Perfectly Preppy and Potato Chip Skirt Mashup

Do you ever have a project that makes you want to pull your hair out, or worse, make you want to quit sewing? This was definitely one of those.
I've been wanting to mash up the Potato Chip Skirt by Tie Dye Diva, and the Perfectly Preppy (Rumba Version) by Scientific Seamstress for some time. I love the pockets on the PTS, and love the ruffles of the PP.
I began by making a simple mod on the PTS. In place of piping on the pockets, I made tiny ruffles and sewed them in like I would piping. I love how that turned out! That would've been cute on it's own, and I should've stopped while I was ahead, but no, I wanted more ruffles. (I swear ruffles will be the death of me.)
So I did some math (a lot of math, far too much math) and used the instructions in the PP ebook to make the ruffles.
Here are some shots of the final product.

It was more complicated to add the double tier ruffles than I thought it would be, since the front of the PTS is narrower than the back. so I had to make one top ruffle, one ruffle attachment, and one bottom ruffle in all in different lengths based on two measurements. One set using the front width, and one set using the back. The top ruffle is 2 times the width, the attachment is 1.5 times the width and the bottom ruffle is 3 times the width.

For the pocket ruffles, I roughly measured the pocket from top to bottom following the curve, and multiplied by two. For the width of the ruffle, I wanted to have a 1/4 inch ruffle, with the 1/4 inch seam allowance. That makes 1/2 an inch, multiplied by two, since it was folded to avoid hemming.

And a close up of those pockets that I love so much!

So, what was the part that made me so incredibly frustrated? Nope, it wasn't the math, I generally enjoy math.

Nope, it was this. I was gathering the bottom ruffle, and I use three gathering threads sewn parallel at 1/8th intervals (I know, not everybody does, but I'm a bit particular when it comes to ruffles). I was finished gathering and pinning the front, and was almost done gathering and pinning the back (like 2/3's done) when ALL THREE of my gathering threads ripped....

Yeah, all three... I won't lie, I swore like a sailor in my head (I've got two girls, I can't be swearing out loud!) Oh, and all of my unpinned gathering came apart... So I took the whole damn ruffle off, resewed the back gathering threads, and re-did the ruffle.

My threads have never ripped before, so I investigated. Turns out I mistakenly thread my machine with the serger thread that I use to overlock my seams with. Face...Palm...

So what should have taken no more than three hours took five.

Worst part? My lovely daughter whom I made it for because she loves all things ruffles, won't. put. it on... My oldest put it on for the pics. It fits her around the waist, but is too short for my taste. 

She wanted me to add two more ruffles, but I'm not taking that skirt anywhere near my sewing machine, I'm far to done!

Here's eldest being a darling and helping me get picks for the blog!

Well, now that the adventure is over, I can find time to finish oldest darling's new dress. She's been waiting for it already. And with all the help she's been giving me with my blog, she deserves it!

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