The Wicked Stitch: Briar Rose

Whilst wandering the castle one evening, the young princess came upon a spinning wheel. She had never seen anything like it before. Her mother had forbidden her from wandering alone and sheltered her from so much. The young princess crept into the room and sat upon the stool placed beside the wheel. She felt a cool breeze that danced and rippled up her spine. She unknowingly reached out and touched the spindles needle. It pierced her fingers flesh and as one small bead of blood dropped from her finger, she too dropped from her stool, asleep. 

She would sleep for one hundred years. The king and the queen felt helpless with grief. They had tried relentlessly to protect her. Time crept by. In their old age, when they knew that they would no longer be able to protect their sleeping child, they built a mighty fortress and locked their princess in the tallest tower. There she would be able to sleep, protected. The king and the queen said good bye to their beloved daughter and as they left for the last time, they wept. From each tear that hit the ground, a briar rose bush grew. It grew fiercer, and stronger that any ever before. In time the bush covered the  entire fortress. No one could pass their steely thorns and the princess slept untouched. 

In a neighbouring kingdom a young prince heard of a tale. A tale of a beautiful princess that had been cursed to sleep for 100 years unless woken by the kiss of her prince. The tale touched his heart and unlike those around him, he was not content to speak the tale in whispers by the fire; instead he set out to find the princess and free her from her dreadful curse.

The brave prince found the fortress and with all his might he fought his way the steely briars and up to the tower where the princess slept.

When his lips touched hers she awoke and she smiled. The curse had been broken.

***

For this skirt I used Simplicity 5006 with a few alterations. I'd made it before, minus the ruffle, so it was an absolute breeze to put together. The most time consuming part was pleating the ruffle, and hemming it. 

The ruffle circumference ended up being about 3 meters!

I added 4 small tucks at the front of the waist band so its a little less "clingy" and was little more comfortable.

I chose to add an exposed black and gold metal zip to "funk" the project up and ironically, pull it away from the fairy tale side of things, making it more wearable in real life.

I also sewed my label in there for fun! Notice how the colour scheme (minutely so) is green, pink and blue?? of course you did! Does anyone remember the 3 fairy god mothers is Disney's rendition of sleeping beauty? I had them in mind whilst sewing. Its my little nod to Disney.

The fabric is a chartreuse (the worlds loveliest colour, and the most elegantly named) polished cotton. I scored it at the remnant warehouse for $2 a meter. There was only 5 left, so I took the whole roll.

I also used some hot pink satin bias binding on the inside where the ruffle attaches to the skirt. I love having colourful details on the inside that are just there for me to know about (oh, and you guys too now). It makes the project a little more exciting.

Although this was a quick make, technicality wise, I did take my time with it. I french seamed my seams and everything. Other than the zipper tape, I feel like this skirt could almost be worn inside out if it so tickled my fancy.

In real life I like to wear this with a black tank, black brogues and a wrist full of gold bangles - then I feel more like Esmerelda from Hunchback of Notre Dame - but thats a tale for another time.

Mx