How to make a butterfly skirt without a pattern and out of scraps

Butterfly skirt

I made this skirt for my granddaughter, but, the principles for making this skirt any size are the same.

You do not need a pattern!!!!  You need scraps, elastic, ribbon is optional, a measuring tape, and a person to sew for. Maybe you.
All of the fabric for the skirt is scraps that were given to me by friends that know I sew for my granddaughter. SO, THAT MEANS FREE!!!

 You can make this any length you desire.  Allow 5/8 for each seam.  Top seam is 1 1/2 in.for an elastic casing, first color, second/third/fourth ?, and bottom hem 5/8 in each
.
Width again depends on the waist measurement of the person you are making the skirt for. You take the waist measurement and add 1/3 the measurement for the first layer, and 1/3 of the first measurement added to the 2nd layer, and so on. Example: 30in. waist = 40in. first layer, next layer approximately 1/3 bigger 13 inches or more, etc

To sew the skirt do a gathering stitch at the top of each layer, other than the waist (gathering stitch is the largest stitch on your machine, single layer all the way around) sew your layers, turn the bottom over twice to seal in frays sew, turn the top over and make a casing big enough for your elastic, probably around an inch, leave a opening in the top to put the elastic in.  The elastic should be about two inches smaller than the waist measurement.
 You of course, could make the skirt fuller if you have the fabric.  This is just a basic idea for you to play with.

Why do my needles always break?

Those *!@*! Needles!!!

1. You have a poor quality needle; I use a medium to heavy ball point needle for everything. I hate having to replace the needle for every job I do (it stops the progress because I don’t want to do it). Buy good needles it’s less expensive and saves time in the long run.
2. Don’t pull your fabric as you sew, let the machine do the work for you. If you pull fabric it bends and weakens the needle.
3. Your needle is not installed correctly, make sure the flat side is where the flat side of the needle holder is and that it is pushed up all of the way.
4. Your needle is not the right gauge, you cannot sew heavy fabrics or leather without a special needle, again go with ball point they don’t catch and pull the thread.
5. Your hitting pins; even if you just clip them it will eventually bend and break the needle. I pin and remove them right before I come up on them to keep this from happening.
6. Your presser foot is loose, there is a screw that you can hand tighten your foot to make sure it is secure, if it is loose the needle will hit the foot and bend and then break,
7. Your needle plate is loose, this is where you insert the needle, make sure you screw it down tightly, a loose needle will hit the foot again, bend the eventually break.

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