Black and White Hide and Seek

Missy chose this fabric herself more than a year ago when Form and Fabric (no longer in business, sigh) was having a free shipping sale.  Free shipping to Canada is pretty rare so we went a little crazy :).  I didn't think the her excitement over black and white would last but apparently I was wrong.  As I am so often when it comes to making things for my little people!!  She loved her black and white Croquet Dress and, when she was "helping" me tidy up my sewing cupboard last week, requested a Hide and Seek dress made out of these two fabrics.  I try to steer away from quilting cottons for clothes these days but I also try not to turn down a request.

K. specified the "lacy" fabric (as she called it) be used on the yoke and the sleeves.  She also requested a band on the bottom but I talked her out of it (mean mom!).

The buttons were sent to me by one of my mom's friends and although one is bigger than the others, K. thought they were the perfect choice.  I love having a huge button stash to go to when I'm finishing something!

You can't really tell from far away but I did include the welt pockets.  (I didn't give K. the choice of having the welts in the contrasting fabric. bad me!).

I think I'm going to pretend I haven't finished this yet and give it to K. on her birthday weekend.  She loves new clothes for special occasions and, although the party is only a couple of weeks away, it's surprising how quickly something becomes "old" to her.  I probably don't help matters by making her new thing all the time but I enjoy it so I'm not going to apologize :p

Pattern: Hide and Seek $0, used once before
Fabric: Moda, Shades of Black, ~$10
Buttons: Stash

Total: ~$10

Late to the Peplum Party

More than a year and a half ago, I won a $50 gift card and a Colette pattern from Harts Fabric. Excited, I ordered 5 (!) yards of fabric and the Hawthorn pattern, fully intending to make myself a dress.  When it arrived, I chickened out and decided to try the blouse version first using some soft cotton plaid I'd bought on sale at fabricland.  

I jumped right in and things were going well; I'd finished the hard parts - the collar, the sleeve plackets, etc. but then the cuffs didn't fit properly so I abandoned it.  For 18 months.   I don't know if peplums are still in fashion nor do I really care I'm just glad to not have this still haunting me from my sewing cupboard!

I can't remember what size I made or if I made any changes other than grading to a larger size from the bust (maybe?) down.  I do remember that even with the larger size, I had to let out the seams a bit were the top joins the peplum.  That makes me think either peplums are not for me or this one hits me too low?  And now I'm thinking that the area under the bust is too loose.  

Cue awkard photos of me staring out the window because I don't know what to do with my face  . . .

And here's the only picture that I managed to take of the back.  I'm an even more difficult subject than my kids!

I like the neckline and the collar and am proud of my cuffs (although they're far from perfect!) but I'm on the fence about the top as a whole.  I think I'll reserve judgement until I try wearing it for a day or two.

(I can't see myself ever making the dress since I've come to the realization that I'm really not a dress person so I still have that 5 yards of fabric for something else.  Does the dress version really call for 5 yards??  )

Pattern: Colette Hawthorn - Free!
Fabric: Cotton Plaid - approx. $7.00
Buttons: Stash

Total: $7.00