Gingham Charlie Dress

I am slowly but surely overcoming my fear and loathing of bias binding...

Green Spotty Butterfly Top

For the photos today there was no hope of her standing still at all.  You have been warned...

This is one of the latest new patterns from Oliver and S, the butterfly top.  I haven't got around to the skirt yet and maybe I will one day, but I seem to make more pants to go with tops instead of skirts at the moment.

We finally got to go outside, after having a run of bad weather on our days together at  home.  She was so excited to looking around and playing, understandably so!

I'm not normally one for ruffles or flutter sleeves and had fully intended to make this with the cap sleeve, but changed my mind at the last minute.  I remember holding up the finished top and even James said that's not like what you usually make.  I'm glad I did branch out a bit though.  The flutter sleeves aren't too big or over the top, as you'd expect from Oliver and S and it actually looks very sweet.  I've just cut out another dress and chose the flutter sleeve option there too.  

The pattern calls for a thread chain for the closure and I took the lazy way out here.  The last thread chain I've made wasn't really up to scratch so it is something I should practise but never mind.  I had intended to add a button loop when sewing the placket but totally forgot.  Instead I've added a hook and eye, like from the Jane top I made not so long ago.

The fabric is some lovely green spots from Michael Miller.  It looks great with the denim parsley pants.  I also bought some pink on the same day and they looked lovely together, but that combo will have to wait for another day.  Pink and flutter sleeves!  I'm becoming all girly all of a sudden!

This is actually the second version of this I've made but I stuffed the first version up with the neck binding and haven't got around to trying to resurrect it yet.  It was all my fault, through not reading the instructions properly.  I treated the neck binding like you normally would by sewing down one raw edge and trying to fold the edges over when I was supposed to sew all the raw edges together at once.  Knew better for this one!

Not much more to report really, just to say I actually have liked this top more and more after seeing her wearing it.  I know I say this all the time but I will definitely be making more of this one, even with more flutter sleeves!

It's amazing how just putting her hair up in ponytails all of a sudden made her look so grown up!  They looked nice, for the hour and a half they lasted for.

Embroidered Playtime Tunic

The Oliver and S Playtime Tunic would have to be one of my most worn patterns.  For this one I tried adding some embroidery but I'm not 100% sure it was worth it.