The left over material from my Winter Ginger, see here, seemed the perfect amount to make my daughter another simple skirt from. I used Lisa Comfort’s ‘A Very Versatile Skirt’ pattern from her book Sew Over It. I’ve used this pattern many times for myself and once for my daughter, when I was forced to convert my very first Ginger into a skirt for her, after a serious zip malfunction, see here.
I could really see how far I’d come skills-wise, running this up. It used to take the best part of a day to run them up, more material for myself granted, but still… This, however took me the sum total of an hour and a half, and a good fifteen minutes or so of that consisted of my daughter selecting her appropriate trimmings from my box of tricks 🙂
This make made me feel bad that I don’t make her more things, but she’s growing so quickly, it sometimes just doesn’t feel worth the effort. I figure I get a lot more wear out of items I sew for myself (unfortunately I stopped growing many moons ago….) This was so quick to make up though, and suits her so well, that I really should run up a couple more. I do kind of wish I’d made this just a touch longer though. She’s wearing it here with her thin, ballet tights (having just come home from her lesson), but I guess it would look better with some thicker, navy leggings. Speaking of which, leggings are something she really could do with more of, I must have a look through some of my old magazines to see if I have a suitable pattern or search some free patterns online. If anyone thinks of any, aged 7 or so, let me know 🙂
I’ll leave you with some action shots. She couldn’t wait to model for me today 🙂
navybluethreads 
Such a sweet skirt (and child). It’s so good the be able to use leftover fabric.
Thanks! It’s greeting easier, now I’m getter better at working out how much is needed for various projects 🙂
Just follow this tutorial and draft your own. I just made a pair and its totally do-able.
http://so-sew-easy.com/leggings-pattern-tutorial/
Oh, thanks for the tip. I’ll take a look, would be great to run her up a few pairs 🙂
So cute! I like your daughter’s choice of trim! I just made my girls some little elasticated skirts – two in two evenings, sooo easy and cheap!
It’s lovely when they get excited about wearing them too. Going to make the most of it while it lasts 🙂
Haha yes before it becomes really uncool to wear something mum made!
Although given they’re still pretty young, our skills might run to fancy prom dresses by the time they’re demanding them 🙂
You’re doing an amazing job of stash-busting,love the skirt and your daughter is obviously excited about wearing it! So cute!
Thank you, I’m getting better at it and it’s certainly forcing me to be creative 🙂 It’s great to create ‘free’ items. I’m itching to go on a fabric binge, still a little way to go yet though…
Oh she looks gorgeous! Yes, you definitely need to get sewing her some more of these for the winter with woolly tights and boots! Your box of tricks looks very interesting…
🙂 She loves rifling through it, selecting her favourite colours and textures: a little seamstress in the making…
Ooo! My sewing club is going well….we are up to the hood! Next week it will be sewing on the pocket and the hood!
Sounds fun! It’s great to feed their imagination 🙂
She is adorable! And so is the skirt. I love the ric rac border!
Thank you! You can’t beat a bit of ric rac, especially in a girly pink 🙂
So cute! What a wonderful use of leftover fabric 😊 . I get what you mean about how making clothes for you means they get more wear since us adults have stopped growing, I would love to make more for my boys but right now I have to buy new uniforms every 5-6 months.
🙂 I think girls are easier (and possibly more appreciative, especially at this age) than boys. I’ve vaguely thought of sewing my son some shorts, but didn’t get very far. Maybe next Summer…
That’s a really inspiring post! Your model is a beauty. Not only are you using up your stash, but you’re also making clothes that are really appreciated by your daughter. I am yet to branch out into girls’ clothes – my two are too little. I couldn’t bear to put in all that work for it to be outgrown by next month!
Oh, definitely wait until clothes last them a year! Even then, it seems such a short while (I’m had some of my clothing a good ten/fifteen years. There are some benefits of never growing any taller, not many mind…). This really did take no time at all, and v little fabric so I’ll be running up a few more. May have to stock up my embellishment box though 🙂
Awww, your daughter looks amazing and so does the skirt! I am pretty sure that you can find a tutorial on how to draft a leggings pattern, it is the easiest thing ever!
Thank you! I’ll be taking a look at the weekend for leggings tutorials- got to be pretty straightforward and she’ll be wearing them under things anyway…
This is the first I came across and since I have tried something similar I am pretty sure it will work! And in case you can’t get your daughter to get measured, you can search for the standard measurements of her size. Just make sure to take under consideration how stretchy your fabric is when drafting the pattern.
Sorry, I forgot the link http://www.onelittleminuteblog.com/2013/01/drafting-and-sewing-leggings-stretch-yourself/
I love it! I would totally wear that. 🙂
Thank you! The little appliqué animal came in a pack of three from H and M if you fancy getting a set 😉
Looks like she has a career as a model! Very cute!
She did indeed love posing, and unlike me she certainly has the height I never would have believed that any daughter of mine would end up with such long legs 🙂
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