Cricket Top

 

Kessa has been reading the original Winnie the Pooh books and has fallen a bit in love with little Piglet.  One of my upcycle buddies was kind enough to get me a shirt for her and we turned it into this cute little number for summer!  

 

Now that she's getting a big older she's not liking dresses all the time but she still wants me to make her things.  The Cricket top from FooFoo Threads was right up her ally!   It has several different options included a neck ruffle and a bottom ruffle. 

One fun thing about this is that while the bodice needs to be made of knit you can use woven for the bindings and the drawstrings and even for the ruffles if you do them. 

(she's been watching the Odd Life Of Timothy Green.  Great movie!  ;) )

I did find that the length of the shirt without the ruffle was QUITE short, especially if you're planning on using the draw strings to ruche up the sides.  I think the finished length of a size 6 without the ruffle was something like 14".  That's way too short for my taste so I just lengthened it before I ever cut it. 

Also, according to the measurement chart I should have made Kessa about a size 3.  She wasn't home and after checking finished measurements I went with a 6 anyway.  Normally I go by the measurement chart because I know she's small but in this case I'm glad I did the 6. 

The chest on the 6 is a little wide.  The pattern tells you when to try it on your child and how to adjust that if it needs to be done but since Kessa wasn't home I just went with it.  Next time I'll still make the 6 but I'll take the arm holes/upper bodice in slightly so the binding doesn't run on her armpits.

Overall I think this is a great pattern.  It's fairly quick sew and the results are super cute for summer.  I just highly suggest that you check measurements...especially length...before cutting. 

Oh!  And one last thing...the pattern doesn't include it but I think I'm going to make some with just normal ruching on the sides with some elastic...I know some of my customers' children won't like the ties hanging down at their sides.

I plan to make the ruffled version soon for the shop or Grace.  There's also an adorable dress version (I bought this bundle pack with both the shirt and the dress and I think I might use the dress for Grace's Easter dress...if I actually get around to making them that is!  lol )