Easy Gathered Top - Something for ME!

I made good on my promise to myself!  I did indeed make something for me this time around!

The shirt that matches the bias tape from yesterday's post....

Woohoo!

I made it using this pattern I bought on Etsy for a Simple Gathered Top.  This is such a quick and easy sew!  If I had used pre-made bias tape, I could have easily cranked this out in one night!  The variations and fabric possibilities are already swimming in my head!  I definitely recommend this pattern... and I think I might try out another 1 or 2 from the same shop!

So, the pictures...

the first two are of the shirt on me - while I'm standing on a toddler sized chair in front of my bathroom mirror in really poor lighting.  It's not easy to take a decent picture of yourself under those circumstances!  Still, there they are!  It's not as poofy as the second picture leads you to believe it is, I was just trying to keep my balance.

gathered neck...

flouncy bottom...

Very comfortable, and easy peasy to whip up.

I do think I made it too big, though.  I did the size 8 thinking I wanted it nice and roomy - but I'm going for the 6 next time.  I might lengthen it a bit, too.  This length is fine, but I have tiny people pulling at the bottom of my shirt most days, so a little length is never a bad thing.

And lastly, a tip.  Remember in my post about making the bias tape, I said that the most challenging part was converting cm to inches so that I'd know how long to make everything?  I was doing the same thing last night putting the finishing touches on this... and then hubby said, "Why not use cm side of your measuring tape?"

Oh.

Right.

Inches on one side, centimeters on the other.

Yeah.

Go have fun and make some shirts!

slightly biased...

So I've been making good on my pledge to sew something for myself this week!  Two things I didn't really take into consideration:  Making clothes for grown-ups uses quite a bit more fabric than making clothes for tiny girls, and making clothes for grown-ups takes a little bit more time than tiny clothes.  Also, I made a few stooopid mistakes that are holding me up.  Frustrating.  But I want to actually WEAR these when I'm done, so I'm doing everything the right way and it looks like that means the long way!

For one top, I need coordinating bias tape.  So what the heck... I decided to bite the bullet and make matching bias tape!  I had plenty of fabric left after cutting the main pieces... so one of my fears (not enough fabric to make all the tape!) was immediately squelched.  Also, I recently (finally) purchased a large sewing ruler thingy (ha!  that's the technical term.), so the actual measuring and uniform size thing was not an issue either.

I think the most difficult part of making the bias tape was exlplaining to my husband what "bias tape" is when he asked what I was doing :).

Oh, wait.  On second thought - it was either that or that the pattern I'm using is from the other side of the pond and all of the measurements are in centimeters.  So in order to figure out how many inches to make things I have to constantly be using a conversion calculator on my computer.

Here's what I did:

1.  Fold strip of fabric cut on the bias in half.  I liked pinning it the entire length to make sure it was even.

(here it is close up, so you can see the pin and the cute little bird.

2.  Iron it flat.  What's that?  You iron on an ironing board?  Not your living room rug?  Pshaw.

3.  Fold outer raw edges in to the center crease.  I pinned again, but you don't have to.  Iron again.  Be careful not to stretch as you iron!

...and that's really it.  Now you have a lovely piece of bias tape, in whatever width/length/pattern you need!

her it is unfolded once....  

And here it is unfolded twice!  You can see all 3 ironed creases...

Strawberry Shortcake Popover Sundress

A couple days ago, Raina pulled a piece of fabric out of my stash and asked with the bluntness that is only adorable coming from a tiny person's mouth, "Mumma!  Is this for my strawberry shortcake dress?!" What else could I say but, "Of course it is!"  (She likes to go through my fabric from time to time and drag pieces out as "blankets" for meow.  This is the first time she's envisioned fabric as a finished sewing project.  Yay!)

The pattern I used is a free download on the Oliver & S website... the popover sundress.  It was incredibly simple and a quick sew.  I rarely finish a project in one day these days, but I managed this one pretty easily.  Of course, it helped that Raina was really into it and wanted to help.  :)  Here we are cutting and taping our patterns while Lucca napped.  I can't wait to see what Raina makes from her pattern!

And here, the finished dress!  That there under the arms?  That stuff that goes all the way up into those amazing straps?  That's bias tape.  That I made.  Yup.  Another fear, conquered.  And way easier than I had imagined.  I can't wait to try it out on future projects now.  Also, the pattern gives "hints" like a for realsies Oliver & S pattern. and one is to add piping or lace under the yoke edge.  It sounded like a marvelous idea to me, so I made a ruffle... and decided that while I was at it, I might as well add a ruffle to the bottom as well!  Adding the ruffles definitely added time onto the project... it makes me a little excited to think about how quick this would have been without my added details!  I think more of these easy peasy dresses will be part of the summer ensemble!

p.s. - it also includes a pattern for a coordinating doll dress!  I haven't made one yet, but Raina insists that it is the next thing "we" sew!

p.p.s. - the Snow White Raglan fit!  It is snug going over her head.  SO glad I cute the neckband a size up... but next time I would go even larger, or maybe figure out a way to adapt it a bit and give it a "v" or do some buttons down the shoulder...  I tried to get a picture of her in it, but this was the best I could do :).  "Raina, can you stand still so I can take your picture in your new shirt?"  "Nope!  Sowwy!  Too busy!"  (Too busy until I turned on Super Why, which is where the zoned out look in the last one comes in to play!)