Birthday Outfit for Sister

I have had all kinds of projects I've wanted to try but didn't have time because of school commitments.  Since we returned from graduation, I was on overdrive to get the birthday presents done.  This is my favorite.


Last summer, Dana posted a wonderful tutorial for her Market Skirt.  I was in love...but it was for a size 3T.  Too big for baby and too small for Sis.  Later she posted instructions for resizing, and I put it on my someday list.  I even found some white seersucker fabric in the clearance bin and bought it, hoping to use it for the skirt eventually.  I finally got it put together, to match this top I found on clearance at The Children's Place:

I loved the color...it just needed a cute skirt!

It took me a while to find the perfect fabric.  I finally found the right orange at a local fabric shop.  The accent colors are from Sandy Henderson's Meadowsweet collection.  Designer fabric is fabulous, but expensive, so I use it as accents for the most part.  The buttons are vintage from my great-grandmother's stash I inherited, and had been saving for just such an occasion.
A couple points of advice.   Following Dana's instructions, I doubled the white fabric for the bottom layer of the skirt and the pockets.  If you do so, baste the skirt pieces together first before you do anything else.  It makes things so much easier!  Second, since the pockets were two layers, I sewed the pockets wrong sides together and then turned them out, clipping the seams before hand.

I thought this was a little easier to do than ironing all those curves and holding them in place to sew.  I just zigzag stitched the edge of the pocket before I folded it over and sewed the button holes.  After I gathered the pockets, and sewed on the decorative fabric, I just basted the edges down behind before I sewed the pockets on.

The most difficult part was placing the pockets.  Just forewarning you.  :)  I thought I had it right, sewed on one pocket, and ended up picking it all out and starting over.

For the headband, I used another "future" project idea...the covered headband from calico. 

To complete the outfit, I made a little ruffled flower broach to tie the top to the skirt.  Sorry, no tutorial or link, I just put it together in a hurry.

My big girl...looking so sweet and grown up!

The funnest part, aside from doing a little fashion show for these photos was watching Baby's reaction when Sis opened her present.  She couldn't get enough.

 We finally put the skirt on her, and she wore it, parading around the house for about 15 minutes.  I am going to have to find some more white seersucker fabric and make one for her, too! 

Oh, these girls.  They are so much fun!


I'm linking up with Blue Cricket and Someday Crafts, Make it, Wear it, and The Girl Creative.