Flashback Tutorial – Baby Betsy Ross

I started with a thrifted men’s t-shirt, a package of bias tape, a scrap of white muslin, and scraps of red and white t-shirts that I had left over from another project.

After removing the collar and pocket from the men’s shirt (to save for later; I’m crazy like that), I cut it off  below the arms.

I saved the big part for the skirt, and used the top of the shirt and the sleeves to cut out my bodice pieces.

I sewed the bodice together at the shoulders and side seams.

Then added bias tape to finish the raw edges.

Next I made an a-line skirt out of a scrap of muslin, with the top width the same as the bottom of my bodice. I finished the bottom edge of the skirt with my serger.

I cut a bunch of 2 inch wide strips with my rotary cutter out of the red and white t-shirt scraps.

Then I sewed the strips together and ruffled them. Starting at the bottom of the muslin, I layered rows of red and white ruffles and sewed them on.

I got my overskirt piece and gathered the top edge to the same width as my underskirt and bodice.

Once I had that finished, I cut 6 strips of bias tape and sewed them closed. I marked two spots on the front of the overskirt and one spot in the center back and pinned one strip to each side of those marks, so I had one string inside and one outside the skirt at each mark.

Then I pinned the two skirts to the bodice, and sewed one seam joining everything.

And when turned right side out it looks like this.

Adjust the ties to bustle the overskirt to your taste, then take pictures on an adorable baby.