The Popover Falldress (Sundress Remix)

I love Project Run & Play and am very excited for the current season!  This is the first time I'm sewing along instead of watching.  The first challenge of this season was to remix the Oliver + S Popover Sundress.  With summer ending and fall creeping in, I came up with a remix perfect for the cooler temps.

So, what did I change?

• Used knit fabric
• Moved up the neckline to make it bateau style
• Added sleeves
• Shirred the waist for shape
• Paired with leggings

Not too many changes.  I thought the most recognizable part of the original design was the bias tape shoulder ties.  So I kept that part in, just added it across the neckline instead of the armholes.  

The sleeves I drafted by modifying the Sally dress sleeve pattern to fit the Popover sundress pattern, and giving them more of a curved bell shape at the opening.  I really wanted to add keyholes at the shoulders, but decided that may not be appropriate for a preschooler (she'd get bored and rip the holes bigger for sure).

All of the knit fabric is from Girl Charlee.   The flower fabric is super soft!  The mint chevron fabric turned into an awesome arrow design when used to make the leggings!  

This was a tough photo shoot.  She wanted to take pictures inside and I prefer outside.  Then once outside, I couldn't get her to stand still.  Most of the pictures were similar to this:

Maybe I mentioned this was for Project RUN & Play and she got confused?  har har :\  No, this is just typical.  Maybe she'll be more excited to model the upcoming candy theme, considering the props that may be involved!

Skipper Top => Skipper Dress

As you may have seen from this post, I made a lot of Skipper Tops a few weeks ago.  When I was testing the pattern for the top, all I could think about was how easily it could be made into a dress.  

I kept visualizing the banded version of the Skipper Top turned into a drop waisted dress with a drawstring waist.  Since the girls didn't need all the 10 tops I had made during testing, I decided to turn a couple into dresses by adding a little more knit after the bottom band.  

These dresses with the short sleeves are perfect for the upcoming fall weather.  I love knit dresses since the girls are comfortable in them and I don't have to think too hard when picking out their clothes (don't have to dig out a matching top and bottom from their eclectic collection of clothing).  

The result was not quite what I had visualized, but still pretty cute!  The ruffle knit I used adds a little bit of fun to the look.  I love the flow of it when they are running around.

Anyone else out there mixing up some patterns or altering existing clothes right now?  I'm in the middle of figuring out how to remix the Pop-Over Sundress for the upcoming Project Run & Play sew-along.  Changing up patterns is one of my favorite things about sewing!

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The Sally Dress

Finally the Sally Dress pattern has been released!  I've been eager to show all the beautiful dresses I made during testing of the pattern.  The many, many dresses!  This pattern has three different sleeve options and I couldn't help myself.  I had to sew up each option.  And I had some matching bird fabric, so the girls had to get matching dresses.

Only two pieces of the pattern are required to be printed (bodice and sleeve), which is so refreshing.  The instructions and diagrams are easily understood and result in a professional dress with a fully lined bodice (and without exposed seams).

Let's start with the sleeveless option?  This option is maybe the quickest to put together since hand sewing is not required to affix the lining (though the hand stitching is totally worth the effort with the sleeve options).

Their favorite part of the dress is obviously the generous pockets!

Now onto the short sleeve version:

I love this version, which was an accident.  You can see that the skirt is half of the width that the pattern calls for.  I had less fabric than I thought and it was already cut out, so I went with it.  I think it looks very retro (love the knobby knees).  I trimmed the pockets with some adorable stork ribbon.

My favorite part of the pattern is the pull on/pull off square neckline.  It is so unique!

This one I added lace to the sleeves and bodice line - such a sweet look.

And finally the 3/4 length sleeve - LOVE it!

I made a matching yo-yo hair clip for this one, which I need to do more often.  So cute!

I am so thankful I was able to test this pattern!  The girls now have 6 beautiful dresses in their closet - a couple for the end of the summer and the rest for fall.  They've already received several compliments on the dresses!

You can get the pattern now here or here.  Check it out!

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Coffee Date Dress

When the ladies over at Project Sewn announced a sew along to get ready for the upcoming fall season, I was intrigued.  Then I saw what dress they had chosen for everyone to sew up and knew I HAD to join in.  The Coffee Date Dress is not only a free pattern but exactly the type of clothing I love to wear! Almost all the tops I wear to work have some type of ruffle going on in the front.  I'd been thinking about replicating the ruffle look, but thought it might be too complicated.  I was so wrong - this was a relatively quick sew!

I saw a lot of versions over at Burda Style without the ruffle, but that was my favorite part so I left the design of the dress as is.  I've had this Bella Jansdotter fabric sitting around begging to be made into a dress for months.  It never felt like the right time to cut into it until now - and dang, do I love it!

I took my time sewing this dress, which resulted in my first actually invisible zipper.  I had no idea I wasn't doing it right before.  I kind of knew, but didn't want to admit it I guess.  

I had some issues with this pattern but I'm not sure where I went wrong.  I cut out the largest size of the pattern and thought it fit great when I made the bodice.  When I attached the skirt I found out I had to take an inch off of each side!  I'm getting really efficient with the seam ripper.  At least I had plenty of fabric to go back and add french seams to the dress.  

Yay for a new dress to wear to work and learning how to add a cascading ruffle to a garment!  I can't wait until the next season of Project Sewn and to see what everyone whips up.

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Tinny Fall Jacket

Once again I decided to sew along with the fun FLIP this pattern series where the Tinny Dress by Straight Grain is the pattern being flipped for August.  For this flip I wanted to challenge myself to do something I hadn't tried before - a jacket.  The Tinny pattern with it's pretty collar and sleeve cuff choices seemed like a perfect starting point to make a peacoat like jacket for fall, which the girls kind of needed anyway.

I love the asymmetrical collar version of the dress so I knew that I would use that to help me with the design of the flip.  However I redrew the collar pattern pieces so that they were a little more exaggerated in the front.

I thought it would compliment the collar if I used an angled button front.  This was my first time making buttonholes with my machine.  I was really intimidated and have avoided most patterns with buttons since my old sewing machine refused to make them.  Turns out it is super easy with my newer machine!  Now I can't wait to make more buttonholes.

I used the notched sleeve cuff pattern pieces from the Tinny pattern since I thought they matched the collar so nicely.  I didn't use the skirt pattern pieces of the Tinny to finish the bottom of the jacket, yet it's similar to the pleated skirt option.  I just made the bottom the length and width I wanted and added two pleats to the front and one to the back.

she randomly thought it was a good idea to eat leaves :(

The long sleeves are a change from the pattern and are drafted from a long sleeve shirt that fits her.  I made them a little bigger at the armholes and gathered them to give a little puff/cap sleeve look.  The sleeve widths are a bit roomy because I wanted to accommodate layers underneath while still allowing her plenty of movement in the arms (I usually find that my fitted coats are miserable to move in!).

wearing one of her Skipper Tops

I made the light fall jacket out of twill that is lined with beautiful floral linen I found at JoAnn's.  I went the extra mile and hand stitched the lining around the armholes and at the skirt.  So. much. work.  since I do not enjoy hand stitching!

So there's my FLIP!  Check out the other awesome flips (including other jackets) here.

Also linking up at:
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The Skipper Top

Hey there!  I haven't been able to post much lately because I've been super busy testing some patterns lately instead of finishing some of my own projects.  Since I usually make two items of everything I sew for the girls (so there's no fighting over clothing), I quite often feel like I'm running a one woman sweat shop in the basement.  The past couple of weeks have made me feel like that, times twenty, because I've been cranking out so many clothing items during such a small period of time!  But really, it's all my fault.  These new patterns are so awesome I can't help myself.  Especially The Skipper Top by Sew Much Ado!  I'm so thankful I was chosen to test this pattern.  During testing I wound up making 11 tops! 

One big reason I made so many is that the girls are slightly different in size, even though they are the same exact age.  So I couldn't decide on whether to make 2Ts or 3Ts.  Of course I made both!  Here are some cut up and ready for the assembly line...

Second, there are so many options for making the skipper top - you can topstitch or add banding to the arms, waist, and neck, or even do a combination of topstitching and banding (which I plan to do next time).   You can then embelish the top with lace or add a pocket.  There are two adorable pockets to pick from - a pentagonal and heart.  I LOVE the pockets! 

Foraging through my scraps to find interesting fabric combinations has been a lot of fun! I had no idea I'd actually find a use for some of the cuts that I had saved.  Most of the quilting fabric is from JoAnn's or Fabricworm.  The solid color knits and grey/orange stripe are from JoAnn's, and all the fun prints/stripes are from Girl Charlee.  Anyway, ready to see the tops?!?

Banded with Heart Pocket

 Topstitched with Pentagonal Pocket

My favorite fabric combo EVER - so pretty, I just stare at it sometimes...

 Both Options 

at Dutch Wonderland

And my interpretation of rocker Skipper Tops using black/white/pink...

So many tops - did you count 11?  Not yet...I made one more for a birthday present that went to a little boy the girls adore.  I used the Skipper Top pattern and Girl Like the Sea's cape shirt tutorial to make a super hero top for him.  I'll probably be doing this again, since the girls wanted to keep it when I had them try it on.  I think the Skipper Top works great for boys as long as some boyish fabric is chosen.  The mask was made using the awesome tutorial and template from Handmade Frenzy. 

So there they all are.  I hope I inspired some peeps to try out this awesome pattern!  The pattern instructions take you step-by-step through each part of assembly with color photos that are super helpful.   It was obviously a quick sew, or I wouldn't have made so many.  Plus there is SO much information in the pattern instructions on how to sew with knits, so don't be intimidated if you don't sew with them often.  Happy sewing!

 

 

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