Apple Skirt and Tutorial

I have apparently started a tradition of making an apple picking outfit every year. You can see past years dresses here and here. It wasn't necessarily my intention to make this a tradition, but after making dresses 2 years in a row and seeing this very cute corduroy at Joann's I thought why not and this is what I came up with.Isn't it cute? I thought so and decide that some of you might think so too so I am going to attempt a tutorial.
You will need about 1/2 a yard (depending on your size I made a 2T) of 2 coordinating fabrics. I used a printed corduroy and matching solid color cotton.
To get the right size measure your child's waist size (19 in for me). Also measure from waist to knee, or however long you want the skirt and add an inch(mine is 12 in). Now that you have your measurement cut either one piece twice as long as your waist measurement by your length measurement (this will make one seem in back)or cut 2 pieces your waist measurement by length measurement (creates to seems on side). You will do this for both of your materials.
Now take the right side of the pattern material and match it up with the wrong side of your solid material then sew it together. Now you have one big piece (or 2 big pieces). Next sew the sides together by folding the piece long ways so that the right side of the pattern material and the wrong side of solid material are on the inside. Sew up the side. If you have 2 pieces then just line them up on top of each other and sew up both sides. You should now have a tube. Now fold the pattern material over the solid material. You now have a tube with right side of pattern material on out side.
Top stitch near top where you sewed the to types of material together. This will keep the material in right orientation. The bottom should have to raw edges the pattern material and solid material. Hem these separately, hemming the pattern material shorter so that the solid peeks through under the pattern.
Now we are going to pleat the front. Make a mark in the center of your front panel then make a mark every 2 in. Use these marks to help you make your pleats even. I made three pleats on either side of my middle mark. Sew your pleats down by sewing a straight line across all pleats about an in or so from top.
For the back I cut a piece of elastic half the size of my back panel and stretching it across the length of the back panel sew it on about an inch from the top.
Now you have a skirt. For the cute little pink belt I just sewed a tube of material the length I wanted turned it inside out and sewed the ends closed. I tied the belt over were I sewed the pleats and elastic down. This made it so there is sort of a ruffle sticking out over the top. So, this skirt is meant to be worn with a shirt that is tucked in.
Since I had scraps and since my daughter informed me that her doll only had PJs I made the doll a simple little matching skirt.
You can make the doll skirt the same way or simplify it like I did. I measures The dolls waist and cut apiece of elastic that size. I then sewed 2 strips of the pink material on either side of the apple material that was twice as long as the elastic (or piece scraps together to make a piece twice as long as your doll's waist)
Sew your loose ends together forming a tube. Then fold your 2 pink strips under and sew in the ditch as shown in picture. One side is now the bottom him and the other is the top where you will insert elastic and sew together.
So there is a simplified matching doll skirt tut. I hope it makes since.
Once you have your outfit you are ready to go pick apples. I also made a little clip by cutting out one of the apples and gluing it to a clip.
My husband was making fun of me when I felt bad I hadn't made Aidan an outfit. He said "because Aidan is going to look back on these pictures and feel bad he did have an outfit." sarcastically of course. So just in case he did look back I appliqued some apples on an onsie so they were matching.
There you have it an apple skirt, matching doll skirt, clip and onsie all in one, perfect for an afternoon of apple pickin'? Now what to do with the apples. Here is what I did last year.



linking up with these awesome gals.