Ruffle dress

My little girl is starting to grow too fast.  She is a little thing, but she has long limbs (like me).  

This shirt is getting too small.  The shirt fits around her but the arms are too short and it's a little short.  Her cute little belly hangs out when I put it on her.

It's such a great color, so I decided to turn it into a dress.  And yes she is yelling at me in the picture.... when did my sweet baby turn into a sassy toddler?

This is how I made it:

1) I took some knit fabric and cut three strips 4"x22"

2) Then I cut four strips that were 4"x45" and then made them ruffles.  I made the ruffles by sewing a straight line on the top of the fabric.  I used my longest setting (my was a 4) and then I pulled the bobbin thread to gather the fabric.

3) I pinned 3  ruffles onto the straight strips.

4) I sewed them together at the top.

5) Then I sewed the strip into a circle.

I had to sew the ruffle together separately, so it wouldn't be a part of the seam when I put them together. 

6) I then sewed the rows together.

Here are the three rows sewn together.

7) I then sewed the very last ruffle onto the skirt.

8) Next I cut the shirt.  I should have cut it 1 or 2 inches more.

9) I then sewed the skirt onto the shirt.

And now her cute shirt is a cute dress

And here is my little sassy girl modeling it for me.  She would not smile, all I got was tongue....

Or yelling.... silly girl!