DIY kinda girl: You win some, you lose some.

We had our yearly jaunt to our favorite photography studio today. Lots of thoughts swirl around the planning of apparel. Something coordinating but not matchy-matchy. Something that fits our personalities but still has some current style. I usually find a piece I love, and then build from there. This year, I found (or rather my husband spotted) an awesome plaid shirt at Old Navy, in the general color scheme we were going for. And we went from there. As usual, I ended up making something for my daughter (last year's dress here). I wanted our pictures this year to be more casual, so I opted for a skirt rather than a dress.

Unfortunately, this is how little princess spent the majority of the session.

What a waste of a great skirt. Let's try one more shot...

This is after her daddy set her down and she started running towards me to get a fruit snack...the only way we could get her next to her brother without one of us, if only for a millisecond.

The family shots were better... no smiles from her, but at least no tears!

Anyway, who wants to know how to make that skirt?! (don't all raise your hands at once...)

We have here a bubble skirt with two layers of lace poking out underneath. This skirt can be made in seven seams (well, eight if you use the machine to stitch the elastic together).

Step one: Measure your little one around the waist, and from the waist to the knee. My daughter was 16 inches around the waist, and 8 inches from her waist to her knee.

Step two: Cut out your fabrics. My cotton fabric was a 33 by 19.5 inch rectangle. I got that by doubling 16 inches and adding an inch for seam allowances (33 inches), then doubling 8 inches and adding 3.5 inches for seam allowances and elastic casing.

I then cut out a 33 by 10 inch rectangle of lace (make sure the finished edge is along the 33 inch side), and a 33 by 9 inch rectangle of lace (ditto).

Step three: Fold all three of your rectangles in half width-wise (i.e., fold the 33 inches in half to make 16.5 inches), right sides together.

Sew along the 19.5 inch/10 inch/9 inch sides, using a half inch seam allowance. Press seams open.

Step four: Turn the cotton right side out, and pull the 9 inch lace over it (still inside out) and pin in place along one of the edges (does't matter which at this point).

Now take the 10 inch lace and pull over it and pin into place.

Step five: Sew all three layers together, half inch seam allowance. If you have some excess lace or fabric, just sew right over it, it won't matter.

Step six: Bring the bottom unfinished edge of the cotton up inside, so the wrong sides are facing together. Zig zag stitch as close to the edge as you can, all the way around. This edge will be exposed, and you don't want it to fray.

Step seven: Measure 2.5 inches from the top of the fabric to the top of the three layers sewn together, and pin into place.

Step eight: Fold raw edge over, and measure 1.5 inches and pin into place.

Sew along the raw edge, using a small seam (1/4 an inch or less), and leaving about 1.5 inches open.

This forms the elastic casing.

Step nine: I've read somewhere when using elastic as a waistband to take the measurement and take away 3 inches. I just guessed by pulling it around my daughter's waist.