Mama made me a Flouncy Skirt. It's nice and sassy, just like me:
It's flips and flounces as I walk and crawl:
or when I'm standing, just being me:
The Flouncy Skirt:
Step 1: Purchase or repurpose xx-large (as large as you can find) clearance with extra 50% off lowest price jersey t-shirt with bottom elastic ruching, or banding, detail. I found mine at an Old Navy clearance and paid under $2 for it. For this project it works best to have multiple layers of banding/elastic ruching to create your easy skirt waistband. Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about:
Step 2: Measure your little girl's waist and add about two inches. Using this measurement, cut through one layer of the shirt to cut your new waistband. Leave an extra fourish or so inches on the length, like so:
Step 3: Put shorter right sides together and sew, creating a tube. The skirt waistband is already finished so no fussy finishing needed there. Yippee!
Step 4: Find a complimentary fabric for the Flounce main part of the skirt. I choose some leftover pink flannel that I am LOVING right now. I cut mine 6 inches wide by 30 inches long. Add extra width for a longer skirt or extra length for a flouncier skirt. Subtract inches in the width for a shorter skirt or subtract inches in the length for a less flouncier skirt (WHY anyone would want a LESS flouncier skirt, I have NO. IDEA).
Step 5: Finish (or leave raw, you rebel you!) both edges on the length and sew right sides of the width together creating a big tube of fabric. This will be your FLOUNCE.
Step 6: Gather and attach the flounce to the waistband. You can sew a basting stitch an inch lower than the top hem and gather the skirt before sewing the flounce to the waistband or you can be lazy like me and just hand gather and eyeball it, shoving folds of fabric under the presser foot as you go. I realize this sounds confusing, here's a diagram:
Sew the RIGHT side of the bottom edge of the waistband to the WRONG side of skirt flounce along the dotted line ( yes, leaving an inch or so of finished edge fabric out) attaching the flounce to the lower elastic edge of your already made waistband, gathering as you go. Here's a pic of mine:
Step 7: Cut a 4 x 4 square of fabric from leftover t-shirt and attach to under skirt making it a boyshort. Diagram:
Step 8: Try your Flouncy skirt on your daughter and giggle at the cuteness of it all:
Step 9: (optional) Dig through fabric stash and plan for 5 more FLOUNCY skirts...
A
Yeah yeah yeah, I KNOW urine is sterile.
I KNOW bathrooms are the place to empty thyself of urine.
I KNOW toilets are supposedly the place to put the urine INTO.
But.
Can I just say???
Boys are disgusting.
Thank you,
A
Guess what? I can't think of anything sassy to say.
The meds are really starting to affect me. Or it could be lack of sleep. Yes we are on day #8 of illness in our house (as in everyone) and this bug is a DOOZY. Even though my sense of taste and smell are on vacation (A.K.A. the most effective diet on the planet) I am still able to shop online and share my picks.
I am DIGGING this retro 1940's style swimwear thing that's been going on. I myself found a cute, adequately covering, retro-inspired black with white polka dot bikini swimsuit. SUPER excited about my find. The only problem? I can't find it online to show you. (Hangs head in shame.) And don't even think about asking for a pic of me wearing it. SO not happening.
However, I've had fun finding some vintage/retro'ish swimsuits online. Here are some of my fave's found online for under $100:
The Jantzen "Vamp Maillot" for $98:
It also comes in black or fuchsia.
The Coco-Rave "Beach Blanket Stripe" Bandeau top and Ruffled Skirted Bottom, $44 for the top, $50 for the bottom:
(Don'tcha just love how I look in this picture? I always pose like this on the beach, don't you? You should. And HELLO! There's a huge flower pin in her...er...I mean MY hair!)
Oh, and for uber-cheapo polka dot fun, here is the Norma Kamali Bandeau Tankini Top and Dot Skirted Bottom from Wally world for $15 each piece:
(hello, awkward space in between pictures! I'm pretty certain they aren't in proportion, but it looks mightly familiar to what I see in the mirror.)
Also from Wally World, a Red Shirred Halter for only $30:
But, of course, if you really truly want vintage inspired swimwear, each one under $100, you need to go HERE:
SO cute.
And you betcha I'll be making a ginormous red flower to wear in my hair with my black and white polka dot bikini. Throw on some huge Jacki O. white rimmed sunglasses, paint my lips red and I'm good to go.
But the wedge patent leather red heels? I think I'll pass. I'd just trip in them anyways. The last thing I want is to do is introduce my face to the deck floor in front of hundreds of people. Especially while wearing a bikini. And a huge red flower in my hair. I'd probably break my huge Jacki O. white rimmed sunglasses and smudge my red lipstick. See? SO not worth the red shoes!
Happy swimsuit shopping!
A
