Monday, February 2, 2015

Hopscotch with Bloomers

A lot of people think skirts on babies are like putting flippers on a duck.
But I like them!
Oliver+S Swing Set outfit
Who can resist chubby little legs on display?
Oliver+S Tea Party dress
And usually knickers as well!
I recently made Beatrix some Hopscotch dresses to wear as Day gowns.
Whilst drafting off the dress pattern pieces I inadvertently traced the skirt too.
So I was determined to use them, but make a baby friendly version.
Many moons ago I nannied some little girls who had the loveliest clothes. A favourite was a wee skirt with built in bloomers.
Pattern making is not my forte but I thought I would trying tweaking this one.
With a few hiccups along the way, it worked!
I thought I would  share what I did.
I cut the size 6-12 months.
Instead of cutting two front skirt pieces, cut 1 on the fold, taking the seam allowance out of the width.
Cut 1 front placket instead of 2.
Cut the front waistband as 1 on the fold, instead of cutting 2, but add the width of the placket.
To add knickers, I used the Tea Party bloomers, adding 2'' to the top.
Remember to add to the front and the back!
Pin the single front placket, right sides together and sew.
Press the seam open.
Use a piece of dowel, a handy tip from the lovely Liesl herself.
Turn and press the placket flat with the seam down the centre back.
Pin the placket to the middle of the skirt front and topstitch in place.
Pin and topstitch the pockets in place.
Gather the front section above the pocket.
At this point I laid the skirt front over the bloomers front and realised I should have gathered it more.
Bugger.
I was happy with my gathering and I had already trimmed the threads so rather the starting again I folded the excess under the front placket and topstitched it in place.
Technically not that correct but as I had wondered if the front placket should have been interfaced, it didn't work out too badly.
Next time I will check my gathers!
Fold and press the waistband in half, interface one side and then press the seam allowance under on the other edge.
Pin and sew the unfolded edge of the waistband to the skirt front, right sides together.
Press the seam allowance up towards the waist band.
Carefully grade the seams.
Hurrah, it fits!
This time I checked the back skirt against the bloomers!
I needed to trim the side seam at the waist. I shaped it to an A-line style.
After pinning the skirt front to the skirt back it needed another wee trim.
Sew the side seam and press in the waistband folds.
Then sew the other side seam and hem the skirt.
Sew up the bloomers as per the pattern instructions.
Slip the bloomers into the skirt.
Tuck the raw edge of the bloomers under the folded waist band and pin in place.
Stitch from the right side of the skirt.
Stitching on the inside makes life a bit easier.
Not the neatest finish but it gets the job done.
A Hopscotch skirt with a side of bloomers.
In a soft peachy pink linen/cotton with bright pink enamelled shell buttons sewn with red silk thread.
Paired with a charcoal wool/modal Hopscotch top.
With built in knickers!
I really must sew for the other children now....

 xx N
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27 comments:

  1. MelFebruary 2, 2015 at 6:25 AM

    oh that last picture makes me want to tickle her tummy! what a sweet little thing she is and that is such a great change to the pattern. I love babies in skirts too!

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    1. motherof5February 7, 2015 at 3:36 PM

      She would giggle like crazy Mel, she is so ticklish.
      I adore her, I am so lucky to have such a happy girl to share my days with. It makes up for Jed working such long hours.

      I think skirts look cute on babies and she is not crawling yet so it does not hamper her in any way.
      xx N

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  2. ElizabethFebruary 2, 2015 at 7:16 AM

    She is so sweet! The little skirt is really cute and I love the added bloomers. I like babies in skirts too!

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    1. motherof5February 7, 2015 at 3:38 PM

      Thank you Elizabeth, I am not one to fiddle too much with patterns and I did goof but it worked out in the end.
      xx N

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  3. MichelleFebruary 2, 2015 at 9:42 AM

    What a doll! I love this mod. I think I'll try the faux placket idea for my toddler, it keeps the style but simplifies things a lot, and she really doesn't need working buttons anyway.

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    1. motherof5February 7, 2015 at 3:59 PM

      Thanks Michelle.
      With the elastic back the buttons are pretty superfluous anyway. Even with the size 12. Elsa used to just pull it on and off.
      She is a pretty cute baby, thank you!
      xx N

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  4. Kristin at SunnySewing.comFebruary 2, 2015 at 11:26 AM

    Oh the cuteness!! I love that you added the bloomers to the skirt :) She is growing so fast!

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    1. motherof5February 7, 2015 at 4:21 PM

      Thanks Kristin, after going to the trouble of drafting the pattern (even though it was accidentally) I was determined to use it!
      Hopefully I will get a chance to sew it again before she grows too much.
      xx N

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  5. justmejayFebruary 2, 2015 at 11:43 AM

    Trixie really is the most delicious baby!
    The skirt mods are fab - Lucy had a divine green cord skirt with attached bloomers when she was a baby - it was one of my favourites

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    1. motherof5February 7, 2015 at 5:46 PM

      Thank you Justine. :) She makes me so happy.

      Green cord sounds lovely, I adored that green 2+2 you made for Lucy.
      xx N

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  6. CherylFebruary 2, 2015 at 4:03 PM

    Oh my!! Seriously adorable baby alert!!! Trixie is just darling! Love the faux placket...just a great idea! The attached bloomers are perfect! Beautiful...just beautiful!!

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    1. motherof5February 7, 2015 at 5:53 PM

      Thank you Cheryl!

      Th faux placket works really well (and saves some time, just quietly)
      The kicking legs in a baby skirt win me every time.
      xx N

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  7. brittneyFebruary 3, 2015 at 8:08 PM

    So clever! I wish I had this when the twins were little. I love those colors on her.

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    1. motherof5February 7, 2015 at 5:54 PM

      Thank you Britters.
      I am so in love with this colour, girly but not pink, perfect!
      xx N

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  8. ElizabethFebruary 4, 2015 at 11:25 AM

    This is so smart!! And I love the color, as well!

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  9. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2015 at 3:41 PM

    Love this clever mod!
    Maria had a couple of store-bought skirts that were very similar to these, but yours looks so much nicer (of course, having a beautiful baby like Trixie also helps) :)
    I wish this pattern (and your idea) was available when she was a baby.

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    1. motherof5February 7, 2015 at 5:57 PM

      Thank you Ana Sofia, I am glad I figured it out and I hope to try it out with some other skirts.
      Sigh, so many pretty clothes and just not enough sewing time.
      xx N

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  10. AnonymousFebruary 5, 2015 at 9:52 PM

    Thank you Nicole for the beautifully explained and photographed tutorial. What's up next for the oldies?

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    1. motherof5February 7, 2015 at 5:58 PM

      Thanks Fee.
      Tildy is next, some posh-but-practical farm clothes.
      xx N

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  11. KarenFebruary 7, 2015 at 12:03 PM

    Trixie is just such a beautiful baby! I love watching her (and the other children) grow on your blog. I wish all little children had the kind of mother and father your children have! The outfit is charming. Thank you for sharing the tutorial on how to make the faux placket.

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  12. motherof5February 7, 2015 at 5:59 PM

    Karen, that is such a lovely lovely thing to say, thank you so much!

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  13. Inder-ificFebruary 10, 2015 at 3:18 PM

    She is the chubbiest chubbersons now! So adorable! I absolutely love the Hopscotch with the bloomers. Also, you're making me realize the skirt is totally wearable for a younger girl even without working buttons, in fact it might be better without for the littles! Hrrrrmmmmm ...

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  14. motherof5February 17, 2015 at 2:12 PM

    Thanks Inder, it is so nice to see her so chubby now after such a tiny beginning.
    I know a few girls made the skirt and then sewed up the placket, so I figured I may has well skip it altogether.
    xx N

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  15. Katy47pFebruary 27, 2015 at 2:34 AM

    OMG it has been sooo long since I looked at any blogs, there is a new baby in the family? Are you on 6? I have 1 now. xx

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    1. motherof5April 3, 2015 at 4:05 PM

      Katy, I have missed you so much!
      You had a baby? How exciting
      Do you still have a fabric store?
      xx N

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  16. Project Run & PlayMarch 31, 2015 at 8:29 AM

    I would love to communicate with you about a series we're doing on skirts...can you please contact me? (skirtfixation@gmail.com) Thanks - I can't find your contact info anywhere!

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