This post is a LONG time coming. Last year, I kept seeing ruffled tree skirts all over Pinterest and I was in LOVE with them. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get my act together in time for it to work out then. Fast forward to this year. I was determined to not miss my chance for another year. Besides that, I also already had a bunch of fabric in the right color pallet on hand.
Okay, here's how I did it:
First of all, I sewed mine. I really wanted it to hold up for a long time, and while I saw some online that were hot glued, I just knew that wasn't an option for me. Also, that would have taken a ridiculous amount of hot glue. Seriously.
I took my main fabric and laid it flat on the floor, then laid our old tree skirt on top as a pattern. Once my main piece was cut out, I went and cut a BUNCH of strips out of my 2 fabrics and I bought some lace from Hobby Lobby that was all ready to sew on. I chose off-white lace because it just contrasted a little better with the other fabrics, though I originally thought I was going to do white. Once I saw them all together, I was really surprised that I liked the off-white better, but I did.
I didn't hem any of the fabric except the sides that I planned to sew the ribbon ties onto, because I wanted it to have a frayed look. But you could use pinking shears or hem the edges if you wanted to. Totally up to you.
Before sewing any of the ruffles, I took some grosgrain ribbon and cut it in 6 equal lengths, then sewed them at even intervals along the closure for tie closures.
Onto the ruffles. I had bought a fancy ruffling foot, and every time I use it, it messes up my bobbin intake and I can't seem to figure out why. But with this many ruffles, there was just no way I was going to baste and gather everything, so I did it the lazy girl's way. I saw it somewhere on Pinterest before, but I can't for the life of me remember where.
Basically, you sew a little, stop with the needle in the fabric, pull the presser foot up and bunch the fabric up under it. Then you drop the presser foot down and sew over what you just bunched. Continue this along the whole strip of fabric. Quick and easy and it gets it done ;P
I started from the outside and went in. I was going for an ombre look, so I went from lightest to darkest, and then ended with the lace. First layer was lace, so I pinned it down, then sewed it on. Then the lighter fabric ruffles, and the darker ruffles, then back to lace.
The strips of fabric weren't long enough, so I just laid the next strip on top of the previous one - I did not connect them.
I'm pretty much in love with how it turned out :)
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