A Few of My Favorite Things

Sewing and knitting, of course! What's better than combining two obsessions loves?

Before we left to go to Fort Worth, I had started working on The Two Summer Dress for Debra. This dress combines a top knit a size larger than the child's current size (so, a size 3 for Debra) with a simple cotton skirt. The back straps criss-cross over each other in the back for the first year of wear and the second year they just flip to the back side without crossing.


The yarn I used is Jo Sharp Soho Summer DK Cotton in Blush. I bought one skein (of many different yarns) last year in April or May from The Knit Studio in Jackson, MS. I also had 3/4 of a yard of this sweet cotton print that has a retro circus theme with clowns, dogs, elephants and camels. It's a sweet print that I picked up last year at my local quilt store. I really felt like the muted red and the yellow combination would make a cheerful summer outfit.

After knitting the top (which I did not block). I pulled out the fabric and cut a rectangular piece 22" x 44". This allowed me to have a 4" hem plus 1" and 1/2" growth tucks. Whenever I make tucks in a skirt, I start sewing about 4 to 5" away from the edge of the fabric.



Sewed the back center seam leaving a 3" opening at top. Ironed the seam allowance flat.


Then I come back and finish sewing the tucks.


I gathered the skirt and hand-sewed the top to the skirt using a back-stitch.


Left a 1/2" overlap on the back for the button.


Just up from a nap and trying on dress.


Bed head! I didn't use the ribbon that is called for in the pattern to stabilize the straps. I wish that I had.

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In other sewing news, I finally cut off 2" of this Anthropologie top that I bought a while back. The "before" length hit me right at the widest part of my hips - not a good look. I wish that I had taken a before picture because it's amazing the difference a 2" hem job made to this top and how it looks on me.

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I've continued to work on my Julia. I've knit the bottom of the top and have moved on to the right and left upper front. I'm hoping to have this blocking by Wednesday.