Striped Ruffled T Shirt Dress
If you have bigger kids you sew for, you may sympathize with how hard it can be to “get it right” with this age group. At 10 Lily is a fan of fashion. We watch project Runway together and she does have a keen sense for fashion. But kids at this age don’t want to stand out from the crowd too much, fashion savvy or not. Lily wants her clothes to look store bought, not crafty and handmade. Baaa!!!
Having raised two girls older than her, I know that this is most likely just a phase and she will eventually reclaim her inner diva and no longer be concerned with what the kids at school say when she shows up in her mustache dress or a vintage re- creation. But for the moment, my goal when sewing for her is to make things that look like we may have bought them at The Gap.
I love this striped cotton fabric and bought it at one of my favorite shops in downtown LA, Micheal Levine’s Loft, If you ever are in downtown LA you have to stop by there! It’s a big wearhouse across from the shop and al of the fabric there is $2.50 a pond! Which means I got this fabric for like 50 cents or something! What I love about shopping there beside the fabric being almost free is the fabrics are actually from local clothing manufacturers and reflect some of the trends in fashion.
Image courtesy of Miss Crayola Creepy
Looking at this photo I realize I sewed the skirt onto the ribbing waistband a little crooked, Can you see how the lines of the top stripe of the skirt aren’t quite straight? I’ll remove it and redo it today. it’s little details like that that make a dress end up in the “never worn” pile.
This dress was really simple. I had a knit t shirt block I drafted for her. I traced the top from some striped cotton knit and then cut out two widths of the knit for the skirt. I had some cotton ribbing that matched the stripes bought at The loft that matched the striped fabric, and used some to make a connecting waistband and a neck band. I just left the skirt unhemmed since lots of dresses in shops are left unhemmed. easier for me! I didn’t measure anything and just eyeballed it. I’m thinking of doing a tutorial. This dress is just so easy.
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That is exactly where my older two kids (almost 14 and 12) are at…they’ll wear mama made but it has to look like it came from a store.;) I’m willing to indulge because it’s still sewing for them after all.
The dress is cute! Love the stripes.
What a great resource that place must be! And great job on hitting that pre-teen sweet spot. Your stuff *always* looks so professional, but I know what a big deal that is to kids in this age group.
Thanks Ann!
Lily’s dress is adorable.. thank you so much for sharing and I hope you do a tutorial.. Know Callie will love this one.
Bellas getting to that age too. I rarely get to sew the whimsical, crazy stuff she used to love…but, I’m really good at tailored jeans now. So if you do a tutorial, I’ll try it because everything she wants me to make is knit, & I can’t think of one successful knit project that I’ve ever made! Good job on the dress, lily looks gorgeous! I know from experience they get hard to please 🙂
Sounds like I’m doing a tutorial! I’d love to make another one, anyway!
Mustache dress??? I have to ask…
Buying fabric by weight – that’s awesome! There’s only one shop near me that sells fashion fabric and it’s only cheap if it’s on the reduced rack!
I love it!!! My middle girl, (and her name is Lily, too!) doesn’t care for sewn goods. ?!?! Crazy, I know. This dress is fab! Okay… so I’ve been to Michael Levine a million times and HELLO, I’ve never been to the loft! That’s even crazier! My next trip, I’m headin’ there first.
Yep you def should!
The dress looks like it came from The Gap only better. It’s made with love.
What a great deal on the fabric!!!
Thank you Janlynn!
Lily and the dress are both adorable! I remember going through that phase when my mom used to sew for me. OMG, I love Michael Levine Loft! I grew up about an hour north of LA and my family still lives there. Last summer when I was visiting Cali, I went to Loft with a few of my sisters, and we came away with some great fabrics.
So fun Becca!
I have a 9 year old and yes, she is getting hard to sew for. But it is still fun to give her trendy pre-teen clothes that actual *fit* her. ~Major Moma
This age group is hard but if they like it you know it’s good!