Ready to Learn with a Collar and Straight Shirt!

So we all know and love the original Precious Dress Pattern with it's nice full skirt!

BUT.... I wanted a nice classic top with the collar and puff sleeves like the Precious has, only straight. and perfect to put under dresses - or for school uniforms if we had that. 

AND so this leads into the latest tutorial. A nice crisp clean straight shirt with classic details!

This is sooooo easy to do as well! Everything just gets extended!! So measure you child from shoulder to where you want the hem to be! (and don't be like me and forget that belly... I had to add length to mine after the fact - hence the piping "detail")

You can do the button back as per the pattern - just extended OR you can follow these pics and add a zipper back and skip the buttons!

Mark the zipper above the metal stop (that is NOT fun to try and sew through!) The lining was cut at the natural waistline cutting line if you want an idea of zipper length.

Sew up from the bottom to just above the line.

Put a little gluestick on that zipper and pin in place. Sew the top last so don;t worry about those top ends right now.

all pinned in place and perfectly hidden

Start at the bottom and sew about 2 inches from the top on both sides and then sew across the bottom. Then you will tuck the top ends under and unzip and sew the top of the zipper.

and VOILA perfect zipper! 

and a perfectly cute and perfect back to school look!

Fabric is Sisboom Caravelle Arcade !

Mouse Birthday Precious Top for a Precious Birthday Girl

Our darling little Cheeks is 2 !!!!

This little cutie just LOOOOOVES Minnie and Mickey Mouse! as in she is completely obsessed! 

So when I heard the Project Run and Play's themes and the 1st one was 80's cartoon I knew exactly the outfit I would blog! I don't know about you, but I watched a lot of Mickey and Minnie in the 80's!

I used the Scientific Seamstress Precious dress. I wanted a classic Minnie looking dress, but also wanted to make it a bit modern for everyday wear and not a costume. I am a practical seamstress. I like everyday wear outfits.

I  just adore the finishing details on this dress, the hidden button placket is such a nice touch. Especially since I used snaps... Cheeks doesn't hold still very well during getting dressed so I like fast closure options.

I did a double skirt layere to get the classic red polka dot on there and to tie in the sleeve bands. The black collar I think brings the shirt into a modern feel versus the traditional white collar.

The pants are the Sisboom Katies, but they are for another blog post :)

Happy Birthday Cheeks! 

So Precious!

This week I don't have a tutorial for you, but I wanted to show you Cheeks Easter dress! (You already saw what Berry will be wearing last week.) 

For cheeks I used the precious dress pattern. I love how many options this dress has and I love the hidden buttons in the back, which, of course, Cheeks did not allow me to photograph. 

Isn't this dress really just the most precious thing you've seen Cheeks in? I think she is trying to convince me to buy her a pony in this picture!

Funny story: I was going to add the puff sleeves, I even had them cut out.... but then late one night I decided I was going to just start sewing this dress up - and then I just kept going... Before I knew it was past midnight and I had a perfectly finished SLEEVELESS bodice! OOPS! But I loved the look and I don't love my seam ripper so this is my happy mistake!

I'd love to hear a happy mistake story from you in the comments!

When my Berry saw Cheeks having her picture taken she just HAD to have her picture taken again in her Easter skirt, the perfectly preppy, Enjoy her mustache pic!