How to Make Ruffle Butt Undies – video tutorial

I finally got this tutorial uploaded to Youtube without problems. YAY!

This two part tutorial will show you how to make a damn cute pair of  ruffle butt underwear. (Or plain butt underwear if you’re not feeling ruffly. But ruffles are fun, so don’t neglect the ruffles.)

Thank you to rufflefabric.com for providing the ruffle fabric. Check out their site, it’s like a candy store for us fabric fiends!

Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!  I have a crap ton of tutorials on the way (including drafting your own custom tube dress pattern, no-sew hair bows, sewing and hemming knits without a serger, making homemade limoncello and vanilla extract, and more)!

And if you have any tutorial requests, leave me a comment!

 

This tutorial was filmed using a Creative Labs Vado HD Digital Video Camera, a Canon Rebel (for still shots), and edited in Sony Vegas Movie Studio.

technique tutorial: zippers

Zippers! Another one of those techniques that everyone seems afraid of!

Fear not, zippers are another one that are super easy once you learn a few tricks and practice a bit.

Difficulty:

For this tutorial, I’ll be inserting a skirt zipper, but the same process can be used for zippers in hoodies, bags, and more, but you’ll need to pay attention to the TYPE of zipper you buy depending on your project.

Standard/conventional zippers are open at one end and closed at the other. That’s the type of zipper we are using for this tutorial. They are suitable for pants, skirts, dresses… anything that you only need to open from one end.

Separating zippers open at both ends, like on a jacket or hoodie. Make sure you buy a separating zipper if you’re planning on making either of those things.

Closed ended zippers are closed at both ends, which makes them perfect for pillow covers and bags. You can easily convert a standard zipper to a close ended zipper by stitching the open end closed.

As far as zipper material, it’s mostly a matter of preference. If you want a non-intrusive zipper, go with a nylon zipper. If you want it to show, I’d recommend metal or plastic.

I’m putting the zipper into the back center seam (between the two back pieces). You could also put the zippper into the side seam of the skirt, but it lays better in back.

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technique tutorial: darts

If you’ve ever seen a pattern with little triangles on it like the drawing below, those are darts.

Difficulty:

Darts are one of those things that most people think are really hard, so they don’t want to learn how to do them. They aren’t really hard at all- if you’ve got a baggy spot on a garment, you pinch it til it fits, pin it, and sew.

Once you get the hang of darts, they are indispensable when you’re making something that needs a tailored fit. They’re also a great tool for when you’re reconstructing something- sometimes all something needs is to be fitted a little better.

In our example, we’re making a pencil skirt. Because we’re using a woven fabric, the waistline kind of bags open at the top. Darts to the rescue!

This same process can be used for darts elsewhere, like in the bust.

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tutorial: making a super basic pattern

First let me say that pattern making is a pretty advanced skill. It’s not really something I recommend you start out with immediately, mostly because you will probably end up really frustrated. It’s hard. You have to take 2 dimensional (i.e. FLAT) pattern pieces and make them fit your curvy, lumpy body.

I recommend starting out with storebought patterns, because you’ll get a chance to see what a pattern looks like, and what the basic pieces are shaped like.

But if my words of warning are not enough to sway you, I suppose I have no choice but to give you my crash course in making a very VERY basic pattern.

Difficulty:

Step 1

Grab yourself a t-shirt (preferably a crappy one you won’t mind cutting to pieces) that fits you like a potato sack.

Put it on inside out.

Pin it so it fits. Pay special attention to the curves of your bust, waist, and hips and your armpits. You might want help from a friend at this point, because it can be kind of tricky to hold the fabric in place on yourself AND pin.

Pin so it’s snug, but not tight. The fabric of the t-shirt should not be stretched.

Step 2

Now, if you took it off and laid it flat, and drew lines to connect all the pins, you’d have something that looks like the drawing below.

So do it. Make yours look like mine.

Once you’ve got the lines drawn, remove the pins.

Step 3

Cut about 1/2″ to 1″ outside the lines for the seam allowances. You should end up with something like this for the front piece.

 

Step 4

If you draw lines from the pits to the shoulders and cut, you have a standard fitted tee pattern. Hoorah!

 

Step 5

Cut here, and you’ve got a perfect tube top pattern!

 

Final Notes:

You’ll probably want to take these pieces and transfer them to paper. It stores more easily and is easier to cut around than hunks of t-shirt.

Any kind of paper will do. Some people like tissue paper, but I think it rips too easily. Paper bags will work, but they’re a little thick. I prefer the brown packing paper that comes in a lot of shipping boxes, or blank newsprint. Wrapping paper also works well and looks pretty. My favorite stuff is tyvek. It’s what they make the UPS and post office envelopes out of, and it is IMPOSSIBLE to rip.

That’s it. It’s probably not how the professionals do it, but it should give you somewhere to start if you’re dead set on jumping head-first into pattern making.

off-shoulder top tutorial #1

Another simple recon tut, with a retro pin-up style flavor.

Difficulty:

Step 1

Take your big t-shirt and grab a tank top that fits well.

 

 

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circle skirt variations tutorials – pixie skirt and more!

If you don’t know how to make a circle skirt yet, check out the Circle Skirt tutorial first, because all of these skirts build on the basic premise of a circle skirt.

 

Difficulty:

Variation 1 – double full circle skirt

Instead of cutting 1 donut with a center cirumference of 36″ (the number we used in our examples), cut 2 donuts with a center circumference that is half your desired waistband measurement. In this example, each hole should measure 18″. The desired length (16″ from our example) should stay the same.

Cut the donuts open (red line).

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circle skirt tutorial – new and improved!

The awesome thing about circle skirts is that once you get the idea, you can use the same premise to make a variety of different styles all based on a simple circle skirt.

 

This tutorial is for a classic circle skirt (think 50′s style poodle skirt). The other variations of the circle skirt can be found here.

If your circle skirt turned out ginormous and you’re left scratching your head, check this out.

Difficulty:

Step 1

Cut a waistband out of stretchy fabric or stretch lace. It should be large enough to stretch over your hips, but small enough that it stays put on your waist. For shiggles, let’s say our example waistband is 40″ wide.

 

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raglan sleeve / baseball style top – photo tutorial

Grab an old tee, some chalk, and a pair of scissors!

Difficulty:

Step 1

Pick a shirt. You can do this with the shirt you want to reconstruct, but if you’re new to making patterns, I’d recommend getting an old junk shirt and cutting it apart to make the pattern.

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attaching set-in sleeves (the harder way) – photo tutorial

Set-in sleeves are kind of tricky, and there is an easier method.

This method is still good to know, because you might find yourself in a situation where you want to modify/add sleeves to a top that already has the side seams sewn up, or doesn’t have side seams.

Difficulty:

Step 1

Here we go. We’re starting with the side and shoulders seams already sewn, so we have a basic sleeveless top. The sleeves have also been sewn up and cuffed.

You can ignore the hood in the bottom right hand corner. That’s for later.

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