Bridesmaid Dress, Meet Bedsheets

Ok, the fabric was never an actual bridesmaid dress. But once I finished the bedskirt, it did feel a little like a bridal party had exploded under my bed. I picked the color because I thought it would compliment the soft tan of the fitted sheet. I think the flash of the camera makes the fabric seem a little more... maid of honor... because the real-life color of the fabric is not so inclined to throw you a bachelorette party.

I used a twin topsheet from my college days as the under-part holding the skirt together under the mattress (you can't see that part). Then I hemmed, gathered and pinned the would-be bridesmaid dress to the old sheet. Every time I laid any fabric on the ground, my kitten would attack it, making it quite difficult to finish the project. But I think little cat approves, as she now has even more to conceal her when she's hiding from me at medicine time.

DIY:

• Lay the sheet on top of your mattress. Cut it to fit the size of the mattress exactly. You do not need to leave extra for seams. In fact, you shouldn't, or the edge of the sheet will be visible around the edge of the mattress.
• Cut the 3 yards of fabric you've selected for the skirt into three or four strips lengthwise. Make sure these strips are wide enough to cover the box-spring or area between the frame and the floor, plus an extra 2 inches for seems and gathers.
• Hem one side of each of the four strips.
• Double-baste the strips on the opposite side of the hem in preparation for gathering.
• Sew the strips together to make one looong strip. Make sure all the hems are facing the same direction.
• Gather the double-basted side of the sewn-together strips until the gathered edge is about half as long as the strip was before you gathered it.
• Pin the gathered side to the sheet. Each strip should cover one edge of the sheet, with the seams meeting at the corners. You may have to adjust your gathering to make it fit better. Sew in place, making sure the gathered fabric doesn't make any funny loops or bumps or unwanted scrunches.
• All done! Trim all those threads and slip it under the mattress.

 

Cost: Three yards of shiny, shiny gown material, plus an old sheet from college. $20, depending on how expensive the fabric is. I once made a bedskirt using an old sheet and some beautiful sheer fabric I found in the remnant pile at the fabric store for $4. Woohoo!