Sewing Challenge

I've been trying to finish sewing up all my custom orders so I can tackle all my gift sewing, but every time I think I'm done, and I breathe a sigh of relief, another order comes down the pipe and, naturally, it is something I still have to make!  So glad I finally set a deadline for custom orders so that when another rolled in today I was able to 'just say no' to frantically throwing something together just to get it in the mail to please another customer.  Some things are just more important than business or income.

 

My niece is into cheerleading right now, as is typical for most 9-year-old girls, so, I thought, perhaps I can make her a cute little cheerleader outfit for Christmas.  She likes to dress up and she often has a girlfriend over so bravely I decided to make TWO outfits!

 

 

The hardest part was finding the right fabric in colors she would like.  I wanted something thicker than broadcloth and the typical fabrics used in cheerleading outfiits come in atrocious colors so I settled for some heavyweight cotton woven fabric, hoping my choices were somewhat fun colors.

 

 

This was really a challenge for me as I don't think I've ever made a more complicated skirt - it has pleats, a yoke and a zipper, not to mention the yards and yards of bias tape for the trimming.

 

 

I started them yesterday and just now finished.  Once I finished the first one, it was hard to go back and do the next one because by then I was tired of cheerleading outfits!!!!  I think the black one picked up every bit of lint, fuzz and dust in my sewing room!

 

 

I really hope she likes them.

 

They were fun to make but I don't think I'll be making any more of these for a long time....anyone want a used cheerleading outfit pattern???  :)