This week has been so much fun for me—who doesn’t love creating from all the goodies you’ve collected? When perusing my stash I decided to finally use a trio of Joel Dewberry voiles that I got a few years ago and have been waiting for just the right project. These beautiful prints are variations of one of my favorite color combinations—aqua and orange—and I knew I wanted to create something light, summery, and sophisticated for two of my girls. Going through the rest of my stash I found this teal linen-like fabric and knew it would be a great match for both the color and the style I was going for. After looking around for lots of inspiration I got really excited to do a look centered around asymmetrical button plackets and breezy peasant tops.

The teal linen was screaming to become a jumper, so I got out some wrapping paper with a grid on the back and started piecing together a bodice where the front panel is actually cut with the skirt, the button placket is on the left, and a third panel on the right balances things out. Let me just say figuring out how to put the bodice back together including a lining required a lot of thought, trial, and unpicking. But it was so worth the effort.

I love how the skirt sides are gathered and come to a square while the center is flat and sleek. It gives the skirt just enough volume without being too cutesy or detracting from the bodice.

In the back, I wanted there to be a smooth curve around the shoulder blades but to be taller in the center. Kind of like refined overalls, which pair perfectly with peasant shirts.

I love how the crispness of the linen accentuates all the greatness of the design and there’s no pattern to detract from the lines. And the only thing that might steal attention? Three similar but different brass buttons that add some contrast, depth, detail, and break up the solid teal. It’s perfection.

For the peasant shirt, I used a tutorial from Indietutes.com to get the basic shape of the peasant shirts pieces but found her calculations were off for my thin kids. But it was a great place to start. I sewed the first peasant shirt with no extras since it was going under a jumper and I didn’t want it to be the star since it really wouldn’t be seen much.

My youngest is such a petite little thing I often worry that loud prints or colors will drown her out (she’s also got strawberry blond hair and the fairest skin possible). So I chose the lightest of the voile prints for her shirt and I love that this jumper and shirt combo allows her cuteness to shine and be comfortable at the same time. And really, does it get any better than this joyous summer shot?

My second daughter also got an amazing outfit for this week (don’t worry, my oldest daughter is slated for the next two weeks if I’m still in the competition) that showcases her fun personality.

I decided to forgo the sleeves and add a flounce to the second peasant shirt. Construction wise, it changed the order of operations quite a bit since I needed to finish the armscye and use the flounce as part of the neckline. I love that the print on this one gets to shine—the paisleys are so happy and the light voile is a perfect weight for the flounce. I made this second peasant shirt quite a bit longer—I wanted her to be able to tuck it in when needed or leave it flowing when it’s super hot.

To go with the flounced peasant shirt, I knew I wanted a straight-to-wide-legged culotte with an offset button placket to tie in with the jumper but have its own look. I started with the Number 9 trousers from Shwin Designs in a lightweight stretch denim I had on hand (from when I decided I was going to make all my girls’ school clothes and then promptly realized that wasn’t going to happen since we were moving). I also split the front leg pieces to add a front seam, eliminated the front faux fly, and added a button placket to the left front leg. In adding the waistband, I attached it so it’s aligned with the button placket for fully functioning opening in front even though the elastic-backed waist makes it so this wasn’t necessary.

And that third Joel Dewberry voile print? I snuck it into the pocket linings on both the slant front pockets and the welt pocket in the back. Pops of color are so fun when making your own clothes. Actually I love all the details on these culottes. They’re sophisticated but not too snobby to be paired with a peasant shirt.

And the brass buttons on both looks? Those came from my grandma’s rather extensive brass button collection that I cherish. When I first got all her buttons after she passed away, I started sorting them into colors, and soon realized how many brass buttons she had collected. At the time I sort of laughed because I didn’t know what to do with them, but I keep finding perfect uses for them and I love that I’m giving my kids a little piece of their great grandma and a little piece of me in each thing I add them to (and really, aren’t these fabulous buttons?).

So now that you’ve read all about the things I made for this week, I hope you’re ready to go vote! Voting is over at Project Run & Play again and I guarantee you won’t regret checking out all the other looks.

And my other hope? That you’ve been inspired to go find something in your stash and you get to create something (and then add it to the sew along link up at PR&P to win prizes)!

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