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I have had a few problems with my newest posts not showing up for some of you readers.Â
If this is the post that shows up when you click on “Home“…..then there is a cache-ing problem for you and you’re not seeing my most current posts. To fix this problem…….on your computer up at the top, click on “File”, then click on “History” and then click on “Clear History”. Now re-load the page and my newest posts should show up at the top. If it still doesn’t work for you, email me at ashley @ makeit-loveit . com (but without the spaces) and I can try and help you further. So sorry for the glitch……..I just had a problem when I updated my site and then some of you weren’t getting the newest posts. Bummer. But we’ll get it figured out. Thanks!
Ashley
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Summer is still in full force. Are any of you melting outside? (Okay, I know some of you in other parts of the world are freezing cold, so ingore that…)
I have not tired of the sun yet, so keep on shinin’ on. (Can you believe it’s already August? Fall will be here in a snap. Crazy.)
And really, what is better to wear in the hot heat, than a breezy little skirt. Nothing beats that full ventilation. :)
And just for fun, how about sprucing up a plain ‘ol skirt by cutting some of the length off…………and then adding a couple rows of lace and different fabrics. It sure adds great detail.
I made this skirt from scratch (using this pattern………just adjusted the sizing a bit) for my sweet little niece Claire who was visiting the other day. And then let her do her thing…
A new skirt for summer is refreshing. Even for a 10 year old.
The calico prints work lovely with the different lace strips. And that lace…….Yum.
My goodness Miss Claire, you have become such a little lady. Thank you for sewing with your auntie.
Would you like to adjust an old skirt……..or make a new one?
First of all, see if you have an old boring skirt you’d like to transform. Or pick out some new fabric to make a brand new one. And you can make a skirt using my Lily Skirt pattern from my shop here or just make a basic skirt with an elastic waist band, like here. (If you’re making your own skirt, you’ll need to make the main skirt shorter than normal because you’ll be adding the fabric strips and lace to the bottom.)
However you do it, you’ll need to select some fabric and some lace to attach to the bottom of your skirt. Make sure to buy strips of lace that are not gathered. It needs to be flat strips of it. Mine came on rolls and I think I found it at a craft store (A.C. Moore?) back in Georgia. But check any fabric store. I chose 2 different lace styles (just for added detail) that were both about an inch wide. Then I cut some strips of fabric that were 2 inches wide and about 6 inches longer than the measurement of the bottom of the the skirt. Make sure and zig-zag or serge the bottom edge of the top strip (white background strip) and the top and bottom edge of the bottom strip (orange background strip). You need to finish off those edges because those are the edges you will be attaching the lace.
Now, construct your main skirt section if you’re starting from scratch or cut off several inches of an existing skirt that you want to spruce up. (Cut off however many inches that you’re going to be adding back on with your strips. But if you want your skirt shorter or longer than it is, adjust accordingly.)
Attach the top strip to the bottom edge of the skirt, with right sides together. Make sure you are attaching the edge of the strip that hasn’t been zig-zagged or serged. Sew all the way around the skirt, leaving a few inches open at the two ends. Now, you can pre-measure and cut and sew this strip into a tube and then pin it and then sew it in place without leaving the ends free, etc…………but I always find that if I do it that way, the fabric stretches a bit and I’m always off when completing the full circle. So, I do it this way. But do whatever works best for you. I’m just stuck in my ways!! :)
Then sew the two ends together, with right sides together.
And then sew the rest of the strip down in place. (If you didn’t serge the layers together, go back and finish off this edge with a zig-zag stitch.)
Now, flip that fabric strip down and begin adding your first strip of lace. (Remember that this bottom edge of fabric is serged or zig-zagged.) Overlap the lace on top of the fabric by about a 1/4 inch, and sew in place with a narrow zig-zag.
Leave the ends free like above and then sew the two ends together and then finish sewing the lace down to the fabric. Just like you did above with the fabric strip.
Now, attach the other strip of the lace to the bottom of the other strip of fabric………
And then attach this strip to the bottom of the other layers…….but be sure that the top row of lace is on top of the bottom fabric strip.
Now, iron everything flat.
And that’s it.
Your breezy little summer skirt is ready for some love.