Floral Skirt (or a lesson in getting on with things)

Some time last year I think I was looking round the shops with my daughter, and when we saw lots of nice long floral skirts, I did my usual trick of saying "But I could so easily make one of those for you". This time we actually got as far as getting a pattern, and some material, thread and zip. (A little side grumble here, but why are sewing patterns quite so expensive! It does quite often put me off.)

But I ashamed to say I got as far as cutting out and sewing the side seams, and then I just sort of stopped. I am sure other people do this. You know the knitting project started with enthusiasm, and then found a year later stuffed behind an arm chair. Not even sure why I stopped - something to do with dark nights, and the bulb blowing on my sewing machine.  Still haven't sorted that out ....

But I resolved to take up the skirt again this holiday, and realised that there was not much left to do. Just put the zip in, waistband on, hem, and I would be done. I got as far as the waistband, but the problem is that since I cut it out last year, she has grown and it didn't fit on the waist.

So I decided not to give up, but to do some alterations. The skirt should be quite long, but she was very insistent that she didn't want it very long. "Make it like that, and I won't ever wear it!" Good to know your own mind, I suppose. So I decided the best way to make the waist bigger was to take a strip off the top. So waistband and zip were removed, a whole section taken off. Zip resewn in further down the side seam. But alas, I then found I had gone a bit too far, and it was going to be too loose. So proper measurements were done, and two darts added to the back. 

Finally we are there. I think we are both very pleased with the result. I am thinking I might sew something for myself next. Expect to see it in 2019 ...