Project Run and Play--Week 5--Holiday Wear

My inspiration for this week's Project Run and Play challenge was 'Dresses Fit For a Celebration'.  Really these are their unofficial Christmas outfits, but they get worn for so many other things before Christmas...holiday parties, trip to the Nutcracker, Christmas service at Church, Messiah Sing-A-Long.  And some of these things are in the Fall still, so technically they are Fall Holiday outfits as well, that's also why I don't make them the typical Christmas colors.  Actually, I don't care if they qualify at all, because do you know how good it feels to have their Christmas outfits done?  REALLY satisfying!

I present:

A Little Holiday Cheer--2 Ensembles

Out fit 1--For Clara

Shirt with peter pan collar made from up-cycled cream knit shirt of mine.

Skirt from embroidered black fabric of some sort.  Simple gathered skirt with flat front and elastic in the back waistband and a separate maroon sash.

From the initial drawing, I added the buttons, placket and ruffles down the front and dropped the buttons at the cuffs.

Here is the final look:

This is the shirt I had in my closet, but never wore.  I went looking for cream colored fabric of some sort, but never found the right kind.  I saw this one day and went with it.

I wasn't planning on using the ruffled pieces, but after I had picked them off Clara saw them and really wanted them on her shirt as well.  I'm glad she did, because I like how they add to the shirt and make it a little fancier.

The embroidery on the collar was supposed to be another attempt at ribbon embroidery, but that did not work with a knit fabric at all, so it is simple embroidery thread.

Challenge for myself this week was to do a full placket with knit fabric.  The shirt is drafted off of a shirt of hers.  Then I added the button front placket and collar to it.

Close up of the embroidery and the perfect buttons I found at JoAnne's.

The skirt is a simple gathered skirt, with an underskirt and 2 layers of tulle in between.  The sash is just a long piece of finished maroon sateen.  I needed something to tie it all together and make the outfit more like a 4 year old.

The black fabric was picked up at a clearance of remnants at the high end fabric store here in town.  I loved the details and picked it up with a skirt for me in mind.  However, I like my clothes to last a couple of years and I imagined the embroidery getting snagged easily...but for a season on the girls it should work.  It did have some flaws already, which I tried to cut around and repair when I could.  In fact, I went around the whole scalloped edge again, because they had snipped the scallops to close to the embroidery and it was fraying really badly.

Outfit 2--For Sophia

A little more grown up look.

Simple shirt with button closure in the back out of the black embroidered fabric.

Skirt out of some soft grey wool.  Dropped the pockets (not dressy enough) and added kick pleats at the front and back of the knees with bows at the tops in the front.  I love how this skirt turned out!!!

Both are self drafted patterns. (I think I might do a tutorial on the skirt after next week)

 Initially, I had put an exposed shiny silver zipper on the back.  I did not like it at all.  Maybe it was the style of the skirt, the fact that I didn't have matching thread or whatever, but she looked like a skunk with a stripe on her little behind.  So I picked it out and added a hidden zipper instead.

 I didn't get any pictures of the back, but here's the front with the bows.  I added those last minute to make it look less like a business skirt and more suitable for a 9 year old girl. 

 As for the shirt, it's just another simple shirt with a button closure in the back.  It's fully lined and then enclosed at the bottom with a maroon hem/tie. 

 I think it turned out rather well.  The best part is that she has a couple silky red shirts that she can wear with the skirt as well to make it a little more festive. 

 Now on to some pictures.  It was a little too sunny, but you take what you can get when you have a busy week.

 Their sassy poses.

 "Look! I'm holding up the fountain!"

 Since the girls are most excited about wearing them to the Nutcracker, here are their ballet poses.

 This is the "Not another picture.  Aren't we done yet?" pose.