If you have an elementary school student, you are no doubt aware that March 2nd is Dr Seuss’s birthday. I have long planned to use the leftovers from my nieces’ baby quilts (link) for a Analise patchwork skirt from Portabella Pixie for Ellie to wear during the Dr Seuss festivities (which were limited to one day at our old school but get a whole five days at Ellie’s new elementary school). The last two years were too busy with nursing school, but since my last assignment for my BSN was graded on Friday, I had no excuse not to get it done this year!
This is NOT a project to start at 9:30pm. Not that anyone would do that. But if someone WERE to start this project at 9:30pm the night before Cat in the Hat Day, I can tell you that they would probably finish around 3am (which includes cutting out pattern pieces). A 6 hour skirt makes this a very labor intensive garment. And since I hate gathering, it was quite the labor of love.
It takes a TON of fabric. I couldn’t believe how much fabric this skirt sucked up, or the large pieces it requires. Since Ellie instantly fell in love with the twirl power of the skirt, I think I see this becoming a quick stash-buster! (When I asked if she would like other skirts like this, she announced with a twirl “I want a MILLION like this!”)
Pattern alterations: I skipped the ruffle on this and just rolled hem finished the bottom tier. I may do the ruffle later, but it was 3am and the skirt was definitely long enough. I didn’t follow the fabric number assignments for the pattern pieces since I was having to work with the fabric amounts I had. There is no way to see at a glance which pattern pieces will but up against one another, which means you just have to take the fabric combos that happen. Oh well.
Pattern notes: It looks like this pattern is out of print, but it is still kicking around ebay if you didn’t pick it up while it was in print. This is a long skirt with plenty of growing room. The pattern only goes to size 8 (which is the size I made this newly 8 year old girl), but I can see taking the waistband elastic out when Ellie outgrows the waist of the skirt and just putting in longer elastic to make it last all of her Dr Seuss Day elementary school years.
Fabric notes: Most of these prints were originally out several years ago, but the Dr Seuss line seems to be a perennial and you can still get most of these exact prints and new Dr Seuss options (here are the Fabric.com offerings).
