Pattern testing | Sewing | Sewing for the girl

Here there be Mermaids

January 15, 2016

The Girl has been reading a mermaid series that she really loves.  It is the Waterfire Saga and it currently has three books in it.  The age range for it is 12-18 years, and she is 10, but an advanced reader.  To say she is obsessed with mermaids would be putting it lightly.  She really, really, really wants to be a mermaid right now.

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As I like to stoke the fires of book addiction, I purchased some different mermaid fabrics from Amazon and Etsy.  Initially, I was going to make a mermaid blanket out of some of it, and then I was thinking a mermaid tail to use with her swim fin she got from Santa.  Not sure if I will do that yet.  Depends on if I think she will drown in it or not, but she is a good swimmer.  We’ll see.

I decided to go the simple route and make a shirt and leggings to wear in the meantime.  The fabric here is from Amazon at $11/yard.  I only got a yard and it was a few inches longer and just enough.

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The Hibernis top worked great with these fabrics, yet again.  I love how I could add the saying to the front panel and have some of the mermaid fabric show up in places.

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The leggings are a modified Oliver + S leggings.  I make them longer, since their size 12 is not long enough here.  This is not super thick material, so I would say a tunic length top is a good idea.

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I asked her what she wanted on the top, and she thought the “Mermaid in Training” sounded good.  I just did the words in the Silhouette design program and cut it out on iron-on glitter HTV.  The black fabric is a warm performance knit, so it has a bit of a low loft fleece backing to it.  Nice and warm.

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She loved it and got loads of compliments, yet again.  Now I need to make her a fleece robe, since it is really chilly out now.  Definitely not mermaid weather!

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  1. What a beautiful outfit! It looks so fun, and who doesn’t love shiny, sparkly pants? I especially love the golden mermaid fabric accents on the shirt and the cowl.

  2. So fun! And those books look great too, thanks for the tip. Jane Yolen has a book called “The mermaids’ three wisdoms” that you / she should check out if you have never read it. Your daughter must be in heaven with that outfit; great job creating something tailored to her interests. She is a beautiful girl- with that long blond hair, glowing skin and lean frame she can pass for a mermaid in those pants!

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