no one knew the earth was round until someone took a boat trip.

Last week I was in San Diego while my mother was at Education week at BYU and my dad was taking scouts on a river trip. Anna, my sister, and I drove down last Sunday with horrible traffic to take care of my sister while the parentals were gone. Liver (or Olivia, as she will annoyingly remind you once I say her nick name to another person) needed rides and moral support to her varsity tennis try-outs, as well as uninterrupted sisterly advice from day one. I don't know how she wasn't sick of us putting in our two cents about her life and and high school and boys, but apparently she likes it when we chime in so much. We spent the week eating out every meal, saw two movies, watched the third season of Alias as well as the second season of Gilmore Girls. It was great. I also gained 5 pounds which was not so great.

I promised while I was there I would teach her how to make a skirt. The pattern we used was one that I have used multiple times. I whip out this pattern usually late at night when I can't fall asleep, and I'll make myself a nice skirt for church on Sunday. It's an easy, flattering, and comfortable pattern. Liver also demanded to have pockets. it was totally necessary. Luckily, my favorite pattern had pockets.

Simplicity 2698

I brought the fabric with me to California, and I bought it at Yellow Bird Fabrics in Salt Lake. It's a great cotton chino with lycra (i'm a sucker for lycra). And Anna said it was a great floral print, so if Anna says it, it must be true.

I taught liver all the basics: how lay out a pattern on the fabric on grain, pinning correctly, how to cut out the notches, and how to backstitch. Liver does a lot of service with my mom making quilts for the homeless, so she could handle the whole sewing machine process, which was a relief. I made her practice sewing curves though. I didn't come all that way to teach a girl how to sew and then have her be all know-it-all about it. So I threw in some curve practices just to annoy her. she wasn't a genius at it, for once. 

cutting out the first pocket.

Liver thought this was the best way to cut out the awkward parts of the pattern. I reminded her to cut out all the easy angles first, and then cut out the rest. She then hopped off the table.

Success!!

Starting to sew.

Liver didn't think sewing at 5/8" was going to be very hard, no one does really until they try to sew 3 to 4 layers of fabric together. This is why I sewed the last half of the skirt myself, from the waistband, then zipper, then hem. Liver did a good chunk, however. She would not be happy if I told you differently. 

See, here is liv sewing the pockets. She did sew part of it.

Unfortuanelty, I have no picture of Liv in the actual skirt, as of yet. She hasn't sent it to me yet. She did start school on Monday, so I guess she has an excuse. I'll post it tomorrow. She looks really cute.