The Tara Skirt & Pinafore is out (and on sale for just two days more) and now I get to show you all the wonderful versions that the pattern testers made!

 

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate pattern testers.  By the time I have a pattern fully written I’ve made it so many times that everything makes perfect, absolute sense in my head.  Testers catch all the places where it’s only in my head!

They also let you, the (hopefully!) buyer see what it looks like in a wider range of fabrics and on a wider range of bodies than I can afford to do in official pattern samples.

I absolutely love seeing the different ways testers envision a pattern.  I hope you do too!

Nelleke of @wearwhatyousew

Nelleke’s Tara skirt outfit is pretty much the definition of cozy sophistication. It’s the clothes equivalent of very nice loose-leaf tea in an elegant teapot. With your favourite biscuits on the side!

The pointed pockets of View A work perfectly with the small check of the wool blend she used, and I love how they echo the sunrays on her jumper. The fabric is also perfect for showing off the slight extra fullness the elastic back waist gives the skirt.

Nelleke’s overall feedback was “It’s a verrrrry nice addition to the Scroop patterns library!”

She made View A in Size 46 and made no alterations at all to the pattern.

Brianne of @BrianneOpal

I wish I’d made one of the Tara samples in corduroy, because some of the testers did, and they look SO GOOD!

Case in point: Brianne’s utterly adorable Tara Pinafore made from cat patterned corduroy!

It’s so delightful I would immediately break my ban on no-cat-patterned-fabric (lest I become the crazy cat lady who only ever gets given cat themed things) to make myself one exactly like it if I could get the fabric.

She even did perfect little cat buttons! 💛

The lightweight fine wale cord is perfect for this pattern. It has enough structure to support the shape of the bodice and show off the lines of the skirt, without being too bulky for the waistband.

Brienne made the Tara View A (pinafore) with View B length and pockets, in Size 34. She is 5’6”.

I’m very grateful for Brianne’s very thoughtful feedback – she helped me make the waistband construction much clearer, and the pinafore bodice pattern piece is now the exact length she adjusted her bodice to.

Sam of @woolandthyme

From adorable cat buttons, to adorable bat buttons!

Yes!

When I created the Tara pattern I thought how fantastic it would look in plaid – particularly the pinafore version.  Sam’s make proves that is absolutely the case!

I love her styling with dark tights and boots and a black turtleneck + a camera and fabulous hat.  Classic autumn chic with a touch of whimsy.  Plus, you know, bat buttons!

Her thoughts on the pattern: “I really enjoyed this! I have been looking for a pinafore pattern to use with this fabric and the cool pockets really sold me on this one!”

Her fabric is a vintage wool suiting.  Sam made View A with the View B pockets and skirt length in Size 50.  She’s 5’1”.

Based on Sam’s & the other testers helpful feedback the final Tara pattern has a shorter and narrower pinafore front than is shown in the tester photos.

Julia of @mariecurious

And completing our Hallowe’en trio, a Tara Skirt in pumpkin orange:

Orange is such an under-rated colour.  Julia’s orange linen is both autumn and summer appropriate, and utterly perfect for the Hallowe’en season.  If Halloween-bounding is a thing, it’s (in the best possible way!) a Jack-o-Lantern skirt.  An extremely chic and elegant Jack-o-Lantern skirt! 🎃

Julia provided super helpful feedback on clarifying both the pocket and the clever-but-tricky elastic back waistband installation.

Her overall thoughts on the pattern:

“Fantastic! It’s a quick and easy make with enough unique details to keep it interesting, and I can see it becoming a wardrobe staple.”

Julia made View B in size 48.  She is 5’5″

 

Jessi of @mezzo.jessi 

If Jessi looks familiar, it’s because I love having her as a pattern tester.  She provides thorough, thoughtful feedback, and always does fantastic creative photos.

She also often tests her makes in re-purposed fabric, in this case, sheets.  I am a huge fan of creative fabric use, and she does it beautifully.

Jessi says “This is definitely something I will make in more colors (and maybe add some pocket embroidery!) for my cottagecore wardrobe! “

Jessi made a View A in Size 48.  She is 5’1″ but kept the full length for a long swishy skirt.

 

Loren of @ornatechimp

Speaking of creative fabric re-use, I am in LOVE with the way Loren used this duvet cover which had reversible colourways for her Tara Pinafore:

Is that not the perfect way to use a fabric like that!  I’m now haunting the op-shops for bedding I can use in the same way.

I also love her fairy styling!  Fits in perfectly with the slightly Hallowe’en autumn theme that accidentally happened in the test group, without being traditional autumn colours.

Loren’s take on the Tara?  “I really enjoyed making the pattern and learning new techniques and I love how it turned out!”

She made View A in Size 54 and is 5’3”

 

Hanna of @medieval_family

I love Hanna’s historical sewing, so it was a bit of a surprise to me when she applied to make the modern Tara – but of course it makes sense that someone who loves historical dress would like something a bit historically inspired for their modern wardrobe!

And this is such a lovely history-meet-modern look.  I adore the way she coordinated her pocket facings with her blouse.  I’m going to have to copy that!

Hanna says “I really like it, will make more with different pockets. Its going to be a staple piece in my historybounding wardrobe”

Hanna made a View B in Size 46 with 6cm added to the length of the skirt.  She is 182cm tall.

 

Casca of @misscasca and Crafting with Casca on youtube.

I’m not a big youtube watcher, but I love Casca’s channel because 1) she makes fabulous things (umm, hello, Sandworm draught excluder!?!) 2) her channel is really low key and approachable and 3) she sounds a bit like one of my favourite people in the whole world, so just listening to her makes me happy!

 

I would say her Tara pinafore is just like her channel – fabulous and approachable, with some unexpected hidden fun secrets, like her Lord of the Rings pockets, and some beautiful finishing, like the pattern matching from her pinafore front to her straps.

Casca actually made two versions and says “I really like it, the pinafore is super cute and both of the ones I’ve made/am making will become regular parts of my wardrobe.”

Just what I hope for as a pattern maker!

Her Tara is Size 38, and she is 5’2”.  Her fabric is a wool blend.

 

Steph of @stephanie_saurus

The final Tara tester make is the version that made me fall in love with the pattern all over again, and gave me the push to carry on when I was at the point of the testing and patternmaking process where I was just completely over it (it happens!).

Isn’t the printed needlecord just divine, especially with that top?

Steph gave some very helpful feedback on how the Tara fits at the smaller end of the size range, helping me to achieve a perfect fit there.

She says “the skirt is easily adjusted to accommodate for any fit issues and is both comfortable and stylish. It’s a simple shape but with added complexity for statement pockets.”

She made a Size 30, View B.

Thank you!

A huge, huge thank you to all the Tara Skirt & Pinafore testers for their incredibly helpful feedback.

Just two days left to get 15% off the Tara Skirt & Pinafore and the Seatoun & Tara bundle in the launch sale!