guest tutorial blogger: Mique of thirty handmade days

i'd like to introduce mique of thirty handmade days. we met while being on sytyc together and as we emailed back and forth we found out we have a LOT in common... we both grew up in the southern california (S.D.) area, and we both graduated around the same time from each others rivaling high schools...do you remember all the trash talking we used to do to about each others schools? no? me neither. i was just asking. we both understand the meaning of spending all day at the beach and eating REAL mexican food from a hole in the wall restaurant, and what a REAL fish taco should taste like. oh yes, get a couple of san diego girls talking about burritos, days at the beach,and wearing flip flops all year long, and you have this instant bond that others don't get unless you've spent some part of your life living a hop skip and a jump away from the border and the beach. mique, i'm excited to have you on here and even more excited to have you show your adorable tutorial you've made just for V and Co readers! take it away mique!:



I was beyond thrilled when Vanessa asked me to share a tutorial. Though it did shake me up a bit as to what to make (the queen of tutorials, asking me to share? yikes, no pressure). I've had a few ideas in my mind for awhile and when I saw the napkins I knew that I could create something for my daughter to wear.
Being in the LA area, we're lucky to have mostly sunny weather throughout the year (even in February!) But I think this shirt would look cute with a long sleeve white shirt under too; a little layered effect never hurt anyone right?

I saw a stack of cloth napkins on Clearance at Target for $1.74 for 4 and decided I could do something with them. Didn't anyone else see their hidden potential? Apparently not. Here's what I came up with:

What do you need?

1 sewing machine
1 iron
scissors
pins
water soluble pen
1 shirt as a guideline
(2) 20x20 cloth napkins
1/2 yd coordinating fabric
elastic cording or elastic
Buzz Lightyear cd player with creativity producing music (optional)

There is some variance in this tutorial-
my daughter is 8 and I was able to make one ruffly shirt with the above materials.
Ready? Let's go.


First, with napkins right sides facing and using the shirt as a guideline,
mark the armholes and neck. Cut.


Sew sides together with 1/8" seam allowance.
Use coordinating fabric to create bias tape
(or you can use pre-made bias tape).

Pin bias tape to the arm holes and sew to attach.


Change your stitch length to a basting stitch and
fold coordinating fabric in half, wrong sides together.
Baste along the edge to create a ruffle.

Pull the thread carefully to create a ruffle. Even it out along the way.

Match ends up and sew so you will have a ruffled circle now.

Pin the ruffle to the front of the shirt.
Set your stitch length back and sew to attach the ruffle.

Here's what it should look like now:


Next fold the hem under 1/2" and press.


Sew a straight stitch leaving a small hole to feed elastic cording.
For this shirt I used elastic cording but you could use regular elastic also.
Sometimes when I can't find my darn safety pin I improvise with a paper clip.
(now you know that I cheat)

Just tie it the end and thread your elastic through the hem.
Remember to leave a small hole and take the safety pin off (or paper clip)
then tie the ends of the elastic together.
Like so:

Making sure the elastic cording is tucked in, sew the final hole together.
Ta-da!

Mique Provost
www.thirtyhandmadedays.com

thank you so much mique!
i'm so in love with this and am already thinking up of some cute combination of fabrics i want to put aside for katie's shirts!
next week we have another guest blogger as well as a sponsored giveaway. fun stuff people fun stuff.


v and co loves her sponsors and welcomes newbie forever you!

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