place the first buttons. Buttoning the tabs here will be the largest size of the skirt. Then I measured 1-inch in from both of the first buttons and placed my second buttons. Buttoning the tabs here will be the smallest size of the skirt. You could also place one side on the first button and the other side on the second for an in-between size.

8. Sew on your skirt, shorts, or pants to your waistband! For the blue mermaid skirt I did a circle skirt, following Dana’s Circle Skirt tutorial with a few adjustments. For this pink skirt I just did a simple gathered skirt. Both are cute, but for the twirl factor go with the circle skirt!
Also, remember to give your skirt enough length if you really want it to last for a couple years.

Don’t forget the mermaids!
Click on the image below for a free printable of my mermaid girl and then appliqué away!

There are lots of ways to appliqué. What I did was choose my fabrics and iron a one-sided interfacing to the backs so that it wouldn’t fray when cut. Then I cut out my mermaid pieces using the pattern above. Next I cut small squares of Wonder Under, it’s a two-sided stick, and pieced and ironed my girls all together, then onto the skirt itself. Don’t worry about cutting your Wonder Under exactly to fit each pattern piece, that would be a mess. You basically just need to tack the pieces together so they don’t move around while you hand stitch. That’s right, use embroidery floss and hand stitch around all the pieces! It’s a lot of work but it turns out so cute.

The blue mermaid skirt has a bazillion mermaids, but I opted for only two on this version. I just need to sew on a label and size tab and this beauty will be shipped to my local foster care organization. Hopefully along with a couple tween and teen versions that are a little less mermaid-y.