Woodland Fairy Skirt

Remember when I wrote the Ballet Skirt post, I told you I had a couple of ideas?  Well, skirt idea number 2 was just going to be a downer.  The construction on it is so much harder, and is going to take some time to work out the details...I searched Pinterest (find me here) to see if there was anything similar to my idea, and I couldn't find anything.  Either that means I'm original, or it's such a bad idea no one bothered with it.  I guess we'll see.

But on a more positive note..I showed the ballet skirt to my sister, and since she has 2 daughters, I couldn't very well make just one skirt.  That just wouldn't be fair.  :)  So I started to make another skirt with the same pattern and idea in mind.  I had a problem though - I needed the skirt to be simple, and the pieces of knit fabric I had left that were big enough were patterned. Hmm...so I did a rework.

Here's what I came up with - The Woodland Fairy Skirt

(I really need to get some child sized mannequins...anyone have any they like?)

I used the extra piece of pink interlock from the first skirt to make the second skirt.  I laid out the fabric, and it fell just a little short on a portion of the circle (circle pattern made with Dana's Circle Skirt Tutorial). Hmmm.  It's those layers on the bottom of the fabric that have some loose ends trailing out. Well, fine. Now what?

 Do it anyway!  Throw caution to the wind!  See what you can make of it!  You never know - some of the best discoveries were from mistakes, right?

 So I cut out my circle skirt, just as I did for the ballet skirt.  But I used some decorative inverse scallop things to make the best of the fabric.  I freehanded these.

 I laid it out, trimmed off and fixed any weird spots, and here's what I got - not bad!  I can work with this.  But it's going to be a little bit short where it curves upward.  And too short on a little girl is just not okay.

Luckily, since I'm a compassionate hoarder that takes in all fabrics regardless of color, texture, shape, and size, I had some matching tulle.  I cut out 2 circles (in one go) of the tulle, using the full circle pattern.  I also did a lettuce edge on the outside of the circle.

I sewed the tulle to be under the knit, and added the waistband, just like in the Ballet Skirt.

And I'm in love with it.  It's whimsical, fun, adorable, cute....Just awesome. At least I think so, and that's what matters.  I think this little girl is going to love it!

I think the lettuce edge/tulle combo is great!  I'm waiting for dance class to resume after Easter to get good pics...but I might have to set up something sooner - I'm excited to see how it looks on them!

If you are interested in having one for your little one (or yourself) just email me to discuss it - I take custom orders!  I'm set up over on Etsy too, though I don't keep sewing projects stocked there yet.

I've posted this over at The Train to Crazy's Make it Wear it Thursday!