Rufflemania (Amy Karol made me do it)

Today, I was reading Amy Karol's book, Bend the rules of sewing, and decided to take a chance and try something new with ruffles.   Why not?  What was holding me back?  I had an idea and why not try it out?  Amy made me realize that it couldn't hurt to give it a try and it might actually turn out ok.  What is sewing for, after all, other than expressing creativity!  What you see here is the result.

The back story:

Last month, I entered a contest with my favorite online fabric store, Treasure Bay, and one a fabulous selection of Anna Maria Horner fat quarters.  I won seven fat quarters from her Innocent Crush (woven) collection.  When it arrived, my three year old got first pic and chose the blue fabrics as her favorites. I immediately thought of this boring Hanna Anderson Picture of a Great Tee she loves to wear.  We have so many of them that I knew it would be ok to turn it into a dress.

Before:

 

The process:

I started out by cutting the fat quarters into four inch by 21 inch lengths.  After washing, 21 inches is how wide they each were.  I made one tier of three, one tier of four, and one tier of five choices.  I ruffled and serged all that into a skirt, just as you normally would to make a twirly skirt.  

Before I attached it, I had some leftover fabric I wanted to use to decorate the top.  This morning, I spent the better part of several hours looking at ruffle tutorial online, read Amy Karol's Bend the Rules Sewing book, took the dog for a walk, and developed the courage to try something new with this top.  I made it all up.  Forgive me if it looks terrible or makes no sense, but I am going to blame it all on Amy.  It is her fault I took a chance and tried something new and different.  I used all my creative powers because, in the end, that is what sewing should be about.  Amy is right. :)

I make some wee strips of fabric, seams inside, and then put them in the machine to hand ruffle.  I wanted them to lay flat on the shirt so I fed a fold into the sewing machine ever inch or so, like so:

I did not use any pins because I couldn't figure out how to do that!  I just winged it.  Or wung it.  Whatever......

Halfway thru, I realized I had made a heart-shaped oval.  I was ok with that.

I made more ruffles and kept going.  I ended up making a wee booboo up at the shoulder but nicely covered it with some ruffle so you can't tell. Neener neener.

I like the way it looks.  It is not perfect but I don't care.  If I wanted perfect, I'd be in trouble.  Who makes anything perfect anymore?!?!

Next, I attached the skirt and finished it with a rolled edge, now that I have mastered that stitch on my serger, and Voila!

A fresh from the bathtub fashion show.  The best part is that it is a super twirly dress!

So, now, go try something new!  Be daring!  Read an Amy Karol book!  Have fun! Isn't that what life is all about?

XO

Kathy