Fairy wings. I don't think there is a costume piece that I have a more hate/love relationship with. I love the way they look, and I love the idea of being a fairy. However, typically they're made with wire and that means they're unrelenting and easily damaged due to frequently being made of thin nylon fabric.

Then I found ikatbag a blog that is definitely worth a read, especially if you have small children. She made a skirt that could unfold into wings for her three daughters, and so I decided to do my own version with a little bit more of a grown up skirt for the under skirt and a different shape for the wings. Ikatbag's version is awesome and is to be found here.

My version has a ruffly underskirt that looks like a petticoat peaking out when the wings are wrapped as a skirt. The wings are also removable being hooked on buttons on the back of the skirt, so if you ever feel like just wearing the skirt you made without the wings, I think it's pretty cute personally

Although personally my favorite aspect is the ability to be wearing a costume without anyone necessarily being able to tell. Not to mention how much easier public transport is with these wings. Because who doesn't love secretly being a fairy?

Step 1: Gather Your Materials!

1. Patterns, more on that in the next step

2. 2 yards of tulle like fabric

3. 5 yards of the fabric you want for the wings, I chose galaxy fabric

4. 1 foot of elastic. Check the trim section of your fabric store for choices on decorative elastic

5. 3 large buttons. They sell them in packs of 4 of course...

6. Sewing Machine with matching thread

7. .5 yards of stretchy lining fabric

8. Iron and Ironing board

9. Pins, so many pins.

Step 2: Patterns and Notes About Them

So for this particularly project I couldn't make a printable pattern, because it's all based on your measurements. What I have above are more like visual aids. They tell what the piece is, what is should vaguely look like, and the math to determine the size of it. This project does involve a whole lot of math. If you comment about any particular aspect, I'll do my best to answer for the math.

Step 3: Watch the Video!

Yup so I now I have a skirt that I plan to wear year round for a few reasons. The first one is because I love the idea of being able to wear my halloween costume year round, the second is that I legitimately like the skirt, and lastly because technically it's two different skirt all wrapped up into one.
Hope you end up loving the skirt, as much I do!