Thursday, February 9, 2012

More pictures of the girl. (Wait. Don't I have TWO kids?)


I'm fully aware that I already made my daughter a Valentine shirt.  And it's pretty cute - we like it.  But then I was in my craft dungeon area and saw this fabric I'd gotten on super cheap sale from Walmart when our Walmart was closing their craft and fabric section (yes, I AM serious.  They did that.)  And it was yellow.  And polka dotty.  And it had HEARTS on it!  And I couldn't resist.  I had to make her a "Cheery Valentine Dress."

Ok, fine.  It's not REALLY a dress.  Sorry if you feel duped.  It's really a skirt and shirt combo.  But "My Cheery Valentine Skirt and Shirt Combo" didn't fit on the above photo and it wasn't as catchy.  So I called it a dress.  So sue me.


I don't have a tutorial for you, but it's extremely easy to create this look.  I made her shirt out of an old shirt of mine.  Basically, you just cut it down to size using a different shirt as a pattern and matching the hem and the sleeve hems to save yourself some work.  It's this idea, but with a shirt, not a sweater.  


After I sewed the shirt all up, I decided it needed something else.  I cut a deep v in the neckline and made it fairly wide at the top so it would have kind of a boatneck look.  Then, I cut a triangle of the original big red shirt that was slightly larger than the v neck line.  I cut strips from my two different skirt fabric prints - 6 strips at about four inches wide and double the length of the v neck at its widest.  I ruffled the strips by folding them in half (right side out) and sewing a basting stitch.  Then I just gathered, pinned the ruffle to the triangle piece and sewed them on in lines - slightly overlapping each other and starting at the top.  Then just trim off the excess length of ruffles.  After the triangle piece had ruffles all over it, I just pinned it to the inside of the v neck and sewed it down.  I decided to use yellow thread to tie into the yellow skirt, so I actually sewed ALL the way around the neckline - across the back too - so that the contrasting yellow stitching was visible all around the shirt.  I also sewed a line of yellow stitching around the bottom hem of the shirt.  I left the neckline rough and unhemmed because I liked the look of it rolling over a bit.


The skirt is very simple and essentially a combination of this post (from Simple Simon - (which talks about how they get their skirts so nice and full) and this idea (from Hickety Pickety Handmade - which talks about how to make a skirt without having to hem it.  I hate hemming).  


I just cut a rectangle out of the first pattern that measured the length I wanted the skirt to be minus about 5 inches and 3 times the width of mini's waist.  Then I cut a strip of the other print that was about ten inches in length and also 3 times the width of mini's waist.  I ironed the striped piece in half the long way with the right sides out.  I sewed the striped folded/ironed strip to the bottom of the other rectangle - right sides together - then ironed the seam flat.  Bam.  No hem.  Then I sewed the short sides of the rectangle together - right sides together - to make a tube.  I sewed a casing in the top and ran my elastic through.  Bam.  Skirt.


It's a little longer than I meant for it to be, but that just means she gets to wear it next year too!  I paired it with her red tutu for these pics, but I've got a little crinoline coming and I'll use that instead (just like Simple Simon!)


And now, the question that's been burning on everyone's mind: is mini crying through this photo shoot, or not?  


Drumroll...
Most definitely.

 I swear I don't torture my kids.

 Unless you consider sitting through that hair style torture...




(Go link up to the pinteresting party)


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7 comments:

Caroline @ Artfully Caroline said...

Adorable!!
And where did you find those red bootie?!? they are to die for !!

Anna said...

Very cute! Funny my most recent post included clearance fabric from Walmart too :).

Hani said...

Your daughter is adorable.. I love her dress. I know how hard it is to take one perfect picture of these lil ones.. LOVE the hair style.. how did you make that style?
Thanks for linking up!

Carla at Preschool Powol Packets said...

This is adorable! I totally want to attempt it! Thanks so much for the instructions and links!

Unknown said...

Too cute! I love it! Would love it if you came by and linked up to my Manic Monday Linky Party!
-Melissa
http://serendipityandspice.blogspot.com

Absolutely Kathy said...

Love it. The shirt is so cute. i love the whole outfit. And i am amazed you got your kid to sit though that hair style. There is no way my 3 year old would let me try that. But love the hairstyle as well. Great Job!

Simple Simon and Company said...

DArling shirt...I love the ruffle additions!

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