Made a Lily - Step 12

Step 12 - Lily's Skirt

I thought it best to post the tutorial a day early this week considering the holiday tomorrow. Lily's skirt is quick and easy for which, if your anything like me with oodles of Easter hoopla still awaiting attention, you will be most grateful. Let's get straight to work and thread up a needle!

Pick a color that blends well with the skirt. Insert the needle through the seam allowance on the inside of the skirt approximately 1/4 inch from the top edge. Pull out to the right side.

Make small gathering stitches all along the top edge until you arrive back at the seam.

Pull the skirt over the peg body and position it's seam in the back of the cushion...see that little blue marking pin is still doing it's job!

Once the skirt is in place, pull the thread to gather up the waistline. Keep it as snug to the peg as possible and secure the gathering by knotting the thread. No need to cut it free yet as we can continue on using the same piece.

Take a minute or two to fuss with the gathers, making sure they are evenly distributed all around the body.

Once your happy with the arrangement, take horizontal stitches all around making sure to catch up a bit of the shirt fabric from beneath in each stitch. This will hold the skirt firmly in place.

If your finding it difficult to make these stitches a rubber needle puller and a pair of tweezers will work wonders for gripping the needle tight. A thimble is highly recommended as well since your going to have to push fairly hard. And finally, if the space your working in seems a bit cramped don't hesitate to move those little arms any which way in order to get where you need to be!

A second run of stitches should be taken around the body but this time in a diagonal manner going down through the shirt pieces and out through the skirt. These stitches will help to keep the raw edge down flat.

Once you've come round to the back again your going to want to insert the needle up under the fabric and out right at the bottom tip of the "V" created by the criss cross shirt pieces.

Did you remember to pick out those beads? Time to thread one up and stitch it into place right here.

Congratulations.....you've got the first button in place. Time now to maneuver the needle under the fabric and around to the front or if it's easier push the needle back down to the waist band and take stitches along the edge in order to work your way to the front.

On the front, push the needle out along the lower point of the criss cross again.

Stitch one bead button in place and then. . . . .

. . . . .one more slightly lower than the first.

Next week we'll attend to the apron. Your going to want to select some ribbon or seam binding to make the ties out of and a bit of fray check may also come in handy. If you use ribbon it should be around 3/8 inch wide and not too stiff or thick so that it will cooperate with the bow tying procedure! Seam binding is my favorite to work with because it can be maneuvered around quite easily. If you haven't any on hand but want to get some a quick pop over to Mattiecakes on Etsy will do the trick. She is wonderful!

Don't forget.....if you haven't signed up for the giveaway yet all the details can be found here.

Now. . . . off to color those Easter eggs. Fingers crossed the kiddies can keep the dye off the ceiling this year!