Duct Tape Skirt Sloper

Recently at one of our ASG meeting I brought in an article on how to create a basic skirt pattern from duct tape by Jean Haas. Jean has been designing sloper techniques from duct tape for quite some time. If you need a good laugh, check out her website and envision yourself swaddled in duct tape. But seriously, her techniques and simple and efficient.


Starting with a 1/2 yard or so of a cotton tube knit (I used a cheap ribbed tube knit) you slip on the knit over something form fitting. Next, taking small - 6 inch or so - pieces of duct tape, begin to cover the entire tube knit "skirt". Once the tube knit "skirt" is covered, carefully cut it off your victim at center back.


After getting your shape in duct tape, you can open darts to flatten the pattern and you've got the perfect fitting tool!

Selling Handmade Goods on the Internet

I am the West Los Angeles Neighborhood Group leader for the American Sewing Guild. We meet once a month and tackle some crafting related subject. Our choices have ranged from how to sew in zippers to making a duct tape skirt sloper. It's fun and informative. I'm lucky to have a diverse group - men, women, old, young, experienced and beginners. But they all have one thing in common - a love of making things!

Our last meeting was all about selling handmade goods on the internet and it created a lively discussion. Unless you've been living in a cave, you already know that Etsy is the place to sell. What you may not know, is that the top 10 sellers on Etsy don't actually sell handmade items but rather supplies to make your own handmade items. That surprised everyone, myself included. But honestly, we crafters have known all along that making things is only getting bigger and better!

I left the meeting with a goal to post some of my own handmade items to my Etsy Hipline site. First off will be a case for the Kindle. I have a Kindle e-reader and I'm in love with it. But the options for carrying cases were limited and unappealing to me so, I created my own.

Turns out people really like it. The exterior fabric is fleece and I quilted it to cotton batting for the inside. This protects the Kindle face and gives added protection. I used snaps to close mine but I think in the future I'll do velcro. A few buttons for ebellishment and a cute photo of a girl reading and there you have it. The photo was copied onto photo fabric paper and sewn in. So, what are you making?

Happy 2010

First Monday of the New Year means time to hone those resolutions and get back to work. I'm feeling like it will be a very good year. We're making the move of all our products for sale on Etsy and adding some handmade, recycled goods too. Swap O Rama Rama is on the mind and dates are being worked out as we speak. There are lots of things happening so I guess I just better get working so I can have them to post for you.

It's tough to let the Holidays go so I leave you with an end of the year glitter party video. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you and yours! My husband and I were lucky enough to enjoy 4 days of skiing this week at Mammoth Mountain resort in the California Sierra's. While we were there, it snowed 10 inches!

We wear helmets when we ski and it's interesting to note that almost everyone else does too. You must protect the noggin!! This year I made bags for our helmets to keep them from bumping around and also to give us a strap to hold onto them when not in use.


We got lots of great compliments and they were so easy to make. I traced the helmet, adding a few inches all around and cut the pattern out of fleece. Fleece was perfect - no fraying, soft and easy to sew. For the closure, I put in a heavy duty sport lace and a plastic toggle.

Make it Yourself and you'll be the hit of the slopes too! If you don't ski, I'm sure there's a bicyclist, snowboarder, skate boarder, motorcyclist or other active person in your life that could use a helmet bag.