Baby Doll Shirt

Sewing can’t always be about the kids!  Sometimes it’s important to sew for yourself too!  And with spring right around the corner and my return to work impending (less than a month) I thought I’d freshen up my wardrobe with a few things made for me.

My lovely sister-in-law sent me Christine Haynes’ book Chic and Simple Sewing after seeing me lust after it in a quilt shop.  I decided to make this baby doll shirt first, and I’m very pleased with how it turned out. Pardon the goofy photo – next time I’ll model it against my back fence or something, but in the meantime, here it is.

The book is called “Chic and Simple” and the shirt was indeed simple to put together – it took me about an hour and a half.  It’s definitely a baggy baby doll, but I like the look.  It would also be cute tucked in to a high-waisted skirt or pants.

My sister-in-law warned me that some of the reviews on Amazon Canada were a bit negative.  But I’m pleased with it – there are several projects in it that I’d like to do, including a couple of tops, a dress, and a very basic skirt.  The author also includes some basic techniques, like learning working with bias tape and gathering. Another feature I really liked is that it tells you exactly which pattern pieces to cut out for each project. I have a few books like this, and in some of them you really have to hunt to find what you’re supposed to cut out, and halfway through you might realise you forgot a cuff or a facing.

The book is definitely one for very beginners – none of the projects are remotely tailored, and hence are all quite casual. There are no zippers or even buttonholes.  Still, I think this is a great book for someone just starting to make clothing. I know it’s given me some confidence. Although I haven’t shied away from making stuff for the kids, for some reason I’ve been intimidated to make things for myself. But since this top worked out so nicely, my next project for me is going to be a linen and silk jacket from another, slightly more advanced, level book I have.

(Fabric for the shirt is from Denyse Schmidt’s Hope Valley Collection in Piney Woods.)