Starboard Skirt. Kind of.

Tell me you were right there with me last summer when I pinned the Starboard Skirt from Simple Simon.  If you didn't, what's wrong with you?!?  I still maintain that it's one of the cutest skirts out there that you can DIY, and it's not all that difficult to make, either.  A plus for someone like me, who only pretends to sew.
Well, I loved it so much when I pinned it, that I knew I had to recreate it.  Like, right away.  So I did.  And then I had all of these other posts to post, and I had other pictures to edit, and other series to run, and before I knew it, it was Halloween.  And it just seemed wrong to post some VERY summery photos when it was about to snow.  So I stowed them away for this summer.  And though it's not quite summer, yet, it IS getting warmer.  Now we have the opportunity to marvel at how big mini has gotten in a little less than a year.  (hint: SO BIG!)


I call this:

Spin-off because it's inspired by the starboard skirt, but with a variation.  And kind of, because... well... I didn't have the tutorial in front of me.  And we all know what happens then.


I do not have a tutorial for you.  I didn't want to just make another tutorial for the same skirt since Simple Simon did such a great job.  BUT, here's what I did.


First of all, and this is nothing extraordinary - in fact it's really ordinary - but I chose some fabric I LOVED.  You all do this all the time, I'm sure.  But when I sew, I often sew from repurposed items... sheets and pillow cases and shirts.  Or I get my fabric at the thrift store where it's very affordable.  There are times when even a 40% off coupon isn't enough for me to swing the fabric I'd love to buy (gasp!) But this time, I didn't just use what I had on hand.  And no, this isn't designer fabric and $10 a yard.  This is from a pack of fat quarter material I got at WALMART.  Yep.  So it was still affordable.  But it was brand new.  And I got to pick it out.  And I LOVE yellow and gray (like most of the rest of the crafting world...)

Secondly, I added a panel with a different material to the front - in the inset of the pleat.  I just thought this would add a cute little SOMETHING extra, you know?  Plus I couldn't decide on just one fabric.

And I measured and ironed and folded and pinned and sewed - all of which is pretty amazing if you know me, especially the folding, pinning, ironing parts.
BUT.  But...
I didn't have the tutorial in front of me.  And for the life of me I couldn't remember what I was supposed to do with the top of the skirt.  How did I add the elastic?  Did I fold the top down and sew?  Did I fold the top of the pleat over and sew??  Did I sew it down and then pleat???
So in the end, instead of going all the way upstairs and getting on the internet, I just fudged it.

And it wasn't bad.  Really.  Not QUITE the starboard skirt.  But not bad.  Will you excuse me for a minute while I giggle about those chubby little baby legs??  I die.
Notice I made the skirt pretty darn short (on accident) so it turned into a mini.  Which was fine.  For a month or two.  But there's no way she's wearing it again this summer.  Sheesh.  How inappropriate.  

Guess I'll have to try my hand at another one.

Would you like to make that seriously cute little ruffled top you see here?  The straps are INTERCHANGEABLE!  You can CHANGE them!  You can find my ruffled tank tutorial here.


PS.  Did you know that Simple Simon made a FALL version of their Starboard Skirt?  For reals!  Of course you knew that.  What am I even doing here?

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