We have...

a job in California and we are officially in escrow for a cute little house! Life is busy and is only going to get busier. I expect sewing and blogging are going to be taking a backseat over the next month. We are excited for the upcoming changes and a little nervous too! We feel very blessed.

I will be closing up my etsy shop for the next month starting next Tuesday, August 11th. So if you have been eying a pattern and can't wait until September I suggest you order in the next week! I know I want to rearrange the shop as well, and I think taking this month off will let me reassess and pray about what direction the shop should take.

Since there isn't any crafting in this post, have a little look at some of these fun tutorials that I have bookmarked in my favorites!

Knitting Needle Roll by Lupin Bunny
How to make a digital quilt mockup by Sarah Seitz
Little Patchwork Dress by Crazy Mom Quilts (Really love this!)
Birthday Banner by See Mommy Sew
How to sew a double sided purse strap by Fat Orange Cat
Superhero Cape Tutorial by Puking Pastilles
( I made one of these for a little boy and it was the hit of the party!)

Make It Perfect's Flirty Skirts Pattern Review

You can find the Flirty Skirts pattern in my SHOP!

Description from back of pattern:
Flirty Skirts will be the most comfortable, relaxed skirts you will ever make or wear. Featuring cascading tiers and patchwork designs, Flirty Skirts will leave you feeling free and graceful. Gentle gathers between each tier create a soft, feminine look - perfect for a day in the countryside, unwinding at the beach or some fun shopping. Whether you choose to make a stunning long or short ladies skirt or a delightful little girl's skirt with matching applique top, Flirty Skirts are guaranteed to make you happy!!

Pattern includes the following sizes:

LITTLE GIRL'S SKIRT -
sizes 6 months, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

LADIES LONG AND SHORT SKIRTS -
x-small: hips 36" or 91cm / midriff 26 1/2" or 67cm
small: hips 38" or 96cm / midriff 29" or 74cm
medium: hips 40 1/2" or 103cm / midriff 32" or 81cm
large: hips 43 1/2" or 110cm / midriff 35" or 89cm Added on May 21, 2009

Material and material requirements:

This depends on the skirt you make and your size. I used a five different 1/2 yds from a set of Jennifer Paganelli's Flower power line, and about 2/3 yd from a blue and white polka dot fabric from my stash.

Pattern as described/shown?

This skirt turned out very well and looks very much like the long skirt shown on the pattern. I was trying to work with a half yard set that I already had in my stash, and so I ended up being about an inch and a half short for one of my pieces. I am short so I didn't think this would be a problem. However, it is just about perfect on me, and I am short (5'3"). Plus, I am wearing this skirt at right about my belly button. So if you are tall or want to wear it higher on your waist I would probably add an inch to a couple of the tiers.

How were the instructions?

The instructions were clear and well organized. I was never confused, and there were just enough diagrams to help understand her directions.

Difficulty of pattern?

This is a pretty easy pattern. The only difficult thing is the amount of gathering you have to do for each tier. So I would say that you should at least have done one gathering project before attempting this pattern just to avoid frustration. However, there are no real pattern. You just cut rectangles (rotary cutter comes in handy for this!) and the overall construction is simple making it a good project for a beginner!

Alterations made?

The only alteration I made is just shortening a couple of tiers to accommodate using the half yard cuts I already had. Otherwise, all directions were followed. I did, however, have about a yard extra of trim leftover from the zebra print. So you can definitely cut out less. You also might want to top stitch on the tiers that are not covered with the trim just to give it a cleaner look. I keep meaning to go back and do it to mine, but you know...there are other things to sew! ;0p

Overall Impression

I love my new skirt! I don't have any long skirts currently, and I love the soft ruffles and feminine feel of this skirt. It came together quickly. I made this skirt on a Saturday for a fun and easy weekend project. I also love the fact that it comes with instructions for making a little girl skirt as well.