lemon lady skater dress

I've seen lemon print everywhere this year, and I just love it! Mom gave me a lightweight lemon-print scarf for my birthday, which whetted my appetite for more citrus-y goodness. I spotted this Art Gallery fabric and immediately wanted a comfy lemon sundress. I love the silhouette of the Charleston dress pattern, but was worried this fabric wouldn't be sturdy enough for the fitted skirt. I started looking for a dress pattern with a circle skirt, since a flat front (as opposed to gathers or pleats) tends to be my preferred style. The Lady Skater dress has a circle skirt and a bodice very similar to my Lark Tee, so I figured it was probably within my skill range.

I made a practice version of the bodice with inexpensive fabric, as recommended by the pattern, and decided to try my hand at a few adjustments to my pattern pieces before cutting into my lemon fabric. I made a size 4 except I shortened the arm holes to size 3, shortened the bodice by 1 inch, and did a 1/2 inch swayback adjustment per the instructions provided on the author's super helpful blog post. The fit on the sleeves is still a bit off, but the back looks pretty decent!

I ignored the instructions for the neckband and installed it and the sleeve cuffs using a method similar to the Lark Tee neckband. I like that there are no exposed seams around the edges that way. On my first real attempt at the bodice, I did a narrow zig zag topstitch on the neckband which looked a bit messy. Because I'm a perfectionist and knew the topstitching would bother me every time I wore the dress, I remade the bodice and omitted the topstitching. In the future I'd consider a long straight stitch, or maybe a wider zig zag (which at least looks intentionally wiggly). I love the twin needle finish on the hem (my first time using a twin needle); it looks so professional!

You might have noticed that these photos weren't taken in our backyard... I desperately wanted to finish this before our vacation, since there are only a few weeks left to wear such a summer-y dress! More details on our beach trip later!

biscayne blouse

This is the Biscayne Blouse pattern by Hey June Handmade in a Kathy Davis rayon from Joann. It is so lightweight and fluid that the finished product is supremely comfortable. I made this shirt as a practice before using a more expensive fabric, but I have a feeling this one will get lots, if not more, wear. We'll see if it holds up okay in the wash. The orange and white feathers on blue background remind me of little koi fish. I made a size XS graded to a size S at the hips.

I wasn't thrilled with my finish on the front gathers or the bottom of the placket, but my collar and pocket turned out decently. The busy print hides some of the sewing imperfections. I interfaced all pieces of the collar before cutting them out as recommended by the pattern for lightweight fabrics (Tip: buy more interfacing than the pattern calls for). I don't need a functional front pocket so I would consider making a faux welt or basting the flaps together in the future so it doesn't pull open. I used French seams (my first!) to enclose the raw edges of the sides and shoulders since the fabric wanted to fray like crazy.

I'd like to try some modifications on the placket now that I understand the construction. This one took me about a week start-to-finish, but the process might go quicker in the future. I'm looking forward to making more of these shirts!

I wore this shirt to dinner a couple weeks ago. We stopped by the little park outside the restaurant for play time before ordering our food. Mae takes her park visits very seriously.

Fortunately, she lost the grump face after a few trips down the spiral slide with Dada! Glad we got to take advantage of such a beautiful summer evening.

cactus pincushion

After finishing my detailed, time-consuming pajamas, I needed a quick and easy sewing project. I spotted the idea for a cactus pincushion while browsing the Art Gallery Studio fabric look books online. This little guy is made from some green spotted fabric from JoAnn, a small scrap of pink leftovers from Mae's crib skirt, and a tiny heart-shaped button from my box of orphaned fasteners. I followed the steps of this tutorial from Sewing Lab. I wrapped the base of the stuffed cactus in green felt and hot glued it into a tiny terra cotta pot.

I now have two sewing buddies: the cactus and a hedgehog, which are both very appropriate pincushion subjects. Dan said I should make a voodoo doll next. Now I just need an enemy to model it after...