Ciara puffball skirt with apron

Yay, another design finished.  The ideas  always bubble up quicker than I can realise them with my hands. I am very proud of this one since I did not use a purchased pattern for the skirt - it´s my first own design!  This literally formed under my hands.  It all started with this beautiful palest pink babycord that I had some 70 cm left of.

 Given the amount of fabric left the options were limited so I chose to make a puffball skirt out of it.  While most children´s skirts work with elasticized waistbands, sometimes I want a cleaner look so I sewed in 6 pleats from the waistline.  And cut a fitted waistband to top it up.  Now, the skirt falls beautifully smooth along the hips, and the volume starts happening lower.  For lining I used a cotton knit so the lining would stretch (to create extra puff in the puffball, I cut the lining smaller than the top layer.  Choosing a knit helped creating enough room for movement for my DD when bicycling - this is Holland after all, so one has to be practical!).  Now, this combination of fabrics certainly challenged my concealed zipper skills!  I had enough fabric left to make a cute apron to go with the skirt.  I embroidered it with a blonde Mascha.  And then I figured, if I double it up, it would be a cool purse too! Now DD can tote along all the important stuff (most noteably, Bambi and fairy wand) everywhere.  So, after some fidgeting, rumbling through the remnants box, and testing some fine stitches on my Pfaff (Note To Self- Must Not Forget To Match Underthread To Top Thread When Wrong Side Shows Too), this is the result.  For days when you want to tone the loudness of the skirt down a bit, it can be worn without apron too.  To go with it, I wanted a shirt that would not be too sweet.  I found this old Diesel shirt in my remnants box which had just the right army green color.  You see, when I clean out my closet, anything that has nice fabric and color will not go to charity but to the sewing room.  At the pace my girls are growing, I doubt whether I will be refashioning my old shirts for them much longer though... This one was kinda hard already!  I even sewed the old collar back on, inside out.  I would normally not do that but I simply had not enough fabric left to cut a new neck binding strip.  And since this is the kind of shirt that is allowed to look used and beaten up, I think it turned out quite well. Some cute girly details added (ruched sleeves, a red satin rose) and voila. The leggings are made from Stenzo tricot from my stash.  Nothing new purchased for this project, even recycled two old shirts of mine (the other one went into the skirts lining) to this is truly UWYH (Use What You Have)! Ehm, maybe this just means I have a lot. And, I do. And I´m grateful for it.  In every way.  Stay tuned!