Sew a Poodle Skirt Circular Felt

Crafts - Make a Felt Poodle Skirt with Little Sewing

Create A Personality Poodle from Felt and Cotton Balls

Make a felt poodle circular skirt for a 50s party or for a Halloween costume with some basic sewing and a cotton ball poodle you make yourself.

A poodle skirt is usually circular, and felt comes in 36 or 72 inch width. Measure from the waist to the length you want the skirt to be and add an inch. That tells you how large the arc for the circle will be before you calculate the waist measurement.

36-Inch Wide Felt

If you use 36 inch fabric, you will need four yards or about 144 inches for most sizes, but you may need more for a large-waisted tall person. Double the fabric to make it 72 inches by 36 inches. You will need to plan the pattern from the selvage edge and add a seam on each side to make the complete circle. A skirt about 30 inches long will take the entire piece of fabric, with just enough for a waistband.

Make an arc with a string tied to a pencil. Once the string is tied, measure for the correct length for the skirt and add 1/4 of the waist measurement. A 24-inch waist would be 6 inches added to the string. A 28 inch waist would add 7 inches and 32 inch waist adds 8 inches. Cut the string to the correct length, such as 30 inches plus 6 inches (24 inch waist) would be 36 inches long, 27 plus 7 inches for 34 inches, depending on the height and waist of the person who wears the skirt. If you are making the skirt for someone heavier or taller, you may need to piece the skirt at the bottom, and you will need more fabric than the 4 yards of 36 inch felt or 2 yards of 72 inch felt.

Mark the middle of the fabric. This is at the 36-inch point down the side. Pin the string at the midpoint and pull it tight. Strike the arc with the pencil and mark on the felt for the cutting line for a quarter circle. Using 1/4 of the waist measurement, go back to the midpoint and draw an arc that is 6, 7, or 8 inches from the starting point. This makes the cutout for the waist.

Cut out your skirt once you are confident that you have the correct measurements.

Pattern for Circular Skirt

Cut a 5 inch strip of felt that is the waist size plus 2 1/2 inches. If you don't have a 5-inch wide strip, cut two strips that are 3 inches wide by the waist size plus 2 1/2 inches and sew them together.

Stitch the two semi-circles together, leaving a placket on one side. Add the waistband by pinning right sides together, leaving at least half an inch of the waistband extended beyond the backside of the placket. The placket will be on the left side when worn. You will have about 1 1/2 inches of the waistband extended for hooks and eyes or a buttonhole. Stitch the waistband in place with about 1/2 inch seam. Press the seam inside and fold about 1/2 inch of the raw seam to the inside. Stitch both ends and turn. Stitch the waistband on the backside by hand or by machine.

There is no hem required as the felt will not fray.


72-Inch Wide Felt

Fabric that is 72 inches wide will require at least 2 yards or 72 inches. The 72-inch fabric is already doubled to 36 inches wide by 72 inches long. The fold is down the side. You will need to mark the mid-point that is the starting point for the measurements. This will be 36 inches down the folded side of the fabric. Measure as explained above to make the arcs for the skirt pattern. You need one arc for the bottom edge of the skirt and one for the waist.

Follow instructions above for the completion of the skirt.

Funny Poodle on Felt Circular Skirt

Make a Cotton Ball Poodle for the Skirt

Cut the basic poodle shape from felt. You can use a 12 inch x 12 inch felt square of white or gray. Remember that your placket is on the left side of the skirt and you probably want the poodle in the middle of the front. Pin it in place. You can stitch around the edge or glue it with a fabric glue. Don't use ordinary glue or it will leak through and be stiff. Sew a rhinestone button on for the eye, or you may be able to pin it with a safety pin. Glue cotton balls on the body of the poodle and add a ribbon bow to the tail.

Here's all you need for a poodle shape. Make it the size you want to show well on the skirt.

Make a Poodle Shape to Cut and Decorate

Sewing crafts is more fun than making clothes to wear, and Halloween and play costumes don't have to be perfect. They may only be worn once or twice. Make a doll poodle skirt if you have some felt left over.

This Poodle Won't Like a Bath

See you soon!

Linda

Use Quilted Placemats for Simple Sewing Projects, Bags and Apron

 Use Quilted Placemats for Simple Sewing Projects


Quilted fabric is expensive. Sometimes I find quilted placemats work better than the purchase of fabric, and the placemats are often available at thrift stores for just a couple of dollars. The next time you need some quilted fabric to sew, consider whether placemats will work. They already have finished edges and may be just the size you need. Here's a good placemat fabric for an apron, but be aware that the design only goes one way.

Quilted Placemats

Here are some quilted placemat project ideas. Start by washing your placemats and drying them in the dryer so they are preshrunk.

If you want a large bookbag or purse, use two full-size rectangular placemats back to back. Start with some coordinating handle fabric (webbing will work, too) and make two handles about 25 inches long. Attach each side of the handle to the inside long edge of the placemat, about 6 inches apart. Sew the placemats together along the other three sides, with extra stitching at the corners. Because the placemats are already "finished" on the edges, you can sew them on the outside.

Make a child's apron with a single placemat and some coordinating fabric for ties. An octagonal placemat works best, but you can make a rectangular placemat into an octagon by folding the corners diagonally.

Visualize the child's apron as the placemat from the short end. Add ties at the top to tie around the neck and another set of ties where you want the waist to be. Fold the bottom up about 4 inches and stitch at the sides. Make pockets by dividing the area into three or four sections.

Here's a good placemat for a child's apron:

Good Placemat for a Child's Apron

There are fancy placemats out there that are great finds for special bags. This placemat makes an elegant clutch:

Elegant Clutch Placemat

Make a clutch bag with a single rectangular placemat by dividing it in thirds and stitching the sides closed. The top third is the flap. You can add a snap or Velcro closure. You can make a jewelry clutch, a shoulder bag purse, a holder for your crochet or knitting needles and many children's items from a set of placemats. Look for placemats when you go thrift shopping. You don't need a set of four for sewing projects.

Have fun with a cool project for hot weather.

White wing doves are at the fountain in our backyard. It's still 100 degrees and no rain in central Texas. See you soon!

Doves at the Fountain