Monday, December 09, 2013

Ruffles ahoy!

This year, I've been sewing a bit more again. 
It started with a colleague lending me this book:
I chose a few patterns, bought fabric, then took a while to get around to making something, but I did in the end! More on that in another post....

Then I found this book - the equivalent pattern book for girls:
It has stuff that is appropriate for toddlers, little girls and 10-year-olds, so I thought it might be good value. First pattern to try: this A-line pinafore.

 
 
 
It's a size 6 so should fit her a while. I used leftover fabric from a wraparound skirt I made a few years back. The hardest bit was the contrast panel at the bottom. I didn't have quite enough fabric to make the full length, so I thought I'd cut out a few inches of the swirly fabric to see on the bottom. That turned out to be more complicated than I had thought it would be (as it's an A-line dress, not a tube), but I made it work somehow! Other than that, the hardest bit of this pattern was sewing in the shoulder straps while the whole, double sided bodice was inside out.

Next, the reason this blog post is called "Ruffles Ahoy", I made a blouse for my niece. I asked her what her favourite colour is, and she said pink and orange! Ok then!

All was going well, then I stuffed up and forgot to add a seam allowance to the bottom of the blouse, so it would have been nearly 4 cm too short. I didn't have enough fabric to cut it out again. Then I thought I could add another ruffle at the bottom. After much basting and trying to get the ruffles even on what seemed like Kms of the bottom panel, it's done, and ready for her birthday, which isn't until after Xmas! I'm proud of my effort - I even sewed a button loop at the back and the bodice is lined

I tried it on my daughter and it's a little big - more like a dress. Maybe my niece can wear it first as a tunic with a skivvy this winter, and it might fit her better in subsequent NH summers...?
I'm going to make another for my daughter in the same size, in different fabric, sans the bottom frill.

1 comment:

J said...

Oh that is cute as! I would so wear the ruffle dress even in that exact fabric! Well done Meririsa.