I'm trying to make a bolero to go with the dress I just made my 3 year old for Easter. I've got several adult sweaters I can pick from to refashion. I wanted to do a really simple one where you basically cut off the bottom of the sweater and reshape the front hem, but she's little and the sweaters are big. Could I just resize it somehow? I have no idea how to do that without it ending up looking funny.

Another question: Every time I try to make a top out of anything less than super stretchy for her, the sleeves ALWAYS end up tight around the armpit and the top is almost always too narrow across the shoulders for her, no matter how generous I am with my pattern drafting and ease and whatnot. I usually figure I'm making it at least 3 sizes too big, and then it ends up being to small. Any tips with making set-in sleeves work?

Been a long-time lurker here, finally posting... forgive me if this is the wrong place to post, it seemed like the best fit.

ANYWAY, I've collected 4 not-particularly-nicely-styled 100% silk blouses from the thrift store. They're all sort of cream colored, but I've already got vague plans to dye them (with kool aid! yay!). Anyway, they're all too small for me, so no refashioning them for myself, but I have no idea what else to do with silk! So, what are some small(ish) projects one can do with silk? One of them is a lovely light drapey fabric I was thinking of using for some kind of floppy hair bow or something along those lines.

Also, I've never sewn silk before. Is there anything I should know about it before I start? Weird behaviors, etc?