A couple of warm days has reminded me that summer is coming. A few hours of free sewing stolen while the children ranted and raged around me at my inattention and I managed to scrap together a couple of things.
The first was a fly by the seat of my pants design. And it sucked.
The arms are too big, the shoulders too wide, and what the hell is up with the wings?! So, scrap that (though, for the record, the little mugwart loved it and wanted to wear it to school.)
But, because I adore fabric and hoard every inch of it, I salvaged what I could into a little skirt.
I added a waistband with just the back half elasticized (my first) and a little ruffle on the bottom, which isn't so ruffly since I seem to have a problem with actually making sure there is enough fabric for the gather. But it's cute and I like it. Better yet, the girl likes it too and can still climb trees in it.
I also put together a simple tank top for Smootch, with some pink knit that was passed on from one sewer to another and probably 20 years old.
Still pink, though, so it still works for my kid. I lined the arms, neck and waist with some brown and pink polka doted knit.
Using the same tank top pattern (which was quickly improvised in the first place since I didn't feel like finding a proper pattern somewhere in the sewing grotto) I made up one for my boy, who is now a toddler as of tonight when he toddled around the house shrieking like a girl (which is how he calls his sister, since she is always screaming as he pulls her hair... sorry, ot)
The front of the tank is from larger child's tee, with some of the image from the front of the shirt appliqued on the side there. The back and edging is just some striped knit I happen to have forty miles of.
To adjust the pattern to fit the boy I just raised the front neckline and shortened the length.
I'm not sure it was a total success - the edging is a bit bulky and next time I'd better just go find some proper ribbing - but I'm quite sure that this pattern would make an excellent sweater vest come the fall.
I am going to have to make a few more tanks for the kids, considering all of their new clothes are already in the hamper with what might possibly be permanent popsicle stains. The kids: hard on clothes.
As always, questions and comments welcome (though, don't be too harsh with me on the first one... I can only say
it's all the children's fault for my terrible lapse in judgement and skills so blame them
)
