Pinterest Challenge: Square-Circle Skirt

Hello and Happy Friday!

We're back at our sewing machines this week, so make a cup of tea and pull up a chair. ;)

If you're anything like me, the world of Pinterest fills you with equal parts inspiration and depression/overwhelming anxiety.

For example, "YES!  I CAN totally make that!"... (read tutorial)... "Nope.  No way.  Stop judging me, Martha. "  

But today, I'm taking a step to change that!

I decided to challenge myself with one of the "pins" on my sewing board that has been mocking me for months.  (Anyone been there? Yeah, I'm totally going to make that pillow, or, Of course I'm going to make that triple-layer chocolate cake!... I just need a little more time...)

No more! ;)  Maybe you can challenge yourself too! Pick a "pin" and just go for it!  If it doesn't work, then delete that pin and try another one! ;) (I have a feeling it will work just fine, though!) ;)

So here is my challenge:

The Double-Layer Square Circle Skirt from the wonderful makeit-loveit blog. :)

Check out the tutorial:

Double Layer Square Circle Skirt

So cute, right?

Materials:

-Jersey fabric (for a 12-month old, I ended up using about 3/4 of a yard)

-Wide elastic of your choosing (I'm thinking about ordering some ridiculously cool elastic from ruffle fabric .  Check out their shop here! )

-Pins, sewing machine, thread

First, I followed makeit-loveit 's tutorial for the (single layer) square circle skirt, here. (She references this post in her double-layer skirt tutorial, and I highly suggest reading through this one first, then you'll be able to visualize the process for the double-layer skirt more easily.)

In her tutorial, she said it took her "20-ish minutes to make."  Whoa.  Let's just agree that we're maybe not going to live up to that expectation.  

Now that we're embracing the freedom our slowness, let's get to work!

I followed her tutorial, and it worked better than I expected!  I will advise you to use good, sharp scissors for cutting the jersey knit.  

What I love about working with jersey is that you can leave the edges unfinished, since it won't fray.  That is such a time saver!  You can, of course, finish the edges/hem it, if you like!

My machine ate the jersey a few times, but eventually, it came together!

I also agree with her advice of joining the two skirt layers with one long basting stitch-- it greatly helped the pinning/sewing process.

Side-note:  Sewing with elastic is not my favorite.  Check out this tutorial for a little elastic-sewing help!

Elastic Band Skirt

I want to make a Diana-sized skirt, but I first experimented with a Ruthie-sized skirt. ... and here it is!

Don't look too closely at any stitches, but it mostly resembles a skirt!

Now, you know I like to gild a lily, so I wanted to add a little fun trim to the elastic band.  (Also, I wanted to cover up some of my crazy stitches.) ;)

Using the same elastic-sewing technique, I used one hand to pull the elastic from the back and the other hand to pull elastic from the front and guide the trim.

Here it is!

And now, for our model!

(Let's just be clear that almost-one-year-olds don't sit still very long.  Sorry for the blurry pictures!)

See, it's possible!  Pick a pin, (or make this post a pin!), and have some fun!  If you decide to make one of your baking pins, please, don't forget to invite me over to taste it. 

Happy weekend all!

PS: