Leftover Skirt and Mystery Shirts

I had plans for something else to sew this week, but since the overlocker was set-up for the remnant "denim look rayon" that I made my Diplomat dress from I thought I'd go ahead and sew up the little Music Class skirt that I'd cut from the leftovers.

I LOVE this skirt pattern. there's something very elegant about the shape of it and it comes together really quickly and is delightful to sew. Yet, I have to confess it doesn't appeal much to the kiddo.

Me: "Hey A, did you see I made you a new skirt?"
A: "No mummy, Where is it?"
Me: "In your room, on the end of your bed"
A: "Oh" {runs off to bedroom}...
.....
A (from bedroom): "THAT'S NOT PINK!!!!!"

The other thing it's lacking in the winning over of small, ferocious, girl kids is any twirliness.
It's not just un-twirly but it's quite a slim fit. This is the third time I've made the skirt. The first (seen here) was one size up for her age but was still a real squeeze to get on. The sticking point was not hips or waist but getting the waistband past the combined width of her toddler thighs, and double thigh measurement isn't something I would have thought to take into account. The second skirt (seen here) was a gift for a friends kid and I've no idea whether it ever got worn or not. It was intended for wearing to the local LEGO convention but we couldn't go together in the end.

Forgive the unwashed markings I thought I'd do the pleats until I realised how this fabric would never hold a crease and chose the gathers instead.

 It would seem that it isn't such a great pattern after all, but hang the kids opinion, I LOVE this skirt. I want one for me and I will continue to make them even if only because they're fun to sew. Add in that you get the cutest ever blouse pattern  (one, two, three) and the Music Class pattern is an absolute must have in my opinion.

To go with my skirt I delved into the pile of cut out mystery things that I received in the post a while ago....

Way back in March the lovely Nicole of Five and Counting mentioned in the Oliver +S forum that she was going to have a clean out of her unfinished projects. I'd just been sewing a few Japanese patterns and thought it would be fun to try and assemble some cut out bits of fabric without knowing what the finished garment was meant to look like or having any instructions for how to get  there. So I put my hand up, and she mailed me a lovely big satchel full of curiosities...

And because she has twin daughters I got two of everything! To be honest, it took me a while to work that out. I muddled over a couple of piles of cut out bits wondering how a pair of pants could possibly have so many parts until I realised that she cuts in bulk and there could easily be two or more pairs of pants in that pile.

There are some cryptic clues on some packets suggesting that a zipper, short section of Velcro and 1" elastic required. As to what to do with each required notion it seems that's up to me to work out. If I ever get around to tackling some pants, referred to as Elephant Ears, I'm going to have to throw it open to you guys to help me work out how those suckers come together....
Some packets have sizes on them but others, like these shirts gave no clue....

These little shirts had a really curved side seam suggesting that the wearer would need to have a small bust. Since my daughter is as curvy as a housebrick I took some of the chest width out and just left the lower part to flare out.  The armholes had notches on them as if for attaching sleeves but no sleeves were present, just some bias strips. I was a bit too generous in attaching the bias strips together and would have only had enough for three armholes. Also I needed to do a bit of an armhole hack as the shape was all wrong if there was no sleeve attached. Having used up almost all the matching bias strip on the first shirt (which has been gifted to A's best-est friend) I used a bit of matching lawn for this one. I haven't had a chance to get this on it's intended wearer since finishing it and I'd hoped for a photo of the two girls in their matching shirts but A was much more interested in borrowing her friend's Iggle-Piggle dress up suit. (sigh)

Anyway, two free shirts and a skirt out of the leftovers of a $10 fabric remnant and I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself!