Twirly Skirt Tutorial

I know this is my hair blog, but I ran into a follower and one of my girls was wearing one of these skirts with a cute white sweater and a coordinating headband. She asked if I would share. Here you go!

Threeish years ago, we had to have outfits for a Pioneer parade and I had NOTHING for my girls to wear, so the night before I grabbed some calico I had sitting around and made your basic, gathered floor length skirt for each one of my girls and a basic white apron. It worked for the time and through some tweaking, it has evolved into a fun skirt my girls love to wear. We go to the fabric store and I hear "I would love THIS for a skirt, Mom!!!" Since I am a sucker for fun things for my kids to wear, I happily oblige.

And as a disclosure, I don't like sewing with patterns and I have no idea what I am doing at all. I just get an idea in my head and I start cutting and sewing. I couldn't tell you what a bias is to save my life. Don't judge, mmmkthx.



First I head to my favorite fabric store...side note, I just found the BEST fabric store by where we are currently living. They sell Moda AND Amy Butler! If they carried Heather Bailey, my life would be complete! Okay, back to the tut. I buy a yard of my base fabric, and then 12 inches of a coordinating fabric. Then I measure it on my girl. Usually it ends up being half a yard that I use. For the smaller kids I shorten that. Hence the problem of not using a pattern. Also make sure that you add on about 3 inches for the casing.

I then cut two lengths of fabric for the main body of the skirt from selvage to selvage.

And I repeat with the coordinating fabric. I cut it six inches.

Fold the coordinating pieces of fabric in half and press.

The place the raw side of the coordinating fabric to the right side of the body material.

Sew.

I use a straight stitch. If you had a serger... which I do but it is currently somewhere in two vast storage units whereabouts unknown...You would serge this part together and then straight stitch next to the serged edge. Instead, I have trimmed it with pinking sheers.

Unfold the two pieces and repeat with the other two pieces.

(I didn't actually trim this one with the sheers because it was late on Saturday and when you are thinking "Dang, my girls have nothing to wear to church tomorrow" and it's midnight, well, sometimes you forget things.)

Then press the fabrics flat.

Now, I take and put the two pieces together. The front and back if you will. Right sides together. Then I sew in just over an inch from the selvage. Start from the bottom to make sure your coordinating fabric joints match up.

Like so.

Then trim...or serge.

Now I measure around my daughters waist. I pull the elastic snug and then overlap by half an inch.

Then I make the casing. On the top of the skirt, I fold down the raw edge, depending on how close my fabric is on either side determines the first fold of the casing. That is why I go three inches, because I am not an accurate seamstress and I need to leave room for error. I make one fold and press it down, then I fold that first fold over and measure how much room I have for my elastic and press the second fold down. You can see the press marks in the above picture.

I have plenty of room for the elastic.

Next, I sew a straight stitch around the top of the casing. This step isn't necessary, however I have learned that it keeps the elastic from twisting and makes for a prettier top.

Then I sew the bottom half of the casing, leaving a two to three inch opening.

Like so.

Then take two safety pins and attach one end of the elastic to the fabric and attach the other safety pin to the other end of the elastic.

Then thread the elastic through the casing.

I pull my lead out and attach it to the other safety pin while I even out the fabric as much as I can before sewing it up.

I overlap my elastic by an inch and a half and sew a square around the edges and an X from corner to corner.

Then I pull the skirt and stuff that elastic up into the casing.

Pull the casing flat and sew. Remember to back stitch.

Spread the fabric evenly and VOILA! You have a super easy, fun skirt.

It only takes me 20-30 minutes to make one of these puppies and we have tons of them now. Hopefully these instructions make sense. Let me know if you have any questions!

With a couple of tweaks, you can do so many things with this skirt. I have done an overlay and and under skirt. I have made a plain edge without the coordinating fabric and just hemmed it. I have wanted to sew strips together and make a striped skirt with the coordinating fabric on the bottom, but I haven't gotten around to that yet. My friend thinks it would be darling to put belt loops on the casing and thread a ribbon through. I agree with her.

Next tutorial, the super easy headband.

Golden Globes Hair---Nancy O'Dell

This is the look we are going for...now, to be fair, this is a delicate hairstyle. It works FANTASTIC on my oldest, who is a little less...um...playful. Playful is a good word for it.



We modified it a bit for my little girl who can't stop on putting dress-up or hiding under rugs in IKEA. This is pre-crimping. Don't cringe when I say crimping. This is not that horrid triangle iron you had in 1987, this is a great 3-barrel curling iron. Don't shoot me when I say this, but DO NOT buy the cheap knock-offs of a 3-barrel curling iron found at big box stores!!!! I KNOW THIS FROM EXPERIENCE! Just don't, K! The more expensive ones have a center that lifts up, where as the cheapy's do not, and that my friend MAKES ALL OF THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD!!!

Yeah, I was a skeptic too, until one of our ultra-cool babysitters corrected the error of my ways. The cheapy was given to Goodwill where someone else will have to learn from my experience.

Remember THIS twist? You'd better, because that is the only way you will be able to do this very exact hairstyle! (As a side note, the model in that tut is a year older and looks it! Happy Birthday Lana!)

Spray the hair with hairspray (a very important step) and just use the curling iron as instructed in the manual. It takes time to get used to it, I still struggle.

As you can see in this picture, I pulled out some of the hair above where the two twists meet. You don't have to do this, it looks darling without it. I was just going for Nancy O'Dell. On a four-year old. A child who is 100% static by the end of the day.

And there you go!

Going Blond To Meet The Blues

Last month Marie Claire UK reported that a large number of British women are going blond. In fact, celebrity stylist Andrew Barton says he's seen a 67% increase in sales of his blond hair products compared to last year. UK grocery retailers have also seen sales of blond hair dye increase over the past few months?

So what's causing all of these women to reach for the bleach? When asked, women usually say they feel more confident, attractive, younger and fun as blonds. They also say they get more attention as a blond. If you're feeling down or stressed, that would probably make you feel better too!

If you decide to do the same and go lighter, make sure it looks good before you take the plunge. Everyone can find a shade of red that will look good on them, so its a very versatile color. Blond isn't the same. You really need to make sure you have the right skin tone to go blond without looking ill or washed out. You can use this tool to make sure blond looks good with minimal risk and no commitment. Sounds like a win-win situation to me!

Hollywood Hair...Jennifer Aniston at the Oscars

I have a secret. I watch the Oscars and Emmy's. Not to see who wins, but to see their hair. Last night's favorite was Jennifer Aniston. She was beautiful! LOVED her hair, it wasn't over done or swept back into an updo that wasn't her at all. It was simple and fresh.



This morning we did her style on my oldest. She is getting past the point of piggies and wants her hair down and older (WAH!) so this style fit the bill.



All we did was part the hair at an angle from above her eye to her crown. About an inch and a half up the part, I parted her hair again to the other side. I pulled the extra hair into a ponytail so I didn't inadvertently pull excess into the French braid. I sprayed the hair with water and hairspray and braided down like so. I secured the braid with an elastic and then to make sure it didn't move, I threaded a bobby pin through the elastic and up through the underside of the braid.







Then I pulled the ponytail out and ran my flat-iron through pieces of her hair to give it some "UMPH"

How'd we do?

Coming up next:

Nancy O'Dells Golden Globes Hair

Vanessa Hudgens

How To Prevent Stains When Coloring Your Hair

Hair dyes do stain to make sure you're prepared to deal with drips. You may want to set aside a "hair coloring shirt" that you don't mind ruining. Also, use some old towels that you also don't mind sacrificing. Use a butterfly hair clip to secure one towel around your neck to catch any drips that would otherwise fall on your shoulders or the floor.

You'll also need drop cloths or, again, old towels to put down on the floor. Hair dye will absolutely stain carpet and isn't so good for tiles either.

One tell tale sign you color your hair is if you stain your skin with the dye. To avoid this, make sure you have a jar of petroleum jelly on hand. Smear a good glob around your hairline all the way around your face and neck. Put some on your ears while you're at it to make sure you don't end up staining them as well. And make sure you use the gloves that come with the kit!

Born to Be Blonde

Here is a very funny video with Kelly Ripa and people who were born blond or born to BE blond!

Enjoy!

The 401K Cut and Color

Most salons are struggling because of the economy. To save money, women are going longer between trims and many of us are coloring our hair at home. Salons are losing out since we're becoming a bunch of do-it-yourselfers, so a lot of them are coming up with creative ways to get women back into their chairs.

I just came across a story about a salon in Minneapolis/St Paul that has the most creative promotion I've seen. To get new customers into the salon, they will discount the bill for any service (cut and/or color) by the amount you've lost in your 401K plan! If your 401K looks like mine, that could be a 30-40% discount! Partial highlights where I live are about $95. With this discount, it would be about $40 off. That's not too shabby and would get me in for a professional color!

So what does this mean if you don't live in the Twin Cities? As noted, a lot of salons are coming up with promotions to get people to come back in for services. Keep an eye out for discounts in your area. If you're picky like I am, you may not want to go to someone new for a hair cut. However, I would have no problem going to a different colorist if it meant saving some cash!

Save Lots of Green With These Hair Color Ideas

Most women are cutting back salon visits to save money. That doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your hair color. Hair coloring kits today are easy to use and convenient. All of the guesswork is taken out of blending colors and doing the dying. You just have to follow the instructions. The only one who needs to know you didn't have your hair colored at a salon is you!

That being said, there are some things you need to know about coloring your hair at home. Here are some things from CBS The Early Show that you need to consider:

1. Find the right hair color for you

Stay within 2 shades of your natural color (lighter or darker) unless you are covering gray hair. If you go lighter or darker than that, you really need to have your hair done by a professional. It will also require more maintenance to keep it looking good (meaning root touch ups).

If you're fair with light eyes, the best hair color ideas for you are cooler undertones. Think champagne blond, ash brown and darker reds. If you're darker complected, go with golden blonds, honey browns and coppery reds. You can use these shades for highlights as well as finding an all over color.

One thing about red - this is the most difficult shade to maintain, so think about it first. Reds oxidize quickly so you may need to touch up more often. In addition, you may need to use a more expensive shampoo and conditioner to protect the color.

2. Have a kit ready and waiting

In addition to the box of dye, there are some other tools you'll need to have in your kit. This includes a wide tooth comb that you'll use to distribute the color evenly and then comb in conditioner at the end of the process. You also need petroleum jelly to put around your hairline, ears and neck. This will prevent the dye from staining your skin. Put a kitchen timer in your hair color kit. This is one of the most important tools since you don't want to leave the dye on too long or rinse too early. You'll also need a hand held mirror or way to see the back of your head so you can make sure you have the dye evenly distributed. If you have someone who can help, that's even better. If you have long hair, make sure you have 2 kits in case the first one isn't enough.

Other things you'll need are old towels you don't mind staining and something to cover the floor. There are bound to be drips and they will stain tile and carpet.

3. Don't guess about your color

Don't base your decision about the color on the model on the front of the box. Use the chart on the side of the box. Women always think their hair is darker than it is. To get around this, pick the box you think is right for you and then buy the one that's a shade lighter. If you're really in doubt, ask a friend or someone in the store what looks right.

To be really sure about hair color, you can visit The Hairstyler. It has a really handy tool where you can upload a photo and try different colors on to see what looks right. Once you decide what looks good, it will give you the name and color of the product you should use.

4. Test first

Before you jump into coloring, do a small patch test on your arm and wait 24 hours. You want to make sure you don't have any reactions to the product before you commit to using it. You don't want red blotches around your face and neck, so this is important to do first.

5. Timing is everything

Don't leave the dye on your hair longer than it says in the directions. This won't improve the results. In fact, if you leave the dye on too long, your color will come out dull and flat.

6. How to apply

Start with the roots and work down. The ends of your hair are drier and absorb color faster, so you want to get to them last. Otherwise they'll look darker than the top. You can also mist the ends with water before applying the color. This will slow the processing. Start the timer when you start applying the dye - not when your done. This will also help keep the ends for absorbing too much color.

7. Invest in the color

Once your hair is colored, shampoo wisely. Since you did this at home, you saved a ton of money. Buying a good shampoo and conditioner specifically for color treated hair will still leave you ahead on your finances and lengthen your color.

Don't wash your hair for at least 24 hours after coloring. This gives the color time to absorb into your hair. After that, use a color safe shampoo and conditioner. A good intensive conditioner you use once a week is also a good investment. Keeping your hair hydrated will help extend the color so condition often!

So, you can skimp on the salon and color your hair yourself. Just make sure the hair color ideas you consider are right for you. Again, there is an excellent tool at The Hairstyler that let's you try before you buy. It is well worth the time to check this out and get it right the first time. The whole idea is to save money dying your hair yourself. You don't want to end up in the salon having a professional correct a mistake after all.

Hearts take three

I can't go off and enjoy all of the lovey dovey romance I have planned for my family without leaving you with one final style.

Super simple, remember those twists I did a couple of posts down? Simply do the same thing, only make sure that your final twist goes away from the crown. The secret here is in the parting. Start in the middle of the head and swoop forward in a curve towards the ears. Twist and secure and tie a romantic ribbon to the bottom. I should have grabbed a picture, but she is wearing some of her sisters babylegs that are black and pink stripes with hearts. LOVING the hearts!!!



Happy Valentine's Day!
XOXOXO

Stephanie

Sharing your hearts

Thank you all so much for the wonderful comments about the hearts. I appreciate each and every one of them.

I have received some e-mails with pictures of some of the hearts you have come up with. Keep them coming! I want to see how many heart hairstyles I can get on this post!

This first one is from my friend that I have had since we were sophomores in high school. Our timing on everything is pretty consistent. Weddings were 20 days apart (she was my maid of honor, I her matron), first and last babies were within weeks of each other, we even live four miles apart. I love her. This is her sweet chocolate covered K girl. Look at how cute her hair is! She did the knot the opposite way of normal and proceeded to do a heart with little clips! Brilliant! It gives you so much control over the shape of the heart!





Thanks Itybtyfrog!

Next is one I received from Kelly. She tried the heart on her little Jillian. SO cute! Next time I will try the hot pink ribbon! I love the way it makes her hair POP!




Ammy had a great idea if you don't have a long enough ribbon, just twist the halves into ropes and secure into a ponytail! SO CUTE!





Perfect timing! My sweet little neighbor Naomi came over to give Tess a Valentine and I snagged a picture of her on my front porch. She looks so cute with the snow melting on her hair. Her mom pulled all of her hair into a ponytail and did an upside down knot and then rope twisted the hair and held it into place with cute little clippies! Thanks Naomi and Kera! (Kera does all sorts of fun things with her daughters hair...you will probably be seeing some more of her ideas regularly on here).



Check out how cute this one is! Becky did a puffy braid heart with just the top portion of the hair. Darling!



Cindy has been super busy with her daughter Paige. These are TWO heart hairstyles they have done recently. SO CUTE! Thanks ladies!




Debbee did a beautiful heart framing her daughters pretty blonde hair. Thanks Debbee!



Keep those pictures coming ladies! It does my heart good! Blackeyedsue2@gmail.com