{Tutorial} Sew a Skort from 2 Tshirts

My daughter is a "skirt girl" through and through!  But she is always doing non-skirt activities.  Like being upside down, for instance.  Leggings will work now, when it is cooler out.  We all know though, that "cooler" weather doesn't last long here in Oklahoma and in just weeks it will be permanent shorts, or for Stella, skorts weather!  

Yes, I know, skirts are just so dang easy to make!  I suppose I could always make her wear shorts under them.  OR I could just sew in shorts and not have to worry about her flashing her panties everywhere.  

{Tutorial} The 2 T-shirt SKORT

You need:

2 T-shirts and elastic for the waistband

AND as a template, a skirt and pair of leggings that currently fit

START WITH THE SHORTS

1.  Lay folded leggings on side fold of shirt.  Position so you have enough but not too much in seam.  I used 2 1/4” - 2 1/2” inseam (approx size 4/5).  The hem of the shirt will be the hem of the shorts!  Trace leggings on the shirt and add a seam allowance. 


2.  Cut 2 of these


3.  Sew short edges together on each piece, right sides together.  These = legs


4.  Turn one leg right side out and slip inside the other leg.  Align inseams.  Pin.  Sew inseam in one go.  Turn right side out.

NOW MAKE THE SKIRT

• Lay out skirt on top of T-shirt; align the bottoms
• Add for elastic and seam allowance (I added 3/4” for elastic + 1/2”)
• Cut shirt straight across.  The wider the shirt, the fuller the skirt.

6.  Optional:  Turn inside out.  BUT I want to use the inside of the shirt as my skirt to hide the logo design.  So I am leaving mine Right Side Out.

7.  Cut elastic and sew ends together

{TIP}  Mark elastic with two lines- the other end and the cut line (about 1” from end line).  These two lines tell you where to overlap and sew.  

8.  {TIP} Sew a straight stitch as a guideline 1/2” from top edge.  I used a serger here as my guideline


9.  Mark quarters/quadrants/fourths on both elastic and top of skirt.  

I marked the elastic with pen and the skirt with pins.

10.  Pin skirt and elastic together at each quarter mark.  Align top edge of elastic with your guide stitch.  

11.  Sew together by stretching elastic from pin to pin.  {TIP}  Start with a good backtack and keep needle down between sections.  

 {TIP} To keep the gathering even-ish I like to stretch out the quarter section and then move my hold to the midpoint.  I then sew each quarter section in two parts.  Stretch elastic with one hand and pull through the machine with the other.  


12.  Mark the top of the shorts at the quadrants (2 seams & 2 sides).  Align the quad-marks of the shorts with the quad marks of the elastic.  Pin at the 4 quad-points.  

I did switch my thread at this point to match the skirt. Probably should have done that from the start, yes. 

13. Fold elastic down over shorts and in the same way in step 11, stretch and sew.

{TIP}  Hold the quad mark and pull.  Then rehold at the midpoint, pinching all layers together.  THEN I reach inside the skirt and pull the shorts down to about the center of the elastic, THEN tug the skirt to get a nice fold over the elastic.

14.  Add a tag or slip a piece of ribbon in as you finish sewing the waistband to help your kids know the back of the skort.  I used a printed ribbon as a tag this time.

Ta-Da!

Linking to these *fabulous* parties!

{Tutorial} Glittery Shoes

My daughter's shoes were getting a bit roughed up and I really had to stop filling in the scuffs with my Sharpie as she left for school in the morning.  I had two ideas:  spray paint and glitter!

Oh did she looooove both ideas as much as I did!

I had seen glitter shoe tutorials before, and I knew the basics: Mod Podge and glitter.  But I wasn't sure about the order in which to apply them and what do I do about things like straps and buckles and cute flowers on the shoes?  I mean do I mix the Mod Podge and glitter together and paint it on?  Or should I paint on the Mod Podge and sprinkle the glitter on?  Here is what I found that worked best for me!

I started with these...

and turned them into these...

and it was pretty easy!

{Tutorial} for Glittery Shoes (with straps and stuff)

1.  Prep your shoes by stuffing with plastic bags and taping off parts you don't want glittered.  I unbuckled the strap and let it hang out.  I taped off the velcro on the straps, too!
2.  Put about a tablespoon of glitter in a plastic cup or something you can pitch when you are done.  I mixed three colors of glitter here- all Martha Stewart glitters.
3.  Add a blob of Mod Podge to the glitter and mix with paint brush until is it a thick mixture of the two.  At first it will be dry but keep adding small blobs of the glue until it is a paintable glitter.  When you paint it on the shoe, work in small areas at a time.  **I found this works better than adding the glitter to the glue because I couldn't estimate the glue and had to dump a ton of glitter in or paint on a bunch of coats to get it as glittery as I wanted.  And I wasted a lot of glitter by painting Mod Podge on first then sprinkling glitter on it.
I started at the toe and worked back.  I glittered the strap last.  And don't get any glue on the flower, if you have one.
4.  As they are drying you can add more glitter to any spots you missed.  For touch ups on the toes, I painted on only Mod Podge and then sprinkled glitter to really get them sparkly!  Repeat the layers until they look glittery enough for you.
5.  When the main color was dry, I smothered the flower with Mod Podge and poured silver glitter in every nook and cranny.  I let it set up just a minute then shook off the glitter.

6.  After they are dry...Lastly, I added two thin coats of just Mod Podge over the entire shoe.

When they are completely dry (patience...) carefully remove the stuffing and the tape.  I had to use my fingernail to keep the tape from pulling off the good stuff.  Just go slowly.  Trust me.

I think these shoes are pretty durable.  The Mod Podge kept them flexible enough for a five-year old to run around in them.   I think the thin layers of the glue helped also.

Have you glittered any shoes for yourself or kids?  I would like some glitter just on the toes of shoes for me.

ALSO,  this is My entry into Thrifty Thursday is sponsored by Appliances Online and the Bosch Washing Machines.

Linking to these fabulous parties: