So, I made the kids' Easter outfits this year- or, at least, the fancy bits. Ever since we discovered little Bean is a girl, I've been doing a lot of sewing for her. The kids have had so much fun helping me dig through my stash of scrap fabrics and piles of fat quarters I've collected over the years to assemble skirts, dresses, and rompers for their new baby sister. Neither has expressed any jealousy- maybe they're both too cool to want handmade clothes from Mom (unless it's a Halloween costume!)- but even still, I wanted to make something from scratch for Miss Chief, who really enjoys watching me sew. She has loved spending spare moments over the past few months scrolling my Pinterest with me, looking at patterns and tutorials for babies and big kids alike. I found a simple tutorial to make a little pinafore and showed it to her, asking if she would wear it if I made it for her. She said yes, assuming that I meant at some point in the future, not any time soon. Although I do have quite a stash of barely cut or unused fabrics, I wanted this to feel special for her, so I found this adorable floral print at Joann. When the fabric arrived in the mail, I asked if she would like me to use it to make that pinafore, and she was so excited! I had every intention of this being just a play dress, something she could wear on weekends, climbing trees and doing monkey bars, but then, when I was about halfway through construction, she told her grandparents that I was making her Easter dress!
Record scratch.
Okay then, not a play dress, an Easter dress. That meant it needed a little more care, and I couldn't skimp on the stuff I tend to skip when I'm making costumes and the like- pressing seams, top stitching...you know, stuff that real seamstresses do. Okay, no pressure, right? (Wrong. Lots of pressure.)
Honestly, I think it looks pretty great! The tutorial I used is this one from Back to the Land Living, with just a few adjustments. Although I did line the top, because this quilting-weight cotton wasn't sheer and has a bit of body, I didn't bother with lining the skirt. Also, I'm sort of terrified of button holes, so I used snaps for the closure on the straps instead of buttons. (I bought a TON of snap tape when I started obsessively making baby clothes around Christmas time, and it's just so much easier to attach than buttons or zippers or individual snaps. I'm a wimp!) Fair warning- when the tutorial reaches the part where you start working on the waistband, I got a little lost. I had to watch her video several times to figure out exactly how that construction was supposed to work, but eventually I figured it out. I still consider myself mostly a beginner sewist (hence the fear of button holes) so maybe you won't have this issue if you give it a shot.
With a few weeks to go before Easter, I planned to just buy the boys matching ties and call it a day, but Miss Chief remembered seeing a bow tie tutorial on one of our trips through Pinterest. So, obviously, Peanut wanted a bow tie to match! I used this tutorial from Vanilla Joy to make the bow, then I measured a length of white single fold bias tape and slid the bow on. I attached more of that magical snap tape to make the whole thing adjustable, and voila- adorable, matching bow tie for brother!
Although long time readers will recall I'm no stranger to making bow ties for grown ups, too, I ran out of time (or maybe energy) to do one for Mr. Geek, so we just pulled a purple-patterned tie out of his closet, and I used the occasion to pick up a new dress (which I can wear after Bean gets here, too).
I can't wait until Bean gets here and is able to model the outfits I've made for her so far- and yes, I have about a billion pins worth of inspiration for the future! Also, since these simple Easter outfits were such a hit with the big kids, I've been informed that I'll be making Christmas outfits for all three of them! (If so, I'll probably have to get started in...August, or so. Yikes.)
Made anything for your crew lately?
Much love,
The Geeks
