Rock this Bubble Hem Skirt In Two Hours!

Almost fifteen years ago I had a bubble hem top. It was pink and white striped, and I loved it so! I wound up donating it, I threw it in the donation bag because I thought someone shopping second hand needed something super fashionable to buy. And I totally regretted donating that top!

Lately the bubble hem kept nagging at me, taunting me. So I started researching how to sew a bubble hem skirt. A lot of the directions call for some wacky kind of lining, or to tweak an existing skirt with fabric glue. And I wanted to sew mine from scratch, but in a simple way. I did some experimenting, watched some Youtubes, and lo and behond…I discovered a way to make a chic bubble hem skirt in a couple of hours! This is a perfect evening or weekend project, when you feel like whipping up something quick.

Materials:

Wide elastic, approx. 3 yards for Plus Sizes

2 1/2 yards lightweight fabric, preferably with some stretch

sewing machine, rotary cutter and mat or scissors

safety pins

Ready…Set…Sew!

Step One: wrap a piece of elastic around your waistline at the spot you normally wear skirts at, and then pull the elastic taught so that it is a bit smaller than that measurement. When I did this I didn’t pull the elastic enough, so my skirt just fits but is slightly too big. A good rule of thumb is four to six inches smaller than your waist measurement, depending on how stretchy the elastic is.

Step Two: Bubble Hem Skirt

Step Two: Overlap the raw ends of the elastic and sew to create a loop. I like to use a narrow zig zag stitch and sew an x through a rectangle to reinforce the seam. If you want to be sure the skirt will fit, try on the elastic by pulling it around your waistband, and adjust the measurement before you do the next step.

Step Three: Bubble Hem Skirt

Step Three: Next up is measuring and cutting out the skirt fabric. If you are using stretchy fabric, you may want the stretch to go horizontally along the width of the skirt. First, stretch the elastic loop as far as it will go and then double the measurement. This will be the width of the skirting piece. I folded my fabric and stretched the elastic from the folded edge to the middle and approximated the width. The length of the fabric will be from your waistline to your ankle. So you will have a rectangle…mine was approx. 33 inches long. Wrap the piece of fabric around your hips to be sure it is big enough if you are in doubt. Be sure the width measurement is big enough to easily go around your widest point.

Step Four: Bubble Hem Skirt

Step Four: With right sides together, stitch along the seam that goes down the length of the fabric. My fabric was stretchy so I did a small zig zag stitch. (You don’t have to use stretchy fabric, any lightweight fabric will work.)

Step Five: Bubble Hem Skirt

Step Five: Divide the elastic into four equal sections, then do the same for the waistline of the skirt. Place a pin at each point. Next, line up the pins on the elastic and the waistline hem and attach. The fabric will be loose in between the pins. Sew the elastic onto the waistline hem, being sure to pull the elastic tight as you go so that the fabric and elastic line up and lay flat when sewing. It helps to hold on to the elastic behind the sewing needle and in front of it.

Step Six: Bubble Hem Skirt

Step Six: Using a ruler to measure the hemline, fold the hem under three to four inches and pin as you go. I left an opening to thread my elastic through, but wound up closing the opening and hemming the skirt again. If you want a longer skirt, you can skip the next step and go ahead with the elastic after you sew the first hem. Stitch the first hem, I used a zig zag stitch set to five.

Step Seven: Bubble Hem Skirt

Step Seven: Try on the skirt at this point. When I did, I realized I wanted the hem to be much shorter. If you like where the hemline hits at this stage, skip to the next step. I folded my hem up another six inches and sewed it down with another zig zag stitch, leaving an opening about three inches wide at the middle back. The extra fabric bulkiness adds to the overall effect. Be sure you fold the hem further than where the bottom of the original hem hit, so that the bottom of the hemline is just two layers of fabric. This will add to the light fluffy look of the bubble hem.

Step Eight: Bubble Hem Skirt

Step Eight: Cut a piece of elastic about 25 to 30 inches long. Pin one end to the opening in the hemline, then place a pin in the other end. Feed the elastic through the hem, like you would if you were making a drawstring bag. Once you go all the way around and have both ends of elastic through the hemline, pull on the elastic. Adjust the fabric along the elastic until you get the bubble hem look. You can pin together the elastic at this point to try on the skirt again before the final step if you want to. Next, sew the elastic together and cut off the remainder and close the opening.

Rock this Bubble Hem Skirt by Kathryn Sturges

Sew Pajama Pants without a Pattern

Ok, I have to admit I had wanted to try this project idea for years! Many years back, I saw a tutorial online for turning a dress into a jumpsuit. I tried it but the project bombed. So here it is years later, and I finally decided to give a go at making pajama pants from scratch with a similar technique. You could try this basic concept with a maxi knit or t shirt dress to make a jumpsuit too! I made one pair, and had so much fun that I made two more! Each pair turned out slightly different, so here is an updated walkthrough. It might take a little experimentation to get the measurements exactly right for your own body shape!

This project is super easy! Depending on your waist size, it takes about 1 yard of fabric, give or take depending on width of fabric. You will also need elastic…either a wide piece to be the waistband or a smaller width elastic to fit into a waistband casing.

Grab your piece of fabric, and wrap it around your midsection. Make sure the two sides overlap by a few inches, to account for seams. The fabric should fit fairly snug around your belly and hips, and because it is stretchy it will have some give. I simply wrapped a single one yard piece of stretch knit fabric around my waist, so that the short side went down to the ground. The length of the fabric should go to a few inches below your ankles. If the fabric is slightly longer, you can always trim away the extra along the top edge, or fold it down to create a casing for the elastic.

Next, sew the raw edges together at the side, with wrong sides of the fabric together. Trim the seam so that it is only around a half inch or less. Next, bring that seam around to the back middle of the pants. Yes…these are basically two seam pants created from one piece of fabric! Can I get a woop woop! These are as simple as it gets, and the end result is so cute!

Take a ruler to measure to the left and right of that middle seam, because you really want to be sure the seam goes right down the middle. The left and right sides will wind up as legs, and the seam will go along the middle of your backside. Believe me, it will look best if it is right in the middle!

Next, take your ruler and measure from the floor to your the middle of your inner thigh. It can be an estimate, with a little give or take. My measurement wound up right around 18 inches. So I estimated how wide I wanted each leg to be, from the outside of the fabric to the inner seam. I drew a line that was 23 inches long, with about three inches in between the lines. At the top of those lines, connect them with a curved line. It will look like an upside down U shape.

Pin along the upside down U shape you just drew, and then sew with a narrow zig zag stitch with the side edge of the presser foot lined up with the outer edge of that marked line. Cut away the excess fabric between the legs, and cut some notches (simply clip the edges of the fabric) at the curve.

Add the waistband! Wrap the elastic around your waist and pull it kind of tight so that it stretches and cut. I did this with a 2 inch wide black elastic. So the waistband will fit snugly, but you can still pull it on over your hips. Overlap the ends of the elastic and sew with a zig zag stitch multiple times to make the hold secure. Then attach the elastic onto the waist. I pulled the elastic to stretch most of the way it would go as I went around, and when I got near the end of the waistband it worked out just about alright.

If you want to use a narrower elastic, fold down the top edge of the waist to create a casing and stitch down with enough room for the elastic to be woven through. Be sure to leave an opening to fit the elastic in. Feed the elastic through the casing and you are good to go!

I didn’t hem the ends of the leg openings, but you totally could if you wanted to! Or just trim the hem with pinking shears. You could even add a little trim or lace for a cute look!

These pants came together in about a half hour, and I can’t wait to make some more! Homemade pajama bottoms are always welcome in my wardrobe! This project would also be a great way to upcycle knit pajama dresses. I have a couple that would be a perfect fit for these pj bottoms, and I cannot wait to get sewing.

Sweatshirt Jacket Tutorial

Ok, so it’s officially sweatshirt season here in the Midwest, yay! I was so excited to do this upcycle, I had a sweatshirt that had a really cute pattern but it was just to big and frumpy, so it was just begging to be upcycled. The sweatshirt I used has that super warm fluffy pile, and this one was a bit of work. It is easy enough for just about any seamstress to do, but if you need to learn any of the techniques, my recommendation is to try them out first on a sample piece of fabric.

Let’s get upcycling!

Materials:

A baggy sweatshirt

Basic sewing kit

Sewing machine

About a half yard of quilting cotton or other fabric without stretch

A matching button

Step One: Cut the sweatshirt down the middle of the front, and if need be zig zag stitch the edges. Most sweatshirts don’t unravel, so you can skip this step with an ordinary sweatshirt. If it is made of a fabric that unravels or falls apart easily at the edges then add the zig zag stitch.

Step Two: Remove all of the banding around the top, bottom and optionally the sleeves. My sleeves had some slight stains on them, so this was a must for my project. Finish those edges with another wide zig zag stitch if need be.

Step Three: Create binding with the quilting cotton fabric. I created 1 1/2 inch wide strips and sewed them together, but if you are new to making your own binding you might want to make it slightly wider. It also depends on the look you want because if you want a wide binding you will want to make the strips 2 inches wide.

Step Four: Sew on the binding around the collar and bottom of the jacket. Here is a link to a website with pics of how to do so. When I connect pieces of binding together, I just use a 1/2 inch seam allowance with a straight stitch, instead of using an angled edge. Don’t worry about the start and finish having raw edges because when you bind the front middle of the jacket it will create a finished edge. https://weallsew.com/binding-3-ways/

Step Five: This step is a little more complicated, but once you get the hang of it you will be a binding pro! Now we are going to bind the front of the jacket on the left and right sides straight down the middle front. Make sure you use a binding that is longer than that length by at least two inches. Fold down the top of the binding about an inch, and then start at the top of the left side and attach the binding. Folding the binding down will create a finished edge. When you get to the bottom, stop sewing about an inch before the end and fold the binding to create that finished edge, then continue sewing. Finish by doing the same fold over technique in Step Four, and get the binding attached securely. Now repeat this step to the right side of the front.

Step Five: Binding the sleeves is a bit more tricky, so take it slow. First, attach the binding to the front side of one of the sleeves with a straight stitch, but when you get to the end stop and leave about an inch extra material. Flip the sleeve inside out, and do the double fold technique and starting at where you first sewed on the binding, secure down about an inch with a narrow zig zag stitch. Then stop, and go back to the spot where you left the extra fabric. Fold the fabric down to create a finished edge, and complete the first pass of sewing down the binding with the straight stitch. Next flip the sleeve inside out again and finish sewing the binding on with a narrow zig zag stitch.

Step Six: Figure out where you want the button, and create a buttonhole. You can either look in your sewing machine manual and use the buttonhole foot, or just draw a line where you want the buttonhole and do a very narrow zig zag stitch on either side of the line. If you do this method, be sure to use a zig zag stitch set to zero stitch length at the start and end to add strength to the buttonhole. Then use a seam ripper or small scissors and cut the middle of the zig zag stitch rows to create the hole.

Step Seven: Sew on the button!

And you are done!

Wow, this project was a lot of work, and kinda tricky to explain…but it was so worth it! Now you can rock your sweatshirt jacket all fall, and feel fabulous knowing you created it yourself!

Tropical T Shirt Dress

I dove in this past week and started my upcycling adventure…and let me say right at the start that upcycling is not for the faint of heart. It is important to plan out your project before you start, instead of winging it like I did. I’ve sewn basic t shirt dresses before by combining two t shirts, but this time one of the shirts was bigger than the other which posed some challenges.

If you enjoy collecting t shirts, there is a potential that you might have a couple of tropical prints you could destroy and reconstruct into this dress! If not, any two t shirts will work. Just be sure you love the color combination. I chose a yellow shirt that I really love, but just was kind of past it’s prime. It had been washed so many times that the color had faded a little bit. I love the top of the shirt because it is off the shoulder, and if you have a shirt that has an interesting top or sleeves you will want to make that the top portion of the dress.

Because I just grabbed the two shirts, cut and then sewed, I’m going to update this tutorial to explain a more precise way to do this project instead of just winging it. At one point during the upcycle, I wasn’t sure that this dress was even going to turn out. But fortunately I had a few tricks up my sleeve and it turned out really pretty!

Tropical T Shirt Dress

Gather Your Materials:

Two jersey knit tops, with long or short sleeves

Cutting mat, ruler and rotary cutter

Basic Sewing Kit

Serger or Sewing Machine (If you are using a sewing machine, sew with a narrow zig zag stitch…I normally set my sewing machine to three when sewing knits.)

And Courage to try something new…

Step One:

Choose one shirt to be the top portion of the dress, try it on and measure from the top of the shoulder down to just below the bustline. I used a measurement of twelve inches, but yours might be different. Using the rotary cutter and mat, cut a straight line at that measurement. You will be left with the top of the shirt and a bottom portion. Set the bottom portion aside.

Step Two:

Cut the second shirt just below the sleeves. Then hold it up against the bottom of the top portion and if there is excess fabric, cut the bottom portion at the sides to be the same measurement as the top. Include seam allowances on either side, then sew the bottom portion along the sides. Pin to the top with right sides together and sew with a quarter inch seam allowance.

Or do this instead:

I did mine a little different than this, because I just grabbed the two pieces and sewed them together. If the bottom portion is larger than the top, pin the two pieces with right sides together starting at the side seams. Then create improvisational pleats along the edge of whichever shirt is larger, spaced evenly apart all the way along the back. On the front, create one large pleat right in the middle. Doing this will make it so that both edges wind up the same length when sewn. Sew along the line with a quarter inch seam allowance, being sure to sew the pleats slowly to prevent them from getting warped or caught in the seam.

Step Three:

Trim off the bottom hem and then lay the dress out flat on top of your cutting mat. Carefully position the dress so that just the side seam is flat against the cutting board, and be sure the rest of the dress is out of the way. Cut out a narrow triangle shape starting at the side seam, just above where the two pieces meet going down to the bottom hem. This will form a narrow triangle. Do the same thing to the other side seam, making sure that the two triangles are roughly the same size.

Step Four:

This step is similar to adding bell bottom panels into a pair of pants. Measure the length of the triangle on each side, and then using the bottom portion leftover from the top, cut two triangles that are a little larger than the triangles you cut. (If your dress is a little snug this is a great way to add some volume in a stylish way.). Make the triangles the same size by creating one of them first, and then use the first one as a template to make the second triangle. Then flip the dress wrong side out, pin one side of the triangle insert to the opening with right sides of the fabric together and sew. Sew the other side of the triangle. Then repeat with the alternate side of the dress.

And there you go! A fabulous new dress out of two cast off t shirts! If you are wondering how to do any of these steps, there are endless resources online to meet your needs. Or if you want to tweak the project and change it up a little bit, be my guest!

The Flora Dress Tutorial

You know when you order a dress online, but when it gets to you it is just a flat out NO? This dress was like that. I actually paid $40 plus dollars for it from Old Navy, thinking it would look cute with cardigans and leggings. But the fit was all wrong, and it just seemed so matronly to me because of the traditional cut of the skirt. It was not very comfortable to wear. I typically love a dress with some flow and movement to the skirting, and this dress just plain fell short! I didn’t wear this dress one time, it immediately got gently placed into my Donate bag.

Now that I’m upcycling clothing, I thought I would experiment with the dress…and I’m so glad I did! This upcycle is so easy, even a total beginner could do it! It only has a few steps and voila! A beautifully transformed dress!

I used a home decor fabric for the side panels. The only reason I used it was because I already had some in my fabric bin. I am of the mind to use what I already have instead of constantly buying new before each project, so I went through my fabrics and this ivory fabric was just perfect! It has texture to it, and because the weight of the dress fabric is heavier I thought the home decor fabric would suit it perfectly.

Materials:

a dowdy dress that needs a bit of love

about a yard of fabric that is a similar weight to the dress

(If the dress is stretchy, use a stretchy fabric…if it isn’t then use a woven fabric)

Basic sewing kit

Sewing Machine

Rotary cutter, mat and ruler

1. Try on the dress and figure out how short you want it to be when finished. Initially this dress hit below the knee so I cut off the bottom portion just above knee length.

2. Next, lay out the dress so one side seam is on top, and slip the rotary mat into the skirt. Be sure the rest of the fabric is out of the way so that you don’t mistakenly cut the wrong fabric. (This has happened to me before!)

3. You will be cutting out a triangle from the seam. If you want it to be exact, measure out from the seam at the bottom to about five inches and place a pin, then do the same on the other side of the bottom edge. So you will have two pins that are equally spaced from the side seam. .

4. Using your ruler and rotary cutter, cut a straight line starting at the waistline and ending right beside one of the pins. Then do the same thing on the other side. This will create a large triangle. Save the triangle to use as a template.

5. Do the same thing on the other side of the dress. Then set aside the dress. (Another way you could go with this dress is to only add a triangle on one side, it just depends on the look you are going for. Or you could add the triangle down the middle of the front or back.)

6. Using the fabric template from the first triangle, cut out two triangles of the insert fabric. I simply placed the triangle template on the home decor fabric and traced around it with a purple sharpie. Cut out the two triangles and sew them into the sides of the dress. Flip the dress inside out, pin in the triangle with right sides together, and sew. Then sew the other side. Repeat for the opposite side of the dress.

7. Finally, hem the dress. I used a hemming ruler and iron and pressed the hem first, then folded it again as I sewed using a straight stitch. You could use a decorative stitch to add another element of style.

Adding triangle inserts to dresses is so much fun, and it can really liven up a boring dress. You can add them in to the front or back if a dress is too small, you can make them wider or smaller depending on the look you want. If you are trying to make a dress bigger that doesn’t fit, you can remove a smaller triangle portion from the dress in step three and then add a much bigger triangle insert to give more room.

This dress is up for grabs in the shop! Onto the next upcycle…

1. .

Fall Harvest Dress

This UPcycle was inspired by a tutorial I found online. The dress was initially a bodycon fit, but I really love a loser fit for Plus Sizes. When a dress is a bit looser it is just more comfortable, and since I had the perfect fabric to go with the dress I wanted to give this a shot.

I based the upcycle on a tutorial I found online, and unfortunately I cannot find the tutorial to share a link. But here is a basic outline of the steps I took to achieve this look. It was a fairly simple upcycle but it took some bravery to cut the back of the dress. So you might want to try this on an old bodycon that you no longer wear, or that no longer fits.

Step One: Cut out a large triangle from the back of the dress. It can be about eight inches wide at the base, meeting at the middle of the back at the neckline.

Step Two: Using another knit fabric, create a triangle that is about sixteen to twenty inches wide at the base and two to three inches wide at the top. Use the fabric that you cut out in step one to get the right length, and be sure to include about an inch extra at the top and bottom for the hem.

Step Three: Sew the insert into the dress. Make sure you do right sides together, and do one side at a time. Then hem the top and bottom to line up with the rest of the dress. If you love the look of an unfinished hem, trim off the hem on the dress and just even everything out.

Step Four: If you want to create a hi-lo dress, make the back piece angle down on each side to create a gentle triangle in the middle back of the dress. I added mini pom pom trim to the lower hem to give the dress a softer look.

Step Five: Cut out a square from the fabric you used for the back, or in another color that is about seven inches square. Fold in the edges and sew, creating finished seams on the square. Then attach to the dress for a front pocket. I created a pleat in my pocket and it has a drapey look, because the jersey I used was really fine.

And you are done!!

Whew!! This dress was more work than I originally thought it would be, but I love it so much. I would do this upcycle again in a heartbeat, only mix up the colors to be bolder next time. A dress like this is so perfect for fall, and is great with layers.

Have fun sewing!