I Colored Olive's Skirt or Ruffle Your Bustle Tutorial

Black and White outfit number 3 completed [before the broken arm incident]

o1  Cut 2/3 yard of ruffled fabric into four equal pieces.  This is just one piece of the four [about 24" x 13"].

o2  Fold in half like a hotdog bun

o3  Gather to the width of the bustle panel [10" x 16"] of the skirt

o4  Repeat with all four pieces.  Sew the first one hanging off the lower edge by 3", straight across.  Repeat with each gathered piece, placing them about 3" apart.

o5  Leave 1/2" for your seam allowance on each side

o6  Sew the bustle panel into a simple, gathered skirt, 60" wide.  Fold down top 1" and sew, creating a casing [leave an opening to insert elastic].  Insert elastic, fasten together with a zig-zag stitch, stitch opening shut.  Hem and you're finished!

I should have used black for the panel, as I originally thought the white wouldn't show at all, but the white against the cream really bothered me...so I colored it!  Ah.  Much better.  Don't tell Olive I colored on her Christmas outfit, she might give it a try.

I used a purchased pettiskirt underneath to give it extra fluff.

Then I knew she needed a faux fur cape.  Big, brass, vintage buttons, studded with a bit of sparkle.

I used Butterick B4631 as a starting point.  I shortened it to waist length, lined it and added some inside pockets to keep those little paws warm.  Sewing fur can be fun, but here are two simple tips:  When the right side of the fur is facing the feed dogs [the mechanism that feeds the fabric through] you just have to help it out and pull the fabric from behind since it won't "grip" the fur enough to do it itself.  I did topstitch the seams open and down on the hood part of the cape.  Doing so will "trap" the fur on the right side-use a fine comb or brush afterward to fluff up the fur that has been sewn over on the right side.  

I wish she played the piano and wore this to a recital with the ruffles hanging down behind her so if she messed up playing Hot Cross Buns, it wouldn't be nearly as noticeable.

She wouldn't take it off.  She pranced around like she was little black riding hood.  I wouldn't blame a wolf for eating her up.  I could eat her up myself.

my number three angel.