{Free Pattern} Month Day 14 - Lil' Blue Boo: The Ruffle Bustle Skirt

My next guest Ashley from Lil Blue Boo is one heck of a upcycler/sewer/painter/DIYer/mother.

(Today's featured pattern after intro)

But you may remember Ashley as a former Grosgrain sponsor too! She's made the cutest little girl patterns with interesting and unique elements that will make your playdate moms say "Where'dja get that?!"

Above items can be found in Ashley's store.

Ashley's blog grew out of a love of new and reclaimed knits.

Lil Blue Boo clothing is an eclectic mix of original hand cut silk screens, vintage finds, recycled fabrics, and comfortable style.Ashley's talent is creating unique one-of-a-kind and limited edition knit clothing for adults and children and sharing the process with others.

 Wagon Cover Tutorial above.

Her road to blogging and pattern making is one filled with twists and turns. Ashely learned to sew at an early age by her mother. Later she learned to paint at Wake Forest University. However, Ashley was a mathematics major and ended up going into the financial industry, sometimes working 100 hours a week at Leveraged Finance structuring and underwriting financing for oil companies. 

 Mini Screens and Clothing Label Tutorial above.

After 6 busy years in investment banking and earning her MBA, she started accepting painting commissions for colleagues in her little spare time. Then one day she asked for a leave of absence to go and caddy for her little sister Perry. She was tired of never coming home the same day she went to work. But the funny thing is she never ended up caddying for her….instead Ashley ended up painting, sewing, drilling, journaling, mitre-sawing…..full time!

 

 Camera Bag Insert above.

Her tutorials and PDF patterns are always clear, easy to read, totally useful and GREAT money savers.

  Screen Printed Drapes and Pillows Tutorial above.

Ashely's blog is a great mix of all crafts. I love her screen printing tutorials/painting tutorials but also love sifting through her sweet sewing tuts. Like the Mermaid Tail for a Doll with Pattern below. 

PS. Molly saw me writing this post and requested I get her the little mermaid;)

 Thank you Ashely for sharing your adorable bustle pattern with us today! Your patterns always wow me.

Ashely take it away!

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This is a fun, flirty knit skirt with a yoga style waistband. The ruffled bustle is perfect for using up those small knit scraps you might have laying around.

To create the skirt I cut three pieces of knit in an A-line shape: 
For the ruffles in the bustle I used rectangular knit scraps and slanted the bottom edge as shown:
For each scrap piece I ruffled the top using my regular sewing machine while folding small pleats:
With one of the skirt pieces right side up, I placed all the scrap ruffles in an arrangement that I was happy with and sewed them on individually across the ruffle stitch:
Next, I cut one of the main skirt pieces into a curved shape to reveal the ruffle bustle:
  I placed the last skirt piece right side down onto the curved piece and stitched the sides together making sure to sew through all three pieces:
Using a ribbed cotton lycra I cut a waistband piece (10" high and about 18" long) an inch smaller than around my daughter's waist, sewed one side shut and folded the waistband in half to enclose the seam:
Placing the waistband on the skirt upside down and right sides together I then sewed all the way around the waistband to attach it:

For the complete PDF pattern and tutorial download you can visit here:
Thanks for the great series Kathleen! I've been waking up first thing every morning and checking to see what the next pattern is! Thank you Ashely for being a part of this month! I was so delighted to feature your bustle skirt with Grosgrain readers. Your patterns are always a hit!Stay tuned tomorrow for Liz of Say Yes! to Hoboken. 

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