amitymamaThe Attachment Parenting Community

~Carla~ · 05-20-2002, 08:28 PM

Ok i know they are free style really but is there a pattern somewhere so i know how much fabric etc and for basic help lol ive got lots of fabric i want to use to make me something..time to get out of the sweat pants at least once in a while

and im clueless how to begin...im a gueen sized gal so i need big stuff

thanks,
carla

Dannielle · 05-20-2002, 09:08 PM

I don't know where you could get a pattern but I could tell you exactly how I made the one I just did a *sew and show* for. I wear a 22/24 and am 5'10" tall.

I got 9 different fabrics

1/3yd of 8
2/3yd of my favorite one

I cut them all into 4" strips. I did cheat and go across the width of the fabric...didn't seem to cause any problems. Although I prewashed and dried everything first.

I had 2 leftover strips. I could've gotten away with using one less strip and only having 1/3 yd of 9 fabrics....a total of 3 yds.

I could've also gotten away with less if I had a serger. I did french seams....sewed everything together wrong sides together first with a slightly more than 1/4" seam (to the edge of the presser foot), trimmed the seam allowance, ironed, then folded each seam right sides together and enclosed the seam allowance with another presser foot wide seam. So, if I had a serger I could have shaved off another 1/3-1/2yd. by just making one 1/4" seam.

I joined everything with the seams on the outside, then enclosed all the seams. I didn't join the first and last strip until all the others were completelt done

Then I folded down and sewed the elastic casing. Before inserting the elastic I figured out how long I wanted it and used my kitchen tile as a guide for trimming the bottom. Probably a little unorthodox but my scissors just ride the grout line.

Then insert the elastic and either hem the bottom or trim with lace.

I used the bottom of a skirt I like the fullness of as a guide for the width.

I pieced about 26 strips together, started getting worried it would be too full, enclosed those seams and saw how much it shrunk...then I added a few more strips to get it close to my control skirt.

I had a lot of fun making mine.

~Carla~ · 05-20-2002, 10:13 PM

wow thats perfect! thats the size I wear too! although i wish i had your height...im only 5'4

anways thats just what i needed! thanks so much!
carla

hehe i use tile to cut on .....and no serger here either- also have used the split in the dining table where the leaf goes to help me cut straight!

Natalie · 05-20-2002, 10:30 PM

Was for a 42 inch waist, don't know what that translates to in size. Here's the pic

http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachme...&postid=111828

I got a pattern for the approx size of skirt I needed, and then used on of the pattern pieces (calls for 2 front and 2 back) and divided it into thirds. I used that piece, and made all my strips using that as a mini-pattern. It was an a-line shape, so as not to add bulk to the waist. I serged all the pieces together, using the measurement of the pattern piece, minus 1/2 inch for serging, and then added as many as I needed to go over 42 inches. I think I went around 46. Then I serged the upper edge, turned, and ran the elastic through, and hemmed. I could cut another third off the pattern and mail it to you, if you'd like. Then you just figure how many pieces you need. Think I used 14...

CarterNOwensMom · 05-20-2002, 11:22 PM

Sounds not so hard! I may have to attempt one for myself soon!

Dannielle · 05-21-2002, 01:07 AM

Natalie, that is so pretty! It looks like a LOT of work! All those patches line up perfectly. Wow!