Hacking WWD Staple Skirt

I love the finishing of the Winter Wear Designs Staple Skirt for kids. It's got all the bells and whistles of a proper woven zippered skirt. Everything in the instructions is wonderful and I have always gotten great results using it. 

See how pretty the finishing of the zipper is! 

The only thing is, whether it is the A line option or the pencil skirt version, my girl only wears those on special occasions because it limits her movement and she is, after all, still a toddler! 

We own one pass me down retail wear skirt that had an A-line shape till where the hips are then it ended off with a pleated flounce. Kind of like a tennis skirt or a drop waist pleated flounce skirt. And she loved that skirt. It was made with denim and has plenty of movement and was also very very cute! Unfortunately she was outgrowing the skirt and it's becoming too mini for my liking. Hence, I had always wanted to hack the staple skirt into a similar one and I finally did it! With the help of Apostrophe Pattern's latest pattern generator: Gathered Skirt generator!  

Since I have made Staple Skirt a couple of times before, I knew roughly where I would like the flounce of the skirt to start - for reference, I used the lengthen/shorten lines and simply cut the skirt pieces there. 

I kept the pockets etc so after following the instructions, you will get a shortened skirt with the pockets sticking out. Then, I measured the diameter of the bottom of this shortened skirt and entered into the generator following the instructions. I selected the length of the skirt to be 13 cm, and hem to be 2cm. 

The great thing about the generator is, you can suggest a pleat length and if the math don't work out, it will automatically change to the closest length that will work. Yay! (e.g. when i selected 5cm, it was okay, but when I selected 6cm, it automatically switched to 6.1cm) 

Another great thing about it is, for projector users, it comes with markings so that you can actually mark it on your fabric and fold accordingly - very beginner friendly. 

After pleating and attaching, my girl's pleated skirt was all done! Isn't it adorable?

The fabric i used was a stretch twill in bright yellow and I used a cute strawberry snap button for a pop of color and also cos jean buttons are still difficult for her to put on herself. 

And here is the skirt worn! (the top is rtw, i think that slogan is cheeky =p Also, rtw in this home are all hand me downs from friends cos I have not bought any clothes for my kids from retail shop in a really long time!)

Look at the great range of movement this skirt has. No wonder she loves skirts like this.

Thank you for visiting! Hope to see you again soon! 💗

Matchy matchy family set!

I've been testing quite frequently for Sinclair Patterns these days. And these are some matchy matchy outfits I managed to make for my entire family whilst testing. 

I didnt want it to be too obvious, in-your-face, kind of matching but something which still looks good when they wear it on their own. 

And also, the husband can be very particular about prints so heathered grey athletic knit is a very safe option! Of course I didn't have quite so many yardages of a specific heathered grey knit so i mixed and matched a few close matches - and they were all from my stash! Yippee! 

Patterns featured: Ivy, Ivyberry, Rocky and Rockyberry 

First photo - a group photo of me and the kids (husband's the photographer) 

Here's my husband and son at the beach!

Here's Rockyberry tank with Solberry shorts. 

This Ivyberry is made with remnants from big and brave fabrics and the drape is really lovely! 

Mine is made with a different remnant, a much thinner athletic knit that is also very comfortable. 

I do like this family set so so much. Can u tell we have been wearing these often? Many of these photos are taken at different locations over different days! 

Sunflower Seams Posy

 I tested for Sunflower Seams Pattern Posy dress which is a lovely vintage length, A line dress for children ages 18 mth to 14 years. 

I really love the flared silhouette of this dress. And the sleeveless version I made here is reversible too! 

There's also the option of a side ruffle, flutter sleeves, puffed sleeves etc. 

I made the side panel in a solid yellow color as a contrast to the unicorn pattern fabric. I used rainbow buttons but unfortunately you can't really see it in the photos. It's an important feature though. She's learning to button her clothes herself so the colorful buttons are useful! 

I think she's really happy in her new dress. Now I just need to convince her that the other side is really pretty too. haha. 

Mashing Gold River Adventure Dress with Poulsbo Joggers to create overalls!

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I tested the Goober Pea Design's Gold River Adventure dress and since then, I made a few more Gold Rivers in both woven and knits and it has always been a hit with this little one. 

Throwback photos of my tester makes:

Today, I want to show you my latest Gold River Adventure Dress hack! I'm calling it my Gold River Adventure Overalls. =) 

This was mashed with the Poulsbo Joggers from Rain City Pattern Co. A quick review of these joggers - these are not tight fitting joggers, they are loose yet there's still shape to the legs. My girl loves wearing these because they are more comfortable than leggings which are sometimes too tight for her liking.  

Because these joggers are incredibly comfortable for my little one, I thought they were a perfect option to use to make my hacked overalls. It also helps that the instruction comes with the option of yoga band and elastic band so I can change the rise of the pants to suit my girl's height. 

To decide on the rise, I used an existing Gold river adventure dress and Poulsbo Joggers that I already made and wore it on her, then I decide how much more rise to add to the joggers to make it comfortable for her to wear as overalls. 

Based on the cutting chart, I decided that cutting on the line just above the yoga waistband cut line will be sufficient enough for my girl (she isn't very tall!) 

I then followed the instructions as per Goober Pea's blog on how to mash pants pattern with gold river to get my overalls. It fitted on the first try! Yay!

She's trying to tell you her joggers are very comfortable in the bum area in that photo above hehe. 

One good thing about using the RCPC pattern with the GPD one is that I found the 2T sizes matched in the waist area so I didn't have to adjust the waist to match! You may wish to check if the size you need is the same! 

Hope you liked my post and the look of this overalls! If you wish to purchase either of these patterns, I hope you can consider using my aff links here:

Goober Pea Designs

Rain City Pattern Co. 

IvL Angel Sleeved Dress

I had an opportunity to test for IvL- Hecho's angel sleeved top and dress tt they were updating to a bigger size range and i made our version in double gauze. Isn't it cute?

For a whimsical detail, i added a metal cat button at the back for my girl who loves all things "meoowwww". It's the only reason she's willing to try it on - apparently the dress is not colorful enough for her toddler aesthetics and sense of style 🤣

Thankfully, after trying it on, she claims it's soft and comfy and the dress has her approval to go into wardrobe rotation 🤣

I used a contrasting thread in the bobbin for a pop of color. Haven't decided if i liked it yet. What do u think?

I feel that the dress is, overall, loose and summery. If u feel like ur kid prefers it fitted, it may be good to make the knit version instead, or simply size down in width! For us, the loose fit is perfect for play and great for the summer heat where we stay. 

I also like how the lace detail on the sleeves add a lovely touch to the dress. The instructions also suggested pompoms! I shld go find some cos the testers who used pom poms had really cute dresses and I'm guessing rainbow poms would be right up this little girl's alley!

She's pretty happy with her angel sleeves. Perhaps i would make a knit version for her once she outgrows this one! 

S.U.A.T Titania and Pixie Tank and dress

It's time for another Stitch upon a time Pattern Showcase / Sale!

This time round, we have a wonderful summer staple - Titania Top and Tunic and Pixie top and dress!

It's SO SO cute!

 

I love the razor back. It feels so athletic! And I know what you are thinking - what about the bra? Well, this pattern comes with an inner built in bra! I made mine with it so I can skip the strapless bras which we all know isn't comfy nor that secure! 

I made mine as a top length so that I can squeeze both my top and my girl's dress out of a yard of fabric. And I think I still have enough remnants for something else for her!

Here's my girl in her Pixie dress. She looks adorable if I may say so myself hehe. I love the flare of the dress and there's also a slightly less flared version. 

The dress came together really quickly because there isn't any gathering. And the only band is the neckband. The armscye is done by hemming - set up your twin needles or coverstitch cos there's quite some hemming to do! hehe. But trust me, it's worth it!!

Peekaboo Peyton Cocoon Cardigan

While Singapore's weather is mostly really hot and "summery", whenever we go indoors to shopping malls or libraries, the air conditioning is usually really cold. 

I wanted to make my girl a cardigan for some time now. To keep her warm when we go indoors. 

I finally settled on a quick sew - the Peekaboo Peyton Cocoon Cardigan. 

I made this with vintage knit fabric with little stretch. It turned out really cute! 

I liked how everything came together and it helps that this is such a fast sew too. I could cut it out with the projector and sew it up during her nap time, and have her wear it on a trip to the library when she woke. Yay for fast sews!

Do you like the silhouette of the cardi? I kinda want one for myself too! 

Eunoia Design Group Kaleo

Eunoia's Kaleo has just been updated! It now has more sizes, better fit, pockets, a new puddle jumper length (not floor length but slightly above ankle) etc etc and it also has projector file!! YIPPEE!

I love how elegant it looks! And it's just a really beautiful top and skirt combo. 

I made ours in puddle jumper length because this toddler isn't exactly very good at climbing steps while wearing maxi skirts. This length is perfect for her. It's long enough to keep her legs covered yet give her plenty of ease to move around and jump. 

The top has a high neckline in front and a lower one at the back, but i have seen others wearing it on their little ones the other way round without any problems!

And because it is lined, the dress has no bands - which makes for a lovely silhouette!

Did I mention it has pockets? 💗

Simple Life Pattern Co Kinsley Cascading Flounce Dress

For Chinese New Year in 2021, I made a cheongsam inspired princessy brocade dress for my darling using a hacked SLPco pattern - Kinsley Cascading flounce dress.

It addressed all the common issues I have with traditional cheongsams for children - restricting high necks (most kids hate it) and too tight (cheongsams tend to be more figure hugging, but toddlers needs room!)

Kinsley was chosen cos it was loose fitting and i loved the silhouette! 

I wrote a blog post about my hack in the SLPco blog here. 

The hack takes a bit of effort to do but the result is so satisfying! If you like the hack and would like to try it yourself, I'll be super happy to see your version! 

If you have not bought the pattern and would like to use my aff link, it is here. (thank you! 😘😘😘) 

Candy Castle Designs Funfetti Dress

It's almost Lunar New Year! For the Chinese, Lunar New Year marks the start of the new lunar calendar. There's lots of festivities, visiting, exchange of mandarin oranges between relatives and friends and red money packets for the children. 

One tradition of the Lunar New Year (CNY) is the wearing of red outfits to symbolise good luck and fortune. Being able to sew means that my kids are getting mum made new year outfits this year even if we aren't going to visit many households due to Covid. 

For my girl's first day outfit, I have chosen the Funfetti dress by Candy Castle Designs. This is a super cute dress pattern with loads of options. And since CNY is traditionally a very hot season in Singapore, I've decided to go for a sleeveless, dress length, circle skirt version of Funfetti.

To go with the theme, I chosen a beautiful Cotton lycra with Hello Kitty prints and red and yellow blooms then paired it with a bright red circle skirt. So cute!!

She had a beautiful red leather bag given to her by her grandma which is a perfect accessory for this dress AND it serves the important purpose of keeping her red money packets when she goes to her grandparents house to visit during the holiday!

We love Hello Kitty in this family so we even had matching hello kitty masks so that she can look pretty and be safe! 

Funfetti was a very fast sew. I think cutting took longer than the actual sewing! There's definitely going to be more Funfettis in the future! Perhaps a gathered skirt version next time? Or a sleeved one? The options are plenty! 

And now for more photos of the pretty dress!