I'm using Simplicity pattern # 5359. 

Since these patterns come in multiple sizes, I start off by tracing the size I'm going to use on to butcher or craft paper.  I have a full size light table that makes this an easy task.  Then I keep that pattern in a large envelope for future use.

Anneliese is rather tall so I added 3 to 4 inches in length to the skirt, pants, and blouse sleeves. 

I like to assemble all my fabrics and trim before I start a project.  That way I can work on it as time allows and I'm more likely to finish it than get it half done and put aside.

So far I have now finished the blouse and the jacket.  The blouse is made from a white cotton fabric that has a dark grey ticking type stripe.  The blouse pattern works up very easily and makes a nice peasant blouse/chemise. 

The jacket is made of multiple layers of fabric to give it body.  The outer layer is a purple, teal, blue and white striped fabric.  Inside, the lining is of teal twill (the same that will be used in the skirt).  Sandwiched between those layers is a layer of medium weight canvas.

Here are color swatches of all the fabrics used for this project.

UPDATE:   7/25/2005 Oops!   Spoke too soon!!

I took the entire outfit over for Anneliese to try on and I have a few adjustments to to make.  The skirt, harem pants and blouse fit her perfectly but the vest and waist cincher need some altering.  Nothing huge but a little extra to be done.  Here is a link to some pictures taken of the pieces before she tried them on.

UPDATE:   7/21/2005 Completed!

Well....it's finished.  Top to bottom.  The harem pants were a piece of cake and finished up in no time at all!  Now before I give it to her, I want to get some pictures of each piece, up close and personal.  Then I'll get pictures of her in it and post all of them here.

UPDATE:   6/20/2005

I found more of the gold trim at Jo Anne's.  They had three yards left!  Just enough to finish the skirt.  Now all I need do is finish the hem and the waist band.  The instructions call for elastic in the waist but I'm going to put in a draw string.  One of the things I hate to see is a skirt drooping at the waist and the person always trying to keep everything tucked in.  A draw string would fix that.

I have also finished the waist cincher.  I lined it with brown linen.  I'm not sure at the moment if it's reversible but that was my goal.

So, I finish up the skirt (lots of hand sewing needed for the hem) and then make the harem pants and we're done!

UPDATE:   6/6/2005

I have all the panels of the skirt now sewn together and I've started sewing on the gold trim that goes along the seam line where the panels are joined together.  I cut the lengths for each piece and have them pinned to the skirt.

I did a bad thing though.  I didn't put the skirt in a cat proof place over night and when I woke in the morning, I found that my cat had eaten a section of the trim from a couple of places.  So now I don't have enough of the trim to go around!!  Grrrrrr!!  It was hard enough to find the trim I liked in the first place!  Bought all Jo Anne's had at the time.  So trying to match it is going to be a bear!  I did find some metallic trim at G-Street Fabric but I don't think it will launder as well as the original. 

I'm going to put the skirt on the back burner for now until I can go looking for the trim I want.  In the mean time I'll work on the harem pants and then a waistcoat for Dan.