Skirts for Spanish dancing

The last few days I've been sewing dance skirts for a customer. Skirt #1 needed red fabric added under the ruffle for a fake petticoat. She also needed some bloomers.

She needed three skirts made. The floral skirt is like the black one, but 2" shorter and only one ruffle. By the way, could you line the ruffle so the other color shows when I dance? Start with an eight gore skirt in the proper size.

Cut yards of ruffle. Edge top edge of ruffle with rolled hem foot.

Close up of rolled hem foot. this is a great tool, but works best on straight edges. I sure have plenty of that here.







Next step is to attach the lining and understitch it so it will stay put.




Next step is to gather the ruffle. A special foot is helpful here too.


By stopping fabric movement behind the foot, the ruffle is fuller.

Here's what the foot looks like.




The ruffle lining was stitched to the ruffle below the gathering line. The edge was serged before attaching.

Next comes attachment. I usually ease the gathers so that the thinner spots thicken up. The finger behind the gathering foot eases up at times to move the fabric and the gathering is loose there.



Sew the ends of the ruffle together and the skirt is finished. The pink will show as she dances. You can see in the flat photo how close tot he edge it is.