queen of carebears! elastic smocked top for my little chica NOW WITH TUTORIAL!

[Ta2oodmama]

My daughter Kira loves Carebears. no, really, I mean she LOOOOOVES carebears. can't get enough of them. she has 2 identical carebears that she must have with her at all times (that I never get a chance to wash, because she might just die if I took them from her.)

so, seeing as how she loves carebears so much, I made her a shirt with them ALL over it. of course, she loves it.

Queen of Carebears. and also the TV remote at the moment.   

enjoy!



Tutorial

okay, first tutorial, and I don't have a camera, so it's in LOVELY microsoft Paint! wooohooo! yes, I know, shock and awe. shock, and awe. Onto the details!

first of all, take a measurement of your little one (or yourself!) underneath the armpits. I really just wrapped a piece of fabric around my girl, and added about 2 inches for seam allowances and 'shirring shrinkage' I cut out a single layer of fabric, then cut it in half, so now I have the front and back (the shirt was 18 inches around, by 11 inches long) so I had two halves of fabric 9 inches in width.

then, wind your bobbin BY HAND with elastic thread. (you can find elastic thread at walmart....it's labled Elastic Thread ) use regular thread in your needle. 

okay, got your fabric?(front and back?) GOOD! you're ready to start shirring! yay!

I started with the front, so set the back piece aside.







now do the same thing to the back half of your fabric.

when you have both halves shirred, put them right sides together, and sew up the sides!

turn right side out, and marvel at your beautiful creation. pat yourself on the back, and watch your little girl prance about in her new shirt!

[_crimson_ghost_]

aww the dress is super cute! and your daughter.

[carter3682]

so I'm new to this sewing stuff and was wondering how you do the smocking...i would like to try it, but have no idea how it is done.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Your daughter is adorable, and so is the shirt. 

[vegbee]

So cute!  I love that you encourage the toddler obsessions (I sorta identify with that  ).

I think some one needs to make a definitive smocking/shirring tutorial for the kid's board.  Not me, you know, but someone.

[Ta2oodmama]

So cute!  I love that you encourage the toddler obsessions (I sorta identify with that  ).

I think some one needs to make a definitive smocking/shirring tutorial for the kid's board.  Not me, you know, but someone.

haha, thank you Vegbee! and I may just have to make a tutorial for you.

so I'm new to this sewing stuff and was wondering how you do the smocking...i would like to try it, but have no idea how it is done.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Your daughter is adorable, and so is the shirt.

Thank you! and I'll do a step by step complete with pictures. It's super easy, but the tutorial will take me a day or two. But I'm more than happy to help!

[that13 gurl13]

sooo cute! i want one!

[rozekitten]

I love that top.  I really need to make some of these for the summertime.  I think that I am behind on summer clothes.  Time to get busy.  I'm glad she like her top and you did a really nice job on it.

P.S.  Wish I had a camera to help with the tutorial, but unfortunately I don't right now.   

[ScrapBinBaby]

sooo cute! I need to make one with Mater on it for my dd. If I can ever figure out how.

[bananabanana]

Ok, so I've been to Spotlight and got the shirring elastic and the fabric (1.5m I hope is enough...)
And I've measured the kid so I know how wide to make it.
But do I leave 2 inches on each side for seam allowance and shirring shrinkage (4 inches) or just 2 inches in total?

Help appreciated.

[that13 gurl13]

thank you very much for the tutoiral