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June 21, 2012

Romper and/or Skort Tutorial





With this tutorial you can make the romper OR the skirt! :) This is what's been in my head since I bough that fabric at the beginning of the week. LOL Sure does feel good to have it done! And have it turn out the way I pictured it!!! ;)

You will need:

2 3/4 yards of fabric of your choice (woven, knits won't hold pleats that easily)

1 package of wide single fold bias tape (or ribbon or whatever)

4" of 1/4" elastic

2 buttons

A pair of your child's shorts to use as a guide.

Now get ready 'cause this is a long one with LOTS of pictures.

Measure your child's chest and then shoulder to just below the hip. Measure from just below the hip to where you want the skirt part to fall -2".  Measure the shoulder to where you want the bottom of the arm hole to be.



Fold your fabric and cut it the length you need the top to be. Then cut the width on the fold. (You will be cutting 1/2 of the width of the chest + 2".



While still folded, cut out your arm hole.



While still folded, cut out your neckline in a square shape.





Open the bias tape and pin around the arm holes and neckline, skipping the tops of the straps.



Sew the bias tape around the arm holes and neckline.



After sewing the bias tape, press it. This helps to set the stitches.  And it's easier to see if you missed a spot. If you DID miss a spot, take out my BFF, The Seam Ripper, and rip out those stitches and try again. ;)



With right sides together, pin up the side seam and sew. You could actually do this BEFORE the bias tape..... I'm always a little backwards. LOL





Pin over the tops of the straps and sew.



Press the tops of the straps.



Sew on your buttons.



Cut 2 pieces of 1/4" elastic either 1 1/2 to 2" in length depending on the size of your buttons.





Pin and sew your elastic in place.

Now, set this piece aside.  And grab your child's shorts.



Place your child's shorts on the fold. Cut around the shorts and DO NOT leave much room at the top or bottom for seams. You will be giving them a SMALL hem and will NOT be making an elastic casing. ;)



Flip your newly cut leg over and use it to cut the other leg. Make sure to flip if you have a right and wrong side or a particular pattern.



Turn the legs inside out. Pin from the bottom of the leg up to the beginning of the crotch and sew the seam. Do this to both legs.



Gratuitous cat picture.



Turn one leg right side out and stuff it down the other leg. Pin and sew. (If you need better instructions for this look at the Spider-man Pajamas Tutorial or the Knit Peasant Blouse and Gingham Capris Tutorial.)



Turn the shorts wrong side out and turn up less than 1/2 and inch. Press and pin. The sew your hem.



Turn your shorts right side out and measure them up against your top. If needed take a little tuck in the sides like I have done there. Just pin the tuck for right now.



Take your top and turn if wrong side out. Slip it over the shorts with right sides together (the top will be point down to the bottom of the shorts) matching seams and pin it. Then sew the top to the shorts.



Turn right side out and press!

Now you can stop here and you will have a romper!



If you want to change the romper into a skort-all (???) stay with me!

You will need 2 pieces of fabric 1 3/4 yards by however long you want the skirt part to be -2".

We are going to start with the hem, which I apparently forgot to fix the pics for.... :/ Anyway, to do the hem you are going to roll 1/2 " and then roll again, pressing and pinning as you go.  Then sew the hems.



Now you are going to start folding, pressing and pinning all along the 1 3/4 yards. Fold, press, pin. Fold, press, pin. To both pieces. The size of the pleats is completely up to you and your personal preferences. Be sure to pin the bottoms of the pleats, too.



You will have 2 pieces that look like this.

Now you are going to need a waist band.



You are going to cut a strip 5" in width and as long as the romper is around the waist +1". Fold the strip in half and press. Then turn 1 edge under and press. It should look like the picture above when you are done.

Fold in half lengthwise, giving you a middle, and press.



Place your 2 pleated pieces right side together and pin one side. You may have some hang over and that is perfectly fine. Sew the hem on one side.



Cut off the excess.



Another gratuitous cat picture.



Match up the middle of the waistband with the seam. Open the waistband and pin on place with the folded edge on the outside.



Cut off the excess.



Sew the waistband in place. I sewed 2 rows to make sure I got all the pleats. ;)



With right sides together, pin and sew the other seam.



With right sides together, slip the skirt over the romper and pin the top of the waistband to the seam between the top and bottom of the romper.

Sew together.

Turn right side out and press.



Now, cut a rectangle 10" wide by 15" long.

Fold in half with wrong side out and sew and seam along the 15". Open and press with the seam in the middle.



Turn 1/2" in on both ends and press. Then sew a very tiny seam right at the edges.



Fold in the middle and press. Open and sew a gathering stitch right down the middle. I apparently forgot the pics to this part. If you need to know how to sew a gathering stitch, this is how I do it on my machine, I set my stitch length to the longest setting and then I set the distance between stitches to the longest setting. On my machine they are 4 and 9 respectively.



Now, cut a piece of fabric about 5" long by 3" wide.



Fold over both long edges to the middle and press.



Wrap it around the middle of the other piece making a bow! Now press and press and press the middle. Press again. One more time.



Pin it to the front of your skort-all!!  (I tried to sew it but it was too thick.... LOL)

ALLLLLLLL DONE!!!!!




Better pictures to come (in the morning).

I hope this has been easy to follow, if not just leave me a comment. If you try it out, let me know!!  :)



34 comments:

  1. Wow, I must say that you crank out pretty new outfits faster than ANYONE I know! I so enjoy seeing your work! What an inspiration! :)

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  2. AWWW!! Thank you SOOOOO much!!!!
    Sewing is my therapy. I needs LOTS of therapy... ;) LOL

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  3. This is too cute! And I love the tutorial! All the pictures are great for illustration and it is a very clear tutorial in itself! The bow on the skort is great!! Did you just use a normal stitch for the elastic? Or a zigzag or something?

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  4. This is so cute,thanks for sharing!
    www.blissfulsewing.blogspot.com

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  5. Thanks!!! I always worry if I'm being clear enough. LOL

    I just used a normal straight stitch since it was so tiny. LOL

    Thank you, again!!! :)

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  6. Awesome project and such a detailed tutorial! I love your dedication and the patience to carefully photograph every step. I also LOVE your cats (I have 2 cats just like them: one is black and white, the other one is orange and white) and their supervision helped you with the project, indeed :)

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  7. How sweet! and I love the fabric.
    Thanks so much for linking up at I Gotta Create!
    <3 Christina

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  8. Thank you so very much!!!
    Oh, yes! Can't so anything without the "help" of the cats!! LOL

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  9. Wow, Stacy, good job and excellent tutorial. I don't think I was ever as fast as you, but did enjoy sewing for my daughter, too! Now, it seems to take me forever to turn out something adorable for our little Celeste. However, I still enjoy doing it. Just a lot slower! Your daughter looks lovely in her new creation. Beautiful color for her! She may just be a super-model someday! (Just so she stays sweet and nice, right?) lol. Love your blog. Thanks for sharing. Your Grandma Painter, myself, and you....don't always have to have a store-bought pattern. lol. :)

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  10. So cute, and I love the pink buttons on the shoulders :-) Thanks for linking this up to The Fun In Functional!

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  11. Thank you!! :) I wasn't sure about the buttons at first!! So glad to know they work!!

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  12. Thank you so much, Aunt Theresa!!!
    As long as you enjoy the sewing it doesn't matter how long it takes. ;)
    LOL! That's right!! If we can see it in our heads we can make it. I may have missed Grandma's green thumb but I think I got her sewing gene! LOL

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  13. Stacy what an awesome tutorial! Your model is a doll! I'm new to your blog and love all your ideas!

    If you have time, we would LOVE for you to stop in and link up this post and anything crafty in our Crafty Showcase. It runs from Sat-Thur and then we have a Feature Friday with the top pics!

    We also have a linky for ETSY/Crafty business items!

    Susie @Bowdabra
    http://bowdabrablog.com/2012/06/23/saturday-showcase-craft-projects-7/

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  14. Thank VERY MUCH!!
    I am on my way to check out it out now! :)
    Thanks, again!

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  15. This is awesome! who wouldn't love it!
    www.blissfulsewing.blogspot.com

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  16. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!!! :)
    She wore it to VBS tonight.

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  17. Nicely done! Thanks for sharing.

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  18. There's my favorite model again! The skort is so cute. The fabric is gorgeous and you did a great job with the pleats and bow. I'm in awe of your sewing talent. Thanks for linking up with us (the romper too). I love seeing your sewing projects.

    Shasta
    All Star Block Party

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  19. Thank you SOOOOO much, Shasta!!! You are the sweetest!!! :)
    As you can tell, she had a blast modeling for me. LOL

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  20. I love how you did the buttons with the elastic loop! NO BUTTON HOLES! That is awesome... and such a time saver! Gotta file that idea away for the perfect time I need to use it. Great tutorial! Lots of good info there. :)

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  21. Thanks, Jenni!!! I used that because my buttonholer and I are NOT friends. LOL It only works when it wants to! SUCH a pain. I am always looking for ways around it. LOL ;)

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  22. What an awesome job you do sewing... I wish I was that good....
    Thanks for sharing at the ALL STARS BLOCK PARTY...

    Carri
    simplydonewright.blogspot.com

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  23. Fantastic tutorial! Love the fabric! Thanks so much for sharing at Mom On Timeout!

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  24. WOW!! Thank you SOOOO much!!! You are too kind!!!!

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  25. Beautiful!! Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!

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  26. cheeriosandlattes1June 28, 2012 at 6:31 PM

    You have a little model on your hands; makes me smile! She loves helping you I'm sure! :) Thanks for sharing on Saturday Show & Tell at Cheerios and Lattes last weekend! We love having you join us and hope to see you again this weekend! See you soon!
    Mackenzie :)

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  27. LOL!!! She definitely does!!! She's a natural! LOL

    THANK YOU! :)

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  28. That is one cute dress, especially one with the bow. It reminded me of a vintage 1920's dress. My favorite era when it comes to fashion

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  29. Thank you!! That is exactly what I was going for!!! :) So glad it shows!!
    THANK YOU, again!

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I <3 comments!! Thank you so much for taking the time! :)