Fast Christmas Sewing

Some months ago, I had the bright idea of smocking dresses or tops for each of my seven nieces as Christmas presents. Well, I have given up. Somehow I managed to make 2 or 3 outfits for the babies and toddlers, one outfit for a 4 year old, and my smocking mojo has worn out before I reached the last family, containing nieces aged nearly 4, up to nearly 9. I will not feel guilty, as they all received smocked birthday dresses this year.
Instead, I bought plain white t shirts at Target, and made these quick and easy cotton print skirts with a ruffle. I have put these in a parcel with a book each, and expect to have 3 happy nieces. The pattern is skirt 24 from Topkids Issue 59. The fabric is from Spotlight via my stash. I have altered the pattern only by using elastic attached to a drawcord for the waist gathering, edge stitching the top edge of the casing, and using a rolled hem to finish the ruffle.

 

DD the younger really fancied these skirts. She wanted me to make her one too, so that she can match her cousins when they visit us in January. I tried to convince her to make it herself - this is a really easy pattern, but there was no interest at all. She made me a cup of tea instead.

 

Naturally, once I had whipped up the skirt, she announced that she had no plain white t shirts. I am pretty sure this is a fib, but admit she is growing very fast, and did not want to plumb the depths of her wardrobe, so made her Jalie 2787, which she has been hinting about since I made my own unsuccessful versions. On her, it looks fabulous. I now love the pattern. She really likes the flutter sleeve. I used fold over elastic for the neck and cross overs, and am very happy with the outfit. ( The top was too long again, I have taken around 7 cm from the hem)

 

Here is a last photo to show the whole skirt on my daughter. I quite like the waistband, but my daughter says she likes to wear her tops out, rather than tucked in.