The 31 Woman: Dulce Taylor: The Ruffle Top Skirt Tutorial

It's here!!! The Ruffle Top Skirt Tutorial!!! Here's what you need:

About 1 yd. of fabric (amount depends on your measurements)

1" wide elastic

Matching thread

Interfacing scraps

You also need to measure your waist and your hip.

Take your hip measurement and divide it by 2. Add 2" to that measurement. This is the width of your skirt. Now measure from your waist to the length you want your skirt. Add 3" to this measurement and that's the length of your skirt. Now you are going to cut out two rectangles with these measurements. One rectangle represents the front of the skirt, and the other represents the back.

Now cut a piece of elastic that is the same measurement as your waist + 1". Make sure it fits around your hips!!!

If you have enough fabric left, cut four pockets. Make your pockets as deep as you want them! Just make sure that (a) they have a straight edge and (b) they are all the same size! They should look a little something like these:

(1) Okay, now let's get sewin'. Line up the pockets where you want them on both of your rectangles. Keep in mind that your waist will be three inches below the current top. With the right side of your rectangle facing up, pin the pockets facedown on rectangle with the straight line of the pocket lining up with the straight side the rectangle. You have four pockets, so pin one pocket to each side of both rectangles.

(2) Stitch along the straight line of each pocket using a 1/2" seam allowance, connecting it to the rectangle. Press the pocket out.

(3) Now put the right sides of the two rectangles together and pin up ONE side and around the pockets like the picture shows.

(4) Stitch up the side, going around the pocket, using a 1/2" seam allowance.

(5) Now lay the skirt out flat with the wrong side up. You should have a long rectangle with two halves of a pocket stitched onto each end, and one complete pocket in the middle.

Fold the top of the skirt down 1/4" and press.

(6) Then fold the top down another 2.5" and press.

(7) Now unfold the 2.5" and fuse 1" strips of interfacing to right below the creased line. After you've fused the interfacing, fold the 2.5" back down.

(8) Stitch all the way across the skirt along the bottom of the fold.

(9) Stitch along the skirt again about an inch above where you just stitched. You should now have two holes at the ends of your rectangle. Pin a safety pin onto the end of your elastic and feed it through the bottom hole and pin on both sides.