An Un-Birthday Present

Last post, I told of my niece who is celebrating her sixth birthday this month - this Tuesday.  She has a little "stister" who, at the beginning of school, felt a little left out.  She wasn't going to school yet; she was home alone; everything was about her older sister going to school and she was feeling a little down.  So I thought I would make her something too!  Then, this time when it was all about her older sister, she would still have something new too.

This little top began as a pillowcase top.  Very standard, except I finished the armholes with white piping for a more finished look.  

I know there are a million tutorials for these kinds of tops, and somehow, I picked the wrong one.  I made up a size 5 and it was looking waaaaay too wide under the arms.  Seriously wide.  I had to fix it.

I cut the top in half from top to bottom.  

Then I sewed the two sides together and had to think of a way to hide the centre seam.  Nothing a bit of ruffle and ribbon couldn't fix.  Right?

Well, after I sewed the two sides together again, I kinda thought the whole thing looked a little boring.  

So I cut the bottom off about 2 inches under the arms.

Then I cut a rectangle on bias from the fabric and with a teeny tiny bit of gathering, I sewed that on the top.  

I think it turned out rather cute.  I like the angled stripes contrasting the vertical ones.  And I am loving the bit of ruffle on the front!  I skipped the ribbon in favour of a piece of the fabric cut, ironed, and sewed down over the edges of the ruffle, and I used the ribbon for the tie. 

Sure hope it fits now.

It's always easier making clothes when you don't do it spur of the moment and have no measurements on hand.

Fabric - thrifted.

Thought I would also try this out... Getting brave over here!