Retro Romper - DONE!

1930's Bib Overalls

I started on this project for Felicity over a year ago, which seems to be a theme with me and kid projects.  Part of the reason it stayed on ice for so long is due to the fact that it was drafted for an eight year old a good 10 inches taller than mine, and a good number of inches wider. Felicity is 4'3.5" tall and 65 pounds, so her chest is just now about 25.5 inches.  The back of this pattern says size eight is 26 inches in the chest. It could easily fit 28 inches at 5 feet. I'm hoping this was done mostly due to the fact that this pattern is from a time when almost all the clothes were sewn at home and were meant to last a while.

Finished Romper on hanger.

Other Issues: 
-Side Button Plackets. I had never done one of these before and the instructions, like most instructions of the period, were very cryptic. There's still a few edges I need to hand overcast.  As it was, most of it had to be done by hand. I don't have photos cause I think I started this Pre-DSLR.

Bottom of inside placket needs overcast. 

 - Front midriff came undone at first. I didn't really take a photo of this part, but the midriff band is two pieces top stitched together with the top and bottom sandwiched between. I didn't catch the top front of the bib portion at first, which lent to the crotch being almost to her knees at first.  Then she grew two inches and it was just halfway, so I undid the stitches, resewed the whole thing and now the crotch is somewhere in acceptable limits.

Serged and then hap-hazardously blind hemmed.

 - Legs made for a giant! I had to hem up the pants a good six inches.  I didn't want to whack all that length off because I have a sneaky hunch there's a growth spurt coming. I will probably be redoing this hem after the first wearing. Seriously, that's a shoddy job. (Have I mentioned I HATE HEMMING THINGS??) At this point I just wanted to Get It Done.

fitting darts

 - Huge back width. I ended up taking it in with darts, but I did toy with shirring it for a bit. However, that would have ended up being very uncomfortable later.  I did put the buttons on the inside because there will be more than one buttonhole in the straps.

- You'll also see that I didn't finish some of the seams at all. I have a double row of stitching for strength and the fabric really doesn't ravel at all.  So that's actually a good thing.

Another Placket Shot

The few times I've tried it on Felicity she's had this overwhelming need to poke her tummy out as far as possible which makes her look like Mario might have in "The Yellow Submarine".  However, she seems to LOVE it.  The print is so 70's it hurts and the fabric is a somewhat stretchy denim.  We're suppose to be planting more flowers this weekend, so there will most likely be action shots involving shovels and kids covered in dirt.  Hooray for easy care fabric!

I also have a ponte knit skirt I finished sometime back, and the pattern you see taped together underneath is Ichigogirl's perfect shrug pattern.  I have just enough of this Anna Sui sweater knit to make a shrug.  It goes with the rest of my color pallet, and just happens to be called phantasmagoria. How could I NOT buy some, even at the price tag that hurt.

Anna Sui sweater knit

Let me know what's going on in your world! I'll blog about my skirt and the Sewing Expo scores soon.