During Kids Clothes Week I sewed up this "Fourth of July and beyond" blouse using patriotic red and white stripes in a pattern from a Japanese sewing book. Of course. ...*shrug*
I've never been a fan of one-wear holiday outfits, even before I started sewing almost all of The Peanut's wardrobe, I'd admire the cute Halloween/Christmas/Easter novelty tees and dresses in the stores and then pass because I couldn't justify the money on clothing that would be worn three times at most. I still approach holiday-wear with the same attitude -- it must be perfect for the holiday and beyond. We took these pics on the Fourth and she looked perfectly holiday. At the time I was worried the ensemble was too Rah-Rah-America because she fit in so well with everyone else. But as I edit these photos a week removed from the parades and fireworks, she looks effortlessly classic in navy and stripes. Huzzah! That's what I was going for!
It all began with this seemingly perfect Swiss-dot red & white plus mini-silver stripe fabric found for $2 per yard (yes, TWO!) at Walmart. It's one of those fabrics I didn't know I was looking for until I found it. I had planned on using the denim blouse and Lottie skirt I had already sewn up for our celebrating. But this jumped off the shelf into my cart before I remembered we already had July-wear.
I still only buy fabric for specific projects. I needed a project! As I was petting the fabric in the store I decided I would use a Happy Homemade, Volume 2: Sew Chic Kids [affiliate link] pattern that I had already sewn as PJs and, therefore, traced; the pattern pieces were waiting and ready to go. I added an inch to the length because The Peanut continues to grow up without growing out at all. (At some point that will change, right? I mean at some point her bones have to get wider, I assume.)
I knew the gathered stripes would never align with the un-gathered yoke, and that would drive. me. crazy. So I changed the front yoke into two pieces and cut both the front and the back on the bias; angled stripes don't need to line up with vertical ones ...just with each other. Then I referenced this tutorial from Burda Style for the curved v-neck point. I just fudged the binding when I made the PJ top from this pattern and was hoping for a cleaner look this time. Not so easy on such narrow bias-tape, but it worked! Of course, after I was done, I noticed Jamie (Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom) had helpfully pointed out on Instagram that I could have bound the front yoke pieces separately, then joined the middle seam. Next time.
Pattern
Happy Homemade, Volume 2: Sew Chic Kids [affiliate link], V-Neck Dress (J) modified
Fabric
Walmart on a bolt labelled "Remnant of undetermined content, $2.00"
Notes
Take away tip: cut stripes on the bias to avoid lining them up!
Love
The sweet silhouette of the blouse and the play of stripes. But above all, Kids Clothes Week and this blouse kicked my sewing back into gear, and it feels good!
Ren Murphy writes for The Inspired Wren.
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