I am so excited to be back on a blog tour, it feels like it has been a really long time since I participated in one! I like blog tours because they keep me on my toes and trying new things. If you follow the blog, you might have seen mention of our recent cross country move from New Hampshire to the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. One of the things we did not expect was to already experience high temperatures in the 90s by the first week in June. So for this post specifically I wanted to work on a few summer staples for my Sweet Pea. She has grown almost 3 inches in the last 2 years, so at this point many of the garments I have made her are starting to get small. Plus we have the added need for creating 2 completely different wardrobes, one specifically designed with summer weight fabrics and one for fall/winter. I New England, I would usually purchase a couple of rtw t-shirts that we would tie dye and kids live in those over sized shirts for the summer with underpants because our high summer heat only lasted about 2 weeks. Here the heat has started before our school year has ended!
For this tour I am using Winter Wear Designs patterns. I will be participating twice this week as I have a very specific vision for a final creation for some really fun striped fabric for Sweet Pea. To make this vision a reality, I wanted to first sew the Petit Pan which is a free pattern. For this top I went with bamboo lycra which has incredible stretch and breathability, just perfect for high temperature days!
Petit Pan Information:
- A-line hemline
- 2 different collars, that can be made with woven materials (or you can choose collarless)
- Elastic back
- Sizing runs 2-7
For the second pattern, I used the Racing Shorts. Since the final look I am hoping to achieve is a vintage style “roller” romper, I will be trying to create a knit version of these shorts. I could have used the Endless summer shorts which is already designed for knit fabrics however, Sweet Pea really liked the piping detail of the racing shorts.
Racing Shorts for Girls:
- Designed for woven fabrics
- Elastic waistband
- Loose athletic fit
- Bias binding
- Sixing 18mos-14
For the racing shorts, Sweet Pea actually fits in between a size 6 and 7. Because of this, normally I would make her the 7 to give her plenty of play and growing room and because there is elastic in the waistband. Since I decided to make these in knit, I did go ahead and size down to the size 5. I feel like we could have sized the width smaller (and probably will for the romper since her preference is slightly more slim fit.) But I feel like the shorts came out just adorable and with the right kind of movement that knit fabric gives her.
An additional change was opting for a double elastic waistband because Sweet Pea has some sensory issues with single 1/2 inch elastics. If you would like to hack your waistband to be like ours, here are the steps to take.
- For the size 5, cut the waistband at 34 x 4.25 inches
- Sew the short sides of the waistband right sides together
- Open the waistband and fold in half lengthwise
- Cut 2 pieces of 1/2 inch elastic
- Sew 3/4 inch down from the fold of the waistband, leaving a hole open for threading the elastic through, creating a casing
- Perform the same step again, using your previous stitching line as a guide, sewing 3/4inch down, creating a second casing
- Thread your elastic in the top casing, sew your elastic ends together, then close your casing hole
- Perform the same step on casing number 2 and now you have your new waistband to attach, continue in the same method as the instructions
I love the whole look of this outfit and know that Sweet Pea will LOVE being able to run and play not just freely but also while staying cool!
Check back with me on Friday to see of my vision matches reality!
Make sure to stick with us all week long for sewing inspiration, pattern hacks, and tutorials about how to get the most out of your summer sewing!!!
Monday:
Suzanne of Winter Wear Designs
Tuesday:
Hwee Ke Lim of KeKe Sews
Suzanne of Winter Wear Designs
Wednesday:
Laurie of The Bear And The Pea Atelier
Thursday:
Kristen Guest Posting at WWD
Rachel of Violets & Jewles
Friday:
Laurie of The Bear and the Pea Atelier
Donnisha guest posting at WWD
Make it Sew with The Bear and Pea Atelier 