Kitschy Coo Pettiskirt, Version One, Lessons Learned

Because princess-itis has seized our household - earlier and with greater intensity than I could have ever imagined - I decided the time has come to venture into tulle territory. I didn't enter lightly, having wandered on these plains of desperation, climbed these cliffs of insanity while sewing a Tinkerbell costume ten years ago. But motherhood has its costs and pay them we must.

I armed myself with the high quality Kitschy Coo Pettiskirt tutorial and took Rylee shopping to pick out the tulle. I have to thank Amanda here not only for a great tutorial but also for her unwavering support as I begin life in a princess inhabited household. It's nice to know we're not alone in our trials.

My first attempt will be for At Home Dressing Up and not for Public Wearing or Viewing but I do have some valuable lessons learned.

1. Gathering on the serger does make quick work of the gathering but it will certainly eat into your seam allowance if you're dumb enough to forget to add extra for the necessary trimming of the ugly serger seams. This will render your pettiskirt a tutu.

2. Cutting tulle while it's still warm enough to require ceiling fans running will make you cry.

3. Things that are more fun than gathering yards and yards of tulle.

4. Even if you spend an entire nap time (PLUS some) sewing something you already spent an entire nap time cutting out, right after nap is not the best time to present a bratty little ingrate slow to wake toddler with her new princess dress.

5. Things that are higher quality than the tulle I bought.

6. Things that are sadder than watching your rolled hem fall right off the skirt because it was too narrow and the satin frayed away right underneath it.

7. The smirk that makes it worth it and might even make me try again.

Everyone on Etsy is cooler than I am

But I'm starting to be ok with that.

So rather than trying to come up with some great, creative idea on my own. The kind that comes from a mommy who just oozes domestic prowess and who hums along with sweet, chirping song birds while kneading sprouted grain bread in a sparkling clean kitchen and sews perfect, cute clothing from patterns she drafts herself... You know, that kind of idea?

Instead of doing that I'm going to go ahead and shell out the $6 and buy this pattern because how awesome would this be for Rylee's birthday?

And maybe 50 other things from her shop because dang, lady. Rock and roll!

Stupid Lunar Calendar

This is Rylee last Easter.

She was wearing something else and spilled on it so I changed her into this. A hand-me-down pinafore over a cotton one piece.

I'm so glad she spilled because this outfit just screamed Easter and springtime. You can better see the one-piece, and her buddy Finn gathering information on the wisdom of putting your finger in someone else's mouth, here.

Now that the skirt for the sew-along is complete (pictures soon) I thought I should make something for her for Easter. I wasn't sewing last year at this time.  I was getting excited, doing some shopping on etsy, drooling over fabrics. I even made a little crayon sketch on her kids' menu at lunch the other day. And then I looked at the calendar. Crap.  No time to order new fabric AND come up with a new design. Probably no time to order fabric even for an existing design. Next year I have until April 24th, but not this year.

That means fabric on hand. I'm thinking a jumper and a hat from my final skirt fabric . It's cute, has a spring feel, and she can get more wear out of it.  So here goes nothing.

Because I'd love to have another picture that I love as much as this one.