Pretty Summer Blouse

The newest chapter in the "sew something for myself!" series!  See, I told you I've actually been doing some sewing, not just writing tearjerkers.  :)

Honestly, though, I've been working on this one for quite a while.  It's an easy pattern, but I had so much going on, and it just kept getting hung over the back of my chair and then inevitably something would get hung over it and I'd forget for a few days.  Oh, did I mention it's also a FREE pattern?  THat comes in multiple sizes?  For really real!  You can download it here:  Pretty Blouse pattern  For free!

Did I mention it's free.

Okay, I'm over it now.

As I was sewing, it seemed like I was making a tent.  So.  Much.  Fabric!  I kept having to remind myself that yes, sewing mommy's clothes uses more fabric than sewing toddler and baby clothes, and it was going to be okay.  Even when I was almost done, I held it up and thought, "What the heck kind of a mumu is this?!  Why did I waste my pinwheels on this?!"

But in the end. I love it.  Even more so with the addition of the button.  It's wooden, with white paint.  I wish I could tell you it's vintage, or that I salvaged it from an amazing thrift store, but I bought it at JoAnn's.

At times I questioned the use of the pinwheels.  It's really a kids fabric.  I mean, the line is called "Children at Play."  But I love it so much!!  And I think the navy with white polka dots really works with it.  Not too busy, and the dots make it more grown up.  Or it's possible that since I spend pretty much all of my time around children, I am absorbing their dress code.  I can live with that.

so you can really see the pinwheels, and also the pretty neckline.

A few years ago, before Raina was born, I was with a group of church friends.  I had gone to join them straight from work as a preschool teacher, so I was dressed for the occasion, but I don't think my outfit was anything I would have thought twice about wearing on a non-work day actually.  One of them said to me, "I wish I had the courage to dress like you."

Uh... thanks?  I decided to take it as a compliment.  I felt confident and happy wearing a pink jersey dress over a button up shirt, with jeans and purple converse at the ripe old age of 27.  I still think back on that comment fondly, and try to dress in a way that people wish they had the courage to emulate.  (Not always easy with this post 2 baby bod, but I'll be back in top form some day...)  (And also, did I just use the word fondly?  Maybe I'm older than I thought!)

Any way, here's a few extra pictures...

I'm working on a second one already, minus the poof sleeves.  (Spoiler Alert!  It's a companion piece to Lucca and Raina's Gigi dresses!!)