Fringe Dress by Chalk and Notch

I finally got around to sewing up another Fringe Dress by Chalk and Notch. I sewed a practice one towards the end of last summer but never got around to doing minor alterations to have the dress fit me better. (Tell me I'm not the only one who has done this- waited months to sew another one!) I found that I wanted to move the darts down an inch and I also wanted the waist moved down about 3/4 inch so it was closer to my natural waist. Adding this little bit of length in the bodice meant I didn't need to add length to the skirt, the other thing that I wanted to change slightly from my first version. Oh and I omitted the waist ties for this one. I love that they are an option (and an option to attach in the front or back) but it was more flattering for me and my rectangular shape to leave them off.




This is a size 12 with the adjustments mentioned above. I used this rayonish denim from Joann fabrics that I picked up the same time I got fabric for Ansley's romper. It sewed together fairly easily, especially since I knew I'd want bias tape when I was prepping Ansley's romper so I made extra. I used the bias tape to hem instead of drafting a hem facing and love the weight it adds to the skirt. It was a little easier to hem using the bias tape, even with the extra step of understitching.



I also managed to not lose the interfacing strips I had cut for the pockets on my first Fringe dress, which saved myself some prep time. (The practice/first one was sewn with a cotton lawn and it was too sheer for pockets.)





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Linville Rompers by Hey June Patterns

I finally delivered on the romper Ansley asked me for last summer. She outgrew the original one, which now happily fits Lisbon. I wanted to recreate the pictures but they weren't having it and it wasn't worth a fight since I got decent pictures as is. The summer evening light in our backyard is magical!




I sewed a size ten for Ansley. Her measurements put her between an eight and ten, which isn't surprising because she's an average sized nine year old. She requested a tie back instead of a button and loop or a little tab and snaps. I also added about three and a half inches to the shorts. I can't remember if she specifically asked for them to be longer or just agreed that the pink one was too short (and also too small).





I used fabric from joanns and since it took me a whole year to get to it we decided on different fabric. I can't find the exact listing but I think it might have rayon or modal in it? It was kind of fussy when hemming and squaring off for cutting and when making bias tape. I used the lightest heat setting on my iron even though the bolt said to line dry and do not press because the fabric needed to be pressed. It was fine but the gold of the arrows might come off later? It was a risk worth taking.

(love this pic!)







Lisbon agreed to pose for me and she agreed to let me try to recreate the hairstyle Ansley had in the original pictures. This is her first full set of pigtails ever(!)- a moment I have been waiting for since I found out she was a girl when I was pregnant with her. I love it so much but it also makes me sad that she looks so much like a little girl. She also wanted to waddle like a penguin. She is still very much in love with penguins.



































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Azur Reversible Swimsuits by Petit a Petit and Family and Titchy Threads

Towards the beginning of our #sewswimsocial on instagram, Celina of Petit a Petit and Family was offering a pattern sale, which you can find out about by following her and/or subscribing to her newsletter. The Azur Reversible swimsuit (a collab between Celina and Laura of Titchy Threads) had been out in the wild for a few years but caught my eye since I was in swimwear mode and I had been saving some custom swim knit from Sweet N Charmed fabrics, just waiting for the right pattern.



The Azur Swimsuit is fully reversible or you can use a lining fabric. Rachel of Stitched Together commented that when she uses lining fabric her girls get sand stuck in their suits so she prefers to use regular swim fabric as the lining. It was again fortunate timing for me to use regular swim for these suits. (I did sew a practice one for Ansley with swim lining to check her size). The Azur Swimsuit has several colorblocking and strap options and optional bows. In the previous post I used the solid/non colored block version for Ansley with the yummy polka dot fabric (she is extremely lucky I didn't hoard it all for myself) and the reverse is white swim knit with blue straps, both fabrics from Joann. The Joann's stuff is definitely thinner and more slippery but it is lovely for a lining.



I found the construction very interesting and fun. I felt like a magician when I bagged the lining and sewed in the optional elastic! I LOVE the style and the coverage in the seat and the many color block opportunities. The pattern pieces went together beautifully. I did end up sewing some of the straighter seams with my serger because the thin swim liked to slide/bunch even with a stretch needle and walking foot. Or without a walking foot. Or with pins. Or with lots of wonder clips. This isn't a fault of the instructions, I just found it worked better for me, especially the straps. The instructions and illustrations were clear and helpful.



Lisbon's suit is a size 6, according to her measurements. I was overly eager and used the wrong width of elastic so it doesn't lay quite as flat for now but when it's stretched slightly (like how it will fit when she grows) it's perfect. I sewed a size 9 for Ansley and the fit is perfect. The main fabrics are from Sweet n Charmed Fabrics and the accent/contrast is from Joanns. The girls had a fun time picking the fabrics and coordinates for each part and we did use the little accent rectangle on the reverse even though I didn't get any pictures of them.



































I will definitely sew this pattern again since it's unique and fun and great for scraps and personalization.



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