Okay, how did it get to be Thursday already?! I’ve been meaning to write this post all week!

Way, way back on Sunday, we had a nice Easter morning with Pearl! I was happy with the little things I made for her, and thanks to some coaxing and the chance to wear the ultra-beloved monster shirt underneath, she cheerfully wore her dress for hours. Victory!

I finished altering it a little bit first thing that morning, right before Pearl was up for the day (of course). I made it in a size 3 (I wasn’t sure if a 1976 size 3 would run a bit small, but it seems pretty true to the 3T range I’ve seen more recently) and put inch-wide tucks at both side seams to bring it down to more of a 2, catching the armholes a bit too.

My reasoning was

1. I really wasn’t sure if Pearl would willingly wear it this spring (see post from last week) and I didn’t want to break my own heart with a carefully fitted dress that gathered dust instead of chocolate stains before it was outgrown), and

2. I adore this fabric and wanted to make something with it that would have a longer life than a fleeting spring/summer run… enjoying the sight of it for two years (or maybe even three, as a top?) sounded a lot nicer, and

3. Pearl is so tall and lanky that even some size 2(T) stuff is too wide for her, so I would probably have had to alter it anyway.

My pattern hacks, if anyone is interested, are:

1. After putting in front and back facings, I could not deal with cramming in yet another layer of armhole facings, so I trimmed the yoke/armholes area a bit and added narrow off-white bias tape over the armholes. Love how this turned out, much more streamlined than three layers of fabric at the shoulders and I have more pretty scraps left over. I’m a big fan of bias edging in general, though.

2. I left off the cute apron panel, just because I loved the main fabric so much and didn’t want to hide it, and instead of the also-cute rick-rack, I added a row of embroidered stars around the collar, and sewed on a vintage mother-of-pearl button in the center. I liked these things, but Pearl loves buttons and stars and I hoped the additions would help coax her into a non-monster, non-dog item of clothing.

3. Instead of hemming it 3 1/4″ deep (!) with a blind hem as directed, I only brought it up about a half-inch, just a simple double-fold with a straight stitch. Once again, Pearl is a tall girl, and the drawing on the front of the pattern barely skims a regular-height-looking-kid’s diaper. Sure enough, this was a nice generous length for now, will probably fit even better for Easter 2011, and may even last as long as a little tunic for Easter 2012 (a girl can dream).

So, more than anyone who doesn’t also own Simplicity 7409 wanted or needed to know about my sewing this week! My other big project (besides the chocolate egg and bunny) was sewing a felted-sweater bunny for her Easter basket.

Last year I made a crinkly big-eyed owl for her first basket, and I really wanted to keep up the mini-tradition of two books and a handmade toy. So when I saw Sally at the chocolate craft morning and admired the two bunnies Pam sewed from her adorable pattern, I knew that was it! I added two covered-button eyes in Pearl’s favorite color for good measure, and used this tutorial for the pom-pom tail.

Pearl clutched the bunny tight while we read her new bunny-themed books (actually, these two were already in her collection, even better) and we had a really nice rest of the morning, with some sweet potato gnocchi, a trip to Multnomah Falls, and plenty of drawing to finish out the day!

I hope you had a nice weekend too!