IS•LY | I Still Love you

I like thrift shopping. A lot. Last week I was in the little boys department looking for my favorite button-ups (for me) when I found the most adorable button up in greenish-teal plaid. I had to have it. It was a boy’s size 8, which is too small for me, and too big for Penelope. I bought it anyway. It was just too cute. Maybe Penelope will fit into it in 6 years?

After I brought it home, I knew that in 6 years not only would fashion be different, but she’d be dressing herself by then. I had to make it fit her now so I could take advantage of my great thrift find. So, what do I always do? Make it work.

Sorry for the crappy before & during photos. I couldn’t wait for decent lighting to work on the project. Here’s what I did in list form:

• lay the shirt flat
• cut out the sleeves
• lay one of Penelope’s shirts over the new shirt
• marked the waist & shoulder measurements & cut
• cut the sleeve to 3″ long on inseam
• cut a 1″ strip of biased tape – for sleeve hem
• cut 2 strips out of sleeve remnants for ruffle
• zig zag stitched edges of ruffle
• gathered ruffle
• attached ruffle
• stitched sides up
• gathered sleeves
• sewed sleeves to the shirt
• sewed biased tape to sleeve hem
• cut strip of jersey fabric for waist tie
• zig-zag stitched all seams

This project cost $1 to make & took just under an hour. I would’ve finished it sooner, if Chris hadn’t started watching Lost. Sheesh. I paired her new shirt dress with skinny jeans (Check out Susan’s tutorial on skinnies) and saddle shoes on Friday (below) and then paired the shirt dress with bloomers, leggings and saddle shoes on Sunday (above). I love this color on her so much, but not as much as I love her. Ooo, she’s such a cutie.

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