Creating Mary's Skirt

Musically talented Mary attends an arts school - lucky girl!! She needs a black skirt to wear to vocal performances and concerts. Because she lives in Canada where the winters can be chilly, the fabric needs to provide some warmth, too. We're using uncut corduroy - it's warm and super soft and washable, too!

Mary's Momma and I have collaborated on the design: a 4" yoke sans waistband, hidden zipper in the back, and an a-line cut. Here's the measurements we'll use to draft our pattern:

This inspiration skirt is from my closet - it's a little straighter than Mary's finished skirt will be, but it's a good visual starting point. My skirt sits about an inch or so below my belly button, but Mary's skirt can have the top of the yoke at a higher or lower point. We'll also need a measurement for the bottom of the yoke.

The pink yard stick below shows the hem circumference - the inspiration skirt is about 45 inches around. It works fine for an adult attending meetings, parties, church, or concerts. For a young girl who may want to skip, run, or move more freely, a bit larger hem circumference may be needed.

Our finished skirt could be any length. This one is about 39 inches long.

Isla and the Pony Tee

This little beauty is the daughter of friends Jenn and Layton. Not only is she a gorgeous baby, but Isla has a lovely disposition to boot! Lucky me to spend time with her today!

Here she is in her Pink Chickadee tees at 5 weeks, 3 months, and 7 months. From left to right -little Pink Chickadee, her Ohio University Bobcats tee in honor of her Auntie's graduation and Daddy's alma mater, and the pony tee chosen by Grandma Linda.

Beautiful Christmas Fabric

Figgy Pudding Cotton Fabrics - Any combination is gorgeous. Perfect for knot dresses, crossback pinafores, peasant tops and dresses, twirl skirts, reversible jumpers.

This olive green dot matches the Figgy Pudding fabrics above and a 10 wale olive corduroy from my fabric stash.

Olivey Green Super Soft 21 Wale Corduroy: This luxuriously soft 21 wale corduroy is a gorgeous shade of green, not quite olive but close. A fabric that's just right for almost every item in the Pink Chickadee shop. It'll even get softer and softer with every wash! I'm making lounge pants for Christmas gifts out of this one - but don't tell!

The Details of the Halloween Knot Dress

Have your eye on some beautiful fabrics for holiday dresses? If you have a few favorites to show off, perhaps a knot dress is just the style!

Knot dresses are so popular for the sweetness of the style which offers the opportunity to showcase several beautiful fabrics in one dress. An added bonus is the grow-with-me practicality of straps that can be adjusted as your sweet girl gets taller. The pattern offers many options: with or without apron, knot in the front, knot in the back, with a border or not. It can be worn alone or as a pinafore with a tank, tee, turtle neck underneath. They make great tunics to wear over leggings and look darling with ruffle pants!

Michelle chose these fabrics and the pattern for a special Halloween dress for her daughter. This dress features four fabrics:

Lighter orange: bodice
Black webs: dress skirt and one side of straps
Dark orange witches: dress skirt border and other side of straps
Devil stripes: apron and bodice lining


While the front of the dress features the bodice fabric, the back of the dress really showcases the main fabric of the dress skirt.


The photo below shows the cute little devil fabric lining the bodice and the strap as it threads through the button hole.




This insideout view shows the how the finished details make the dress almost-reversible.

While the pattern didn't call for the bodice lining to be stitched to the skirt, it gives the dress a more finished look and helps hide the raw edges of the skirt to bodice seam. It's also lots smoother on your sweet girl's belly if she wears the dress without a tee or tank.

A deep hem changes the way a dress hangs thanks to the weight of the additional fabric. Plus, with twirl dresses, the pretty fabric can be seen when your little one whirls around! Deep hems are popular in higher end dresses most commonly found in boutiques.

Thanks Michelle for allow Pink Chickadee to showcase your daughter's dress and your fun fabric selections!

Great Fabrics to Match Corduroys

Here's just a few fabrics that would coordinate well with our corduroys! They would look darling as peasant tops or as the background circles for initial or birthday tees. Picture them with Ava style little ruffles or Genevieve style big ruffles. How about a twirl skirt or jumper?

Beautiful Fall Palette of Fabrics

Here's a peak at just a few of the cotton fabrics we have in stock that feature the beautiful colors of fall: autunm leaves, plum purple mums, dusk sky. Pair them with corduroy or use them on their own. Each of these fabrics would work perfectly as skirts, jumper dress to layer, ruffle pants, peasant tops. Check out the styles in our esty shop and choose a fabric you like to create a one of a kind item for your sweet girl. Convo though etsy or email lynda@pinkchickadee.com.