$5 (Mini) Poodle Skirt {Tutorial}

I've searched up and down google, picked the brain of Larry's grandmother and with the help of Ashley, I created the perfect (& easiest!) way to make a mini poodle skirt!

Supplies: 

Felt (I purcahsed a full yard, but only needed a half of felt that was 38' wide)

Measuring Tape

Chalk (or anything that will show up on your felt)

Scissors

Sewing Machine/Thread

Zipper

Poodle Iron-on & Iron (optional)
Total cost out of pocket--$5! The felt was on sale from $4.99/yd to $2.99/yd and the poodle was $1.99!

Step 1. Cut your felt into a sqaure; mine was about 38 inches, the exact width of my felt. Now, fold it in half twice, making a smaller square. Each edge was about 19 inches at this point. Make sure the entire thing is flat and lined up nicely.

Step 2. Cut out your circles for the waist and length. My first attempt, I actually free-hand cut the circle...bad idea! Be very precise! I don't recommend trying this route! For the skirt to fall and open perfectly, the circle needs to be cut perfectly. I ended up doing this by holding my measuring tape at the folded corner of the sqaure and pulling the tape around the skirt, marking at the measurement I was going to cut along the way. I did my furthest circle (the length of the skirt) first. For this, I just barely trimmed the endge, since it was at the length that I wanted it--a mini skirt! If you want a longer skirt, start with a larger piece of square felt and cut at the length that you'd like. For your waist measurement, take your inches and divide it by 3.14, then divide that number by 2 (mine is about 34, so it ended up being 5.41 inches). Round it. This is where you will mark your smaller circle cut for the waist opening. I suggest making it a little smaller, as the felt will stretch over time (also, so you don't cut too LARGE of a waist!)

You can see where my 5.41 mark is, and how much smaller I cut it...about half of an inch.

 This is what the skirt will look like once it's all cut and opened. Since I barely cut any edge off from my length, it is 18 inches across, only an inch short from what I started with.

 

Step 3. Cut out your band. Determine how wide you want your band, and cut a strip twice the width of your desired band, by the length of your waist. I cut mine around 36 inches long to make sure I had enough! I did my width at about 3 inches, so I would have a finished band about 1.5 inches wide.

Step 4. Cut a slit from the top of your skirt for where you will put your zipper. I would recommend doing at least a 4 inch zipper. Better for it to be too long than too short and not be able to get it on! Pin in your zipper. Pin on your band by simply folding it in half, encasing the top edge.

 This picture shows how the band "encases" the top edge of the skirt.

Step 5. SEW! Sew in your zipper, as well as stitch all the way around the bottom of your band. Add your poodle iron-on and you're done! Try her on!! :)

So simple and super adorable! :) 

Just add a cute top, ruffle socks and heels, a neck scarf, sassy hair, 

and you've got a SUPER cute 50's outfit for cheap! :)