Chambray Shorts and a New Shirt

The final “signature looks” are up today on Project Run and Play (those ladies would love your vote!), and since I had been invited to participate I wondered what my signature look really was.  I have been tinkering around in the sewing room, and I decided that I really like looks with different fabrics, mixes of textures but not necessarily pattern.  In the process of my tinkering I sewed up some chambray shorts, and then I put a top together to compliment it.  Not as a whole my signature look, but still getting a good feel for what I do and do not like for clothes.

First, these shorts are so light and airy, I know exactly why chambray shirts are soooo popular.  It is crazy easy to sew with, but the texture is a bit different than regular cotton fabric because the weave is different. I only had a yard of it in my stash, but surely I will remedy that.  The pockets are lined in the yellow floral fabric, and have plenty of room for treasures.  I added a little keyhole (more like mouse hole?) detail, but I should have used a thinner bias tape, like 1/4” double wide.  I only have one bias tape maker though :)

The real bummer part?  My daughter wanted nothing to do with them, and I had to bribe her with candy just to put them on- and they had to go on OVER her little spandex shorts for her to do it too.  Even though they fit perfectly with their flat front waistband, front pleats, soft elastic waistband in the back, and lots of my love in them.  She really is picky with her clothes, hence why this other outfit was so important.

The shirt is a Denyse Schmidt quilt weight cotton from the clearance shelf at JoAnn Fabrics.  I got a ton of it to use for an eventual quilt back, but decided the flowers would be good for my girls to wear, and I cut into it.  I used a dress pattern and just cut it shorter (too short, according to the little picky child of mine).  After she tried it on for the first time, she whined she was too small for it (the sleeves are a bit loose, probably why she thought that) so I took it in on the sides.  She still wasn’t happy, so I threw a ribbon around it and magically, it was wearable since it had a bow.  3-year-olds. 

Now, I don’t really love sewing clothes with quilt-weight cotton.  I don’t.  There isn’t any body or drape to it.  So, why do we do it so often?  Because the cottons have such adorable prints, they are super hard to resist!  However, when I stitched up this dress for the baby, I found the massive amount of ruffles and gathers changed the body, since the dress became heavier and there was more fabric to go around.  It looked great on the baby and was just fine in the cotton. 

So, do I have a signature look?  I think I do, but this isn’t precisely it.  Love the shorts, just ‘like’ the shirt, mostly because I like the fabric print.  I have lots of ideas of what I would like to sew up that is more my signature style, so I will eventually get there!  Do you know what your signature style is?  Kind of hard to define, right?

(Still, I am glad I got these photos, my little girl has been such a stinker lately it is good to see her in her smiling, non-sassy form).