Happy Butterflies, Sword Fights, and 4th of July!

Every once in a while you need a skirt. A skirt with large pockets. A skirt that's comfortable. A skirt that you can run and play in. A skirt that you can sword fight with your brother in. Yes, every once in a while you need that kind of skirt. 

At least, that's the kind of skirt I decided my sister needed when I agreed to test the new child's Gingerbread Gretel skirt by Mother Grimm designs. This pattern is sized from newborn, to 14 years, and my sister's measurements just lined up with size 14. So, I decided why not? My sister could use some new skirts, the designer needed someone to test size 14, and I had a few pieces of knit fabric, too small for a full garment, but too big to be clasified as scraps, that I wanteded to use up. 

The pockets are almost large enough to stash a play sword in!

A few weeks ago, I was gifted a butterfly T-shirt to add to my fabric stash and re-fashion at my leisure.

Of course, as soon as this shirt came home with me, I knew it would become something for my sister, but what, I didn't know. Thankfully, before the shirt had time to languish in my fabric stash and be forgotten, the question was answered. I received the Gretel Skirt pattern for testing and the front skirt panel pattern piece just barely fit on the front of the T-shirt! 

The skirt pockets got cut from the back of the skirt, and the side panels, back, and waistband got cut from a dark gray jersey knit I found in my stash.

I quickly sewed up the skirt one evening before bed, and presented it to my sister the next morning. She quickly declared she loved it and it was very comfortable and she wore it to Latin camp with her homeschool co-op that day. Then, she requested another couple skirts from the pattern, and I obliged, though perhaps not as quickly as she was hoping.

The look I get when I don't make her new clothes as fast as she wants them.

The pattern designer did what pattern designers are apt to do during testing and made some minor changes to the skirt pattern. Once that was done, I sewed up a second skirt to test the fit of the updated pattern, and my sister got the skirt she'd requested.

For the second skirt I paired a pink camo jersey knit (left over from making myself PJ pants a couple years ago) with some bright green cotton/spandex jersey. The second skirt was sewn up just as quickly as the first and fit even better! And my sister liked it just as much!

At this point, the pattern designer declared the fit of the pattern was just right and I decided to make my sister one more skirt. After all, she needed something red, white, and blue to wear for the 4th of July!

I made my mom a red, white, and blue, stripes, and fireworks, perfect for Independence Day, dress a couple months ago. And, I had fabric left over from it. 

So, I took those scraps of cotton interlock, along with a random scrap of blue and white starry jersey found in my sewing room, and turned them into an independence day skirt for my sister. She was thrilled!

Thus, on the 4th of July, my mom and sister had coordinating outfits.

And, not to be left out of the fun, I whipped up a red, white, and blue tank top for myself out of the little bit of striped fabric, and the very tiny amount of fireworks fabric, that as left after making the dress and skirt!

 
Three different garments out of under 3 yards of fabric! I'd say we did pretty well with our patriotic fabric this year!

I hope you had an excellent 4th of July with your family and friends! If you're interested, you can get the Gingerbread Gretel Skirt pattern for yourself here. It also comes in adult sizes! Both the child's and adult Gretel Skirt patterns are on sale through tomorrow (7/10/18) for 25% off!