Kids Clothes Challenge - Days 1 and 2

I mentioned yesterday that this was more challenge and less clothes.  Well, I have myself to blame for that.

First, I should mention that I am not spending much more than an hour working on these clothes each day.  That includes pressing and cutting fabric as well as the sewing.  I have another project in the works and it is taking up a good amount of my free time.  Second, it is difficult for me to sew for my kids and then have to wait until they wake up or get home from school to try things on.  I want to finish these things on my schedule and having to adapt to theirs is a bit frustrating.  It may sound silly, but it's true.  Finally, for this little number, I didn't use a pattern.  I made it up.  Like I said, I am at fault.

Jane chose the fabric from my stash.  It's a Lecien print that I've had for a few years and I didn't think I would have enough to make this, but I barely did.  The red straps and red bit at the bottom were design choices by Jane.  She definitely has an opinion and really thinks she can design (thank you, Project Runway).  Anyhow, the band at the top is faced and is a weird shape.  This band is the third version I drafted and it still has problems.  Jane's ok with it and therefore so am I.  I will fix it for Kate's top, though.

I do like how the back turned out.  The top has a small casing with elastic so it gathers naturally and helps keep the top in place without being fitted.  I think it could be equally as good with a few close rows of shirring.  I may try that on Kate's.

We needed to add something to the bottom of the shirt to get a little more length because we didn't have enough bird fabric.  I suggested sewing a band of red at the bottom, but Jane came up with the idea of layering the two fabrics.  I think it's a charming hem and a great example of how details can really make a garment sing.  I'm glad the idea was Jane's.  I bet she'll actually wear the shirt seeing as how she helped design it.

Up next, some super simple skirts.  And have you been to the flickr group?  AMAZING.  I'm blown over every time I visit.