Skirt with built in bloomers

My nieces 1st birthday is in a few days. My sister had been requesting I make her a skirt for some time, preferably with a built in nappy cover/bloomers and I had some great fabric (bought by my sister probably 6 months ago, whoops).

I didn't have a pattern handy so I improvised. I used two fantastic tutorials from MADE to create the skirt (Dana is an authoritative on all things sewing for children!). 

First I downloaded the FREE diaper cover pattern and made up bloomers but left out the waistband elastic. I then followed the Simple Skirt tutorial, being careful to cut the skirt fabric to pattern match with the bloomers. I made up the skirt completely apart from the waistband. Rather than creating a waistband on the skirt I created a tiny top hem (to cover the raw edges) and then gathered the skirt making sure the width of the skirt waist and bloomers matched. I fitted the skirt about 5/8th below the top of the bloomers and attached the skirt around 1/2 inch below the top of the skirt. When this was complete I inserted the elastic into the bloomers waistband and you're done!

The Skirt is is a little too big as I made a size 18 months - 2 years for room to grow. I look forward to seeing Violet in this skirt for many months to come! Today we came together with family and friends for a joint birthday afternoon tea. My sister is turning 30-something the week after next, I turn 25 on Friday and my niece will be 1 Tuesday. I'm really happy with how the skirt turned out and so seems Violet. 

It's great to be able to find, use and adapt amazing online patterns and tutorials to create something just right AND for free.

Now Violet can flash away whilst maintaining her modesty. She gave it a try!

Happy Birthday Nat and Violet!