Field Trip Down on the Farm

Tildy needed trousers.

More Oliver+S, this time the Field Trip tee and trousers.

The cargoes have lots of pockets for treasures.
As Tildy is so slight I got some advice from the Girls in the O+S forum on sizing.
The body fit is spot on (18-24 month) but they could have been longer (4T)
I may add a ribbing cuff to the ankle if she shoots up.

I forgot the neck band is quite generous on the Field Trip tee.
I had trimmed and topstitched by the time I remembered, grrrrr.
I usually measure the finished neck and cut my ribbing to 2/3rds the length and then check the fit over the child's head.
My sewing Gal-Pal Cindy, suggests popping it over your own head!
Genius!

I was not sure the knit would cope with unpicking so I folded the excess and made a wee flap with some poppers.

It works.

To add length I drafted the size 4T length onto the size 18-24 month size.

This way I can re-use the 18-24 month size.

Now when I drafted the front leg pieces something went a bit pear shaped.

Too short.

No a huge deal, I drafted and cut an extra band for the bottom.

Saved!

A pretty good save if I do say so myself!

Just the job for checking the ewes.

Up close and personal.

Cleaning Dad's hand piece 

Missed a bit, Daddy.

Me and my mates.

Beautiful girl.

That's the days work done.

Just time for a quick tree climb.

Then head home to Trixie.

xx N

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