MelissaEsplin.com

Sponsored: Penelope's Summer Style

August 19, 2015
svens-clogs-logo This post is sponsored by Sven Clogs. Original hand-crafted clogs since 1974. Clogs made-to-order with premium styles and materials for Man, woman and child. Connect with Svens Clogs on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram! As evidenced by Penelope's porcelain skin, she hasn't been out as much this summer as she was last. I can't believe it's finally drawing to a close! Now I'm craving sewing time so I can make a couple of special clothes for the school year. I don't often make clothes for the kids because they grow out of them or destroy them so quickly, but this was a fun little number to whip up from extra fabric I had lying around after I made a dress (coming soon!). So yes! We're totally matching. I have a few mother-daughter looks queued up. melissaesplin-penelope-striped-romper-1 melissaesplin-penelope-striped-romper-3 I didn't use a pattern, I grabbed some shorts and a shirt and started cutting. Next time I make her a romper, I have a few ideas to make it a little more balanced between top/bottom (the bottoms came out tighter and the top looser than expected). In fact, I ended up cutting the bottoms too small entirely. I got clever and grabbed some white fabric with tiny red anchors on them and made stripes to add width to the bottoms. Hindsight, I should have added more. But she owns them.   melissaesplin-penelope-striped-romper-2 Here's what I did:
  • I traced a pair of shorts and sewed them up. Seeing that they were snug, I added the racing stripe by cutting down the sides and adding the strip.
  • I topstitched the strip to make it look more finished.
  • Next, I found a loose fitting shirt and cut out a pentagram shape. Leaving the top part a little longer so I could make a loop.
  • I cut the back taller than the front.
  • To assemble the top and bottom, I sewed up each of them separately, attached elastic to the shorts, then put right sides together and added the top (two rows of stitching at the waistline).
  • I hemmed the shorts, the arms and the neckline. I cut a tube of extra fabric and threaded it around the loops at the top and tied it in a bow.
  • Fini!
Penelope knows how to tie bows, so getting in and out of the romper isn't a big deal for her. It would be a little more complicated for a younger child. melissaesplin-penelope-striped-romper-4 melissaesplin-penelope-striped-romper-5 Sometimes I wonder how she got so old and grown up, then I get her a My Little Pony and I realize she's still in the throws of her childhood. I sigh in relief. She'll be starting second grade any day now. Am I the only one that loves back-to-school season? I love getting supplies, I love the new clothes, organizing everything and a fresh start with new teachers, new classmates and new things to learn. Outfit details:  melissaesplin-penelope-striped-romper-6