JSK -no pattern needed!

I decided I wanted to make a jumper skirt (JSK in the lolita world) I found this pinstripe cotton fabric at walmart for $1.50 per yard. So I got 5 yards of it. The fabric is inexpensive because it seems to want to unravel quite easily although it has a nice texture.

I decided I wanted to make it fit around the waist using shirring. Shirring is elastic sewn into the fabric to make it punch up a bit.

First I cut out a length for the top. then the same length but half the width for the insert in the top(facing). I did this to have clean lines for the neckline.
Then I took the measurement of the length and multiplied it by about 2 and pleated more fabric to make the skirt.

I made two straps and sewed a bit of lace to each side of the straps. I secured the straps to the top of the shirt by sewing them between the top and the facing for the top.  

I also top-stitched the top and added lace between the straps.

Next I decided I wanted to add an underskirt. So I cut out a rectangle the width of the top and decided to add box pleats at the bottom of it to form the under skirt. I saw a neat tool online called a quick pleater. Since I'm poor I can't buy it so I tried to make one out of cardboard. It worked for the duration of the project and promptly fell apart after.

I sewed both skirts together with a basting stitch then sewed it to the top. The next time I do this. I won't sew the skirt to the top till I am totally done.

After sewing the bottom to the top. I used elastic thread to sew strips across the top from right under the chest to right above the hip.




After sewing in all of the elastic I sewed both sides of the dress together. Next time I will sew each skirt together then sew it to the other parts. I then got help measuring where the straps should be places. Sewed the other end of the straps into the dress.

Finally I wanted a scallop pattern at the bottom so I gathered a bit of the fabric of the top skirt in 6 places and hand sewed each of them into place. I then made bows out of the same fabric to attach at each of these 6 gathers. 


I'm thinking about adding a (removable) black sash to it and wearing it with a black blouse so it can coordinate with my black shoes.