Made for Mermaids reached 35,000 Facebook followers this month and to celebrate they have released the Cora Culottes for girls, and the Mama Cora Culottes for ladies. The new patterns ($3 each) are a fundraiser for local Hurricane Harvey relief funds for the month of September. This pattern is drafted for moderate stretch knits with drape.
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My little lady and I tested this pattern and we love how comfy our culottes are! I'm not sure I've ever owned a pair...but wearing culottes is like wearing a swishy skirt with a bit of loose fabric between your legs. They are also super easy to sew!
If you've made a t-shirt or leggings before and want to try curved hems, this would be the perfect project to practice that skill.
I made a straight size pink, 12" hem. This hem is supposed to hit just above the knee (I am short, so I removed 2.5 inches to get this length). This is a thin, drapey rayon/spandex from La Finch Fabrics. Not everyone person likes the way thin rayon/spandex hugs the skin, but I don't have a problem with it. In fact, I love how thin and airy this is!
And if you are that seamstress who hates hemming...
Wanna know a secret? You don't have to hem these! I only hemmed mine because I was pattern testing. They actually look pretty great un-hemmed, especially in a solid color.
My daughter is wearing a straight size 1 made in a 2-way poly/rayon jersey with a cotton/lycra band (the band definitely requires 50% stretch).
I bought this knit from Girl Charlee years ago, before I knew anything about 2 way and 4 way stretch knits. It's so hard to find patterns designed for 2 way stretch knits so it has sat in my stash for a long time. I had no problems using it for this project!
My husband could usually care less about how I dress our daughter. He has mentioned several times how much he loves these culottes! He says they are fun and dressy but allow her to move around like a toddler and stay covered. What a win-win! 😁
If you're farther north than me, check out more of the tester photos for tips on layering with these culottes. I really loved seeing Brittany Reini's culottes in green velvet!