High Waisted Tulip Skirt

HERE IT IS!!! This is the skirt I am so happy to share with everyone! I'm so proud of how it turned out and to make it even better...its so EASY! Seriously, anyone should be able to figure this one out! Go on...try it...I promise, you'll love it!

First things first...Supplies..

1.) 1.5- 2yards of Fabric (I am using a Spring-y Alexander Henry Fabric, just screams bring me warm weather doesn't it? :) ) 

2.) Elastic 3' Wide

3.) Dye to Match Fabric (I suggest Liquid Rit, its just easier to use in my opinion.)

4.) Scissors 

5.) Favorite Method to Measure

6.) Matching Threads

Before you begin you will need to have pre-washed and ironed your fabric. Then grab up that elastic and dye. Follow the directions on the bottle or even check out Dana's AWESOME dyeing tutorial on <a href="http://www.dana-made-it.com/2008/07/tutorial-dying-elastic.html"><b>MADE</b></a>. Dye your elastic.  Pre-wash it. 

Next measuring! Measure your widest section, may it be your hips, deriair, or waist. Take that number and add 4 inches. This is your width of the skirt. Then to figure out your length, start up high on your waist. and then decide how far down you want it to go. 

**Reminder when considering the length you want. You will be attaching a 5in ruffle and losing 2 to 3 inches for your tulip lip. SO try to keep that in mind when measuring. Don't want a measuring disaster. ;)

Example Numbers:

Widest Area...my behind..heehee... it measured 40ins.

40in+4in= 44in

44in = Width of Skirt

24in= Length I wanted

Now, mark and cut TWO rectangles this size. It should end up looking like this...

You can now put these pieces to the side...You now need to measure and cut out your ruffles. I cut mine out at 5'in widths. You can make them wider or skinner if you would like but that is just what I felt looked best for my skirt. I then decided the length of the ruffle by my width of the skirt, which mine was 44 inches. 

So my formula looked like this 5in' wide x 44in long. (Your's may vary, thats fine.) You need TWO pieces cut to these specifications. They should look like this...

  

By looking at this picture you can tell I have then taken my ruffles and hemmed one edge of them about 1/4in in. Go ahead  fold, pin, iron, and sew your hem in on each ruffle. Now we are going to sew a gathering stitch along the top of the NON HEMMED EDGE. 

Note the picture here. NON HEMMED EDGE. Set your sewing machine to widest stitch, mine happens to be 4. Then straight stitch down the FRONT of your fabric, WITHOUT backstitching. Once your done it should look like this...

There should be two long strings at the end of each, take the string from the BACK of your fabric (the one I am holding between my two fingers) and pull that string to start to gather your ruffle. Be careful not to pull to hard that you can break your thread. Continue to pull and gather this until you reach the middle then turn go to the opposite side of that same piece of fabric and pull the string at the BACK of the fabric at the opposite end and continue to gather it. Do this to BOTH pieces. 

Next take your rectangles, right side up, and pin these ruffles to the edge of each. This can be a little tedious, getting the gathers even and making your ruffle fit but you will get the hang of it.**And don't worry if you have a bunch of ruffle hanging off the edges of your fabric, you can cut those off at the end.** It will look like this once you have done so. 

 Now sew it on. Try to sew right below that gathering stitch so that it doesn't peep through when the ruffle is flipped down. Now sewing your two pieces together, place them RIGHT SIDES facing. And sew straight down the sides, 1/4inch in. Wow, looking like a skirt right? :) Next take the skirt (and sorry I don't have pictures of this :( , I forgot to snap one but I am sure you girls can figure this out. Take the TOP of the skirt, fold it in like a 2 to 3 in hem. Pin, Iron, and Sew it in. Be sure to sew along the bottom of that fold, your going to use it at a guide in a bit. 

**I wanted to add, if you want your tulip lip to be larger than mine, you can make that folded hem larger, just make sure to take that into account when measuring the length of your skirt.**

Grab up that elastic now. Take that elastic and measure around your waist. Now you are going to want this a tiny bit snug, but leave room for sewing it together. I would say an inch. Cut it. Now to sew it. Sew your two ends together like so...

Then take your flaps and sew them over like this...

When your finished sewing these, the outside should look like this...

Pretty, huh? 

Now take your skirt, right underneath your stitch for the hemmed top, sew a gathering stitch from from one side to the other. Do this on both the front and back side. You should have TWO separate gathering stitches. Pull and gather your lip there. Once its nice and gathered, pin your skirt underneath your elastic waistband. Here is where that original line comes in handy. Using your line, line up the edge of the elastic with it. And pin. Be sure your side seams are pinned at the sides of the elastic, you don't want a random line down the front. Once your sure you have it all pinned where you want it, sew it on. I sewed right along the edge there. **Be sure to pull on the elastic as you sew it in place or your will lose that stretch to put it on later** Pull the elastic NOT the fabric though.**Then, I  sewed along the bottom of the elastic band. When you do this, be sure that you pull your fabric straight out. It will create gathers because of the gathering you did at the top, its ok, as long as, while you sew you keep that fabric straight out. It's the trickiest part of this whole skirt and then guess what... your finished! HOW CUTE IS THAT?! You could add a cute belt, or fabric flowers. Slide on some heels, sandals, or even come cute flats. And tah-dah! A cute, simple outfit!

***Coming Soon*** More photo's of the finished piece. Just haven't had the time to stop and model a photo for the hubs and all of you ladies!! Hang tight for me girls! :p