A Rainbow of Discovery

For several months now, I've been really admiring some of the tulle-Skirted creations I've been seeing online in my sewing groups. Sew Stylin Stitches, Kendall Paige Designs, and a number of other designers over at the TulleTastic and Fancy Pants Fabric groups have all been posting fun, colorful, full-skirted outfits that capture my fancy. A collage of some of my favorite examples from Tulletastic and Fancy Pants is below.

I'd dismissed the idea of recreating one of these dresses myself as a passing fantasy until one seamstress posted of a customer's Very Good Idea, and it happened to be a 'dress' that was actually composed of a peplum top, and a separate tulle skirt that went under it to create the look of a dress. Well, wait a minute... I could do THAT. Having 2 separate components meant the wearer would get more use out of the top after hours spent sewing it, and it minimized the odds that would I ruin a good bodice with a bad tulle attachment.

Conveniently, right about that time 2 yards of Rainbow Leopard Print from Oh So Pretty Fabric graced my doorstep, and my daughter fell in instant love. I paired it with a "Casa Collection" stretch mesh from Joann's, since this outfit it was essentially a test run.

For the skirt, I used 4 yards of stretch mesh. I sewed the ends together, then folded the circles of mesh in half height-wise to make 4 gathered layers of fabric. The length was near enough to my daughter's knees that I did not have to hem. I also cut & sewed a small (1.5x  my daughter's waist measurement) woven lining to ensure the skirt was opaque. For the waistband, I used a strip of CL cut to 8 inches wide and 0.8 x my daughter's waist circumference in length.

To construct the skirt, I put the layers of mesh, the woven fabric, together, then I sewed the waistband to them front to front. Then I then stretched the waistband over and tacked the raw edge down in the back using a zig zag stitch that enclosed the woven and mesh. I also ended up having to add a band of elastic inside my folded-over waistband, since it turns out 4 layers of stretch mesh is heavy.

For the top, I knew I wanted to match one of the lovelier creations I had recently seen; a beauty with a bow back, puffed sleeves, and a peplum, skirt. For the base & sleeves, I reached for the Sew by Pattern Pieces Girl's Fun Tee, which is fast becoming a much-loved basic at out house. For the bow back and neckline, I used the CKC Delaney. The peplum skirt was a mashup of the girl and baby Isla, to give me the waistline and length I needed.

For all the fussy elements, the top went together pretty quickly; the Delaney bow back was the only part I hadn't tried before, and while I'm not crazy about the construction method (exposed seams in the back), it came out fun and cute without *too* much extra time. Definitely a neckline I will incorporate into other creations. Here are the top and the skirt, paired together like my original inspiration:

And how does my daughter feel about it? She loves it. I think I was spot on when I judged the top would get a lot more wear if I detached it from the skirt; it's gotten worn with jeans on a number of occasions.

The skirt, well it sees a little less action, but it was essentially a learning tool that turned out surprisingly well. That Casa Collection stretch Mesh from Joann's does seem to wear and wash pretty nicely, so I wouldn't hesitate to get it again. And my daughter sure does have a blast when she's wearing it. So, I consider it a job well done.