In this tutorial, I am going to show you how to make this cute little chipmunk skirt. You can change up the colors to make it a squirrel or a skunk. (If you want to use it with the Chip ‘n Dale costume you see on the video, view our tutorial or video entitled How to Make a Chipmunk Costume.) You can either sew the tail down or leave it loose. If you do not have any sewing skills, you can just use felt to make the tail and glue it down. The rest of the skirt is just tying knots. If you do not know how to sew, you can even tie the elastic in knots. If you are looking for something cute and funky for Halloween, this may be the skirt for you.
Supplies:
- Elastic
- Tulle – Cream and Brown
- Felt Squares – Cream and Brown
- Thread to match the elastic and possibly cream for the tail
- Pins
- Scissors
Directions:
- Choosing Your Materials
First, choose the elastic for the waistband. I have chosen 1” wide elastic but you could use a different width if you prefer. Because the majority of the tulle is dark brown, I have chosen dark elastic.
Next, you will want to choose the tulle. You will need both brown and cream tulle. If you cannot find cream tulle, use white tulle. If you end up with white tulle, you will want to use white for the tail, also.
Last, you will need to choose brown and cream felt squares or other material of your choice for the tail.
- Making the Tail
There are two ways to make the tail. The easiest way, especially if you cannot sew, is to cut the brown felt in a triangle approximately 4” on each side with rounded corners. Then cut a strip approximately 2” wide from the brown felt and glue it down the center of the felt triangle.
The other way is to sew the tail using another fabric. I like to use velvet. This is the tail used in the How to Make a Chipmunk Costume tutorial or video. First, cut two pieces of cream material in a 4” triangle with rounded corners. Next, I cut another two inch black strip of black velvet that will be centered on the cream tail. First, sew the black strip down the center of one of the triangle pieces. The black strip will end on the corner pointing to the bottom. Then sew the two triangular pieces together with the black stripe on the inside and the cream material facing each other with the top left open. (The stripe will go from top to bottom.) Then, turn it inside out creating a pouch with the velvet on the outside. This will create a “pouch.” You can either stuff this “pouch” with an extra piece of tulle so that the tail is puffy or leave it empty. Last, sew the open edge of the triangle shut.
- Making the Waistband
The first step in making the waistband is to measure the wearer’s waist. Then, cut a length of elastic that equals the wearer’s waist measurement less two inches so that it stays snug on the wearer. Next, overlap the ends of the elastic and stitch back and forth across the overlapped area. You want to make sure the stitched area is nice and strong and will not come apart. The next step is to sew the tail down over the overlapped area of the elastic. With the brown stripe on the tail facing down, sew the tail to the elastic. You will not stitch the tail all the way across the tail, only on the corners and in the middle so that you can get tulle between the middle and the corners. Sew one corner down and then stretch the elastic out a little bit and sew the center of the tail to the elastic. (Remember, it will be stretched out on the girl. Then stretch the elastic again and sew down the other corner of the tail. Last, fold the tail over and top stitch the t ail on each corner so that the elastic does not fold over when the girl is wearing it. When the tail is folded over the elastic, the brown stripe will show.
NOTE: If you do not sew, you could tie the elastic ends together and then just glue the tail to the tulle.
- Cutting and Adding Tulle
Cut strips of tulle approximately 4 to 6 inches wide. Then, fold the strips in half. Slip the loop over the elastic band, bring the loop down behind the band and slip the ends of the tulle through the loop. Pull the ends to tighten the loop around the elastic band. This will cause the tulle to pouf out. If you wish, you could do this step in reverse by slipping the loop up under the band, bringing it over the top, pulling it down in front, and then sliding the ends into the loop and pulling the loop tight. The skirt will not be as puffy that way. Use the brown tulle all the way around the waistband except where it meets the cream portion of the tulle. At the two points where you meet the cream portion of the tail, you will use the cream tulle. Once you have added the tulle loops all the way around, you will most likely need to trim the tulle to even out the bottom of the skirt. To make it a little easier, I just used my arm to determine the finished length by placing my arm against the skirt with my fingertips at the waist and measuring from my fingertips to my elbow. So, just straighten out the tulle strip, placed your fingertips at the waistband (the elastic) and trim the ends at your elbow. Do this all the way around the skirt.
The very last step is to sew or glue the tail to the tulle. You can also leave it loose if you prefer.
It is really, really simple and really, really fun. So have a little fun! Try this skirt!
