Tinkerbell from Hell

What it is:

Net (not tulle) skirt with eight layers and pixie points. Goes from near-floor length to mini-skirt length on me. (I'm 5'4".) Netting is more stiff than tulle, and has larger holes in it.

This is pretty much a variant on the silver spacegirl and the super-simple net skirt, but it was singularly successful.

(Image coming when my housemate uploads it.)

What you need:
What you do:

First, determine your waist measurement. Round up to a nice, even number with a zero in it. Now, using that number as the circumfrence, find the radius of the circle you need to cut to make a hole that size. (This is what the paper and pencil are for, of course.)

Now, double that number.

Cut the netting into 2 yard lengths. If the material is 72" wide, this will produce nice big squares. (If the material is something other than 72" wide, cut lengths as long as the material is wide. You want to make squares.) It needen't be precise; just close.

Open each piece of fabric, fold in half, in half again, and in half a third time. You'll have a triangular wedge of fabric. Take that number you determined before (the radius twice one), and measure that far from the point of the triangle you folded. Cut away an arc, so it's reasably circular. Again, precision isn't neccessary. Just be close.

Repeat this for all the layers.

Prepare your waistband. (ie, take the elastic, see how stretchy it is, and see how much of it you will need to make it stay on you, but not cut off your circulation. Sew it closed so you have a stretchy waistband loop.) Set this aside for a bit.

Now, go stake out that bit of carpet I said you needed.

Lay each layer out flat, pinning the corners into the rug if you need to (I found it very helpful). You want to evenly distribute the points of the skirt, and you want the huge hole in the center to match up, more or less.

Once you have the skirt stacked up, trim the hole in the center so it all matches up. Either baste this together, or pin it well (I wiggle the pins up and down at least four times on netting). Pull up the corner pins, and take the whole assembly to the couch, or a comfy chair.

Now, grab that waistband. Pinmark (ie, put a pin in) it into halves, quarters, eigths, and then sixteenths.

Find the corresponding points on the skirt.

Pin the matching bits together, and pin in between, too. You want it reasonably evenly gathered, but not too tightly.

Once it's all pinned, stretch the band to make sure the netting isn't going to rip or anything.

Head over to the sewing machine and sew the netting to the elastic at the top and bottom of the band, stretching the elastic as far as it will go as it passes under the pressure foot. This will complete the gathers, and keep the skirt from ripping if it gets over-stretched.

If the long bits are too long, go ahead and cut them off. If not, you're all done!

Go wear your poufy skirt, and be very pleased with yourself.






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© copyright 2001 jeni
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