Project Run & Play : Denim

I think this may have been my least favorite of the themes for this season.  I don’t like head to toe denim.  Besides, I only had one kind of denim in stock and I wanted to stick to stash.  (That should be a saying “stick to stash”, shouldn’t it? It’s kinda catchy.)

But that denim in my stash?  I picked up a couple yards of it at Joann Fabrics when I saw it.  It just screamed both souricettes’ names.  It’s soft, a little lightweight for denim (especially after working with the store bought skirt from last week) but still a good medium weight fabric.  But the selling point?  Embroidered butterflies in shades of pink and purple.

And then it stayed in my stash doing nothing.  So I guess that denim theme was actually a good thing?  What with forcing me to actually use it…

I had all these ideas for a denim dress for souricette 2.  The ones where you wear a tee or blouse underneath.  Pinafore?  But nothing was quite right.  Except for Charlie.  But souricette 2 already has two Charlies!  I tried to find something else but the denim wanted Charlie and there’s just no arguing with fabric.  It doesn’t listen.  So I made a Charlie.

The past two Charlies were a size 3 and they still fit perfectly but I made a size 4 this time.  I wanted extra room to add a top for Winter and have it still fit for next Summer.

I lined the bodice in the softest white cotton lawn because the wrong side of embroidery can be scratchy against bare skin.  I topstitched the neck, armholes, waist, and hem with this cool ombré thread I had.  It has shades of pink and purple.  I think I may actually have bought it at the same time as the denim!  And of course, I forgot to take close-up pictures of it.  If you look closely though, you can sort of see it at the bodice seam (I topstitched the bodice, right above the ruffle).  It would stand out more on white…

Finally, for the back closure, I skipped the button and went with an exposed zipper.  A lacy white one that I just had to buy.

With Winter coming, I also wanted to make a tee-shirt.  I was going to make Jalie 2806 but it has a scoop neck.  I wanted the crew neck from Jalie 2805.  But I wanted the tulip sleeves from 2806…  I decided to combine the two patterns and guess what?  I needed to do absolutely nothing.  The armhole for 2806 and 2805?  Identical!  Which means that sleeves can be switched around freely between the two patterns.  Color me happy!

I keep meaning to make plain white tees and I keep embellishing them…  For this one, I used some chambray remnants.  So chambray isn’t technically denim but I’ve always felt they were in the same family.  Siblings.  I made some bias tape to edge the sleeves.  The fun thing with the tulip sleeves is that there’s no need to worry about stretch.  Plenty of space for an arm there.

I wanted a little something more.  Peter pan collar? Cute but no.  I was thinking about what I was going to write here.  You know how an all denim outfit is called a canadian tuxedo?  I only learned that recently.  And I don’t quite get it but whatever.  It gave me an idea.

If I hadn’t decided to stick to stash, I would have gone out to buy a bunch of different denims and some denim-y jersey.  And I would have made a tuxedo outfit!  A blazer, a skirt (pants would never get worn) with that tuxedo stripe down the sides, and a tee shirt with ruffles down the front.  Ruffles down the front wouldn’t work with Charlie on top but a little ruffle at the neckline?  Totally doable!  And there.  Cutest tee ever.

She really loves those butterflies.  I wonder if they would be enough to get her to wear pants…

About deuxsouriceaux

Creative mommy at home to two wonderful little girls, trying to juggle family, sewing, exercise, family, knitting, photography, and did I mention family?