PRP Week 3: Glitter! What? Project Run & Play is over, you say? Yeah. Well maybe next week I'll even start prepping for Kids Clothes Week, February 2016.
Glitter is not exactly our style around these parts. I
bounced around a few ideas before realizing my favorite glittery fabrics were
among the sport performance knits. After that it was easy to decide on
swimwear.
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| The overall "glitter" is subtle: silver thread woven into the white; silver on the bathing suit; sequins at the hemline. |
I have a little experience sewing swimsuits for The Peanut;
once before I owned a serger and again with a serger. What I like about sewing
swimwear is customizing the fit -- one
size wide and two sizes taller -- so that she's not swimming* in fabric while
swimming. (*See what I did there?)
I didn't want to over-do the sparkle and couldn't match the
plum/burgundy of Weeks 1 & 2. I landed on a preppy, poolside look in navy
& white splashed* with silver, anchored* with clean lines and attention to
details, natch. (*You see it, right? I'll stop now.)
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| It may not be obvious here, but that belt only has one seam at the front (under the bow); from the sides it reads as a true belt. |
The suit began as My Childhood Treasures Leotard/Swimsuit 2, size 3 wide by 4 long. I removed the skirt, and
color-blocked it to include a center stripe and a drop-waist "belt."
So that the color-block seaming didn't irritated my little mermaid in or out of
the water, I inserted a solid, full lining on both the front and back. The
white bow reflects the white cover-up and pairs with the navy bow on the hat.
The hat is a straight Bucket Hat (free tutorial) from Oliver+ S, sewn without alteration. It's lined with a navy & white floral
quilting cotton, and topped with a navy bow calling back to the belt's bow on
the suit.
The cover up began as an Oliver + S Roller Skate Dress, with
a few alterations. I cut the back as one solid piece (removing the seam
allowance), and cut the front as three pieces: two for the bodice above the
elastic casing, plus one for the skirt including the elastic casing). The
sequined fabric trim on the bottoms edge reminds me of bubbles! It is a sheer
topped with navy bias tape encasing the raw edge. The bottom hem on the main
fabric was created by sewing the silver splashed main fabric and the sequined
fabric together with a quarter-inch seam allowance using the burrito method.
[Aside: is there a more technical name for that? Anyone know?] After I was sure
the trim would work, then I pieced the dress together. I created the front
neckline and dress panel using the directions intended for the back,
substituting the ties for the button loop, followed by attaching the front
skirt. I used a French seam finish down the side seams and added contrast top-stitching
in navy around the neckline and armholes -- another clean-line touch that adds
to the over-all preppy.
Now my little Pisces is ready to hit the waves! Or pool
deck! Or backyard sprinkler! Honestly, as I sewed this it was in the low 20s
and snow still covered the ground. I'm more than ready to see the glitter off any warm
water surface instead of snow. Remind me of that when I'm melting in August.
Ren Murphy writes for The Inspired Wren.
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