Bloom Where You're Planted: Spring Tunic Tutorial

So, I had my first (I think) bad mom moment with Chunks today. I'm sure I've had others in his 9 months of life, but I can't think of them right now. We're a co-sleeping family--gasp! No, that's not the bad part. Upon thorough research, co-sleeping when done properly and safety precautions are used is actually very safe, just like a crib. You wouldn't put your baby in an unsafe crib (ie., broken, loose crib mattress, pillows etc), so don't put your baby in an unsafe co-sleeping environment, right? (down comforter, extra pillows, large gap between the wall, drunk parent, etc). Here's where my moment comes in. Our room is upstairs and we have a baby monitor for this precise reason, but I forgot to turn it on :( Who knows how long little Chunks was up there babbling to himself before he decided no one was coming for him, so he decided to come get me himself and crawled right off the bed...headfirst! I heard the thud and started running towards the stairs. As I reached the 3rd stair, the screaming began. By the time he was in my arms, the hiccoughing had begun. It was all so sad, it broke this mama's heart! He's fine luckily, but he probably has a headache because he's been in a foul mood ever since. For all of you anti co-sleepers out there: don't worry, we're moving the mattress to the floor tonight and I'm sure your baby has never climbed out of his crib, right? uh-huh.

I decided to make SweetPea a tunic this week and even though I have piles of fabric, I needed something new to inspire me. A friend told me about a local fabric store that carries Amy Butler and Heather Bailey (2 of my favorites) so i decided to go check them out. Well, after driving 35 minutes I was a bit disappointed. She warned me the selection was small, but honestly, they had about 60 bolts of fabric in the whole place and it was all $10.50 a yard! Even for designer fabric, I'm used to paying $7.50 a yard. What little they had was super cute, but the store was just outrageous. The concept is that you pick some fabric and they'll applique something on a shirt, pillow, whatever for you. Pretty cool idea, except that a toddlers basic white tshirt with a heart on it was $40! I've appliqued, it's not that hard. I guess rich people like it though, cause they're in business somehow. The rational side of me said, "get your heiney outta here and just go to Hobby Lobby", but the irrational side said, "I've already driven 35 minutes, both kids are asleep and its all soooo pretty..." I bought 3 yards. Lucky for you, I made a tutorial and it's super easy because I already worked out all the kinks while making the pattern. and trust me...there were kinks. Isn't it pretty? I like to do a lot of pictures for these type of tutorials, so bear with me.

What you'll need:
1/2 yard printed cotton fabric
1/4 yard solid cotton fabric (I used Kona White)
1/8 yard coordinating fabrics ( I used 2 different prints, but 1 would be fine)
a loose fitting t-shirt or tank top
sewing machine, scissors or rotary blade, pencil, and matching thread
Iron and ironing board

Happy face!

Alright, lets start-

Fold the solid fabric in half and lay the tshirt(also folded in half) on the fold ^^

It's hard to see in the picture, but lightly trace around the outline of the shirt about 1/2" extra on each side. Don't trace the sleeves, just the seam so that you'll have a tank top. For the length: It's going to be an empire waist, so it only needs to be about 2" longer than the armpit hole. (From shoulder to the bottom mine is 7 1/2 inches total. I've left alot of extra room at the bottom for errors, but it will be 6" long once the bottom piece is sewn on). You need 2 of these. One for the front and one for the front lining.

Then, using the back of the shirt as a guide, do the same thing 2 more times(1 for the back, and 1 for the back lining). The neckline should be higher, just like the back of the tshirt you are using as your guide (see next picture).

I prefer using lining on bodices. I know it takes more fabric, but it makes it way easier and faster in the long run, trust me.

Pin the identical pieces together; both fronts together, both backs together. (note how the back has a higher neckline).

Measure exactly down the center of the back piece and cut a straight line and pin.

Sew up all of the sides (neck, arm holes and 2 inches below arm holes)EXCEPT the bottom, leave that open. Do this to all 3 of your pinned pieces and trim off any excess fabric. Remove the pins and turn them all right side in and press with a hot iron.

Line up the front and back pieces, pin in place and sew at the shoulders and sides(chest area). Turn right side in, and press the seams open.

If you have a Serger, serge the seams. If not (like me) use a zigzag stitch to finish all the rough edges so that they don't fray in the wash. My sewing machine and I have a love/hate relationship. It cost me $20 at Target and it's Singer which means its a good manufacturer and is the only reason it has lasted me this long. I've had it about 3 years, but I've used it weekly(or daily) for the past 2 or so. I'm shocked it's still running. It gets REALLY hot after about 30 minutes of sewing and the tension starts going crazy, hence the stitching mess you see above. I usually let it slide if it's an inside seam because I'm too lazy to constantly be adjusting my tension.

The next thing you want to do is grab the fabric that you'll be using for the front placket and the back ties. You're going to make bias tape, even though we won't be using it as bias, you'll need to know how and what it's called later on. Measure out 3, 5 1/2" x 3 1/4" strips. Fold one strip long ways and crease it with your fingers. Open it up and you'll see a faint crease down the center. Take each side of the strip and fold it long ways, in towards the center so that you have 2 perfectly even sides with that finger crease down the middle. Confused? See the picture right there^^. Press down with an iron and make 2 more.

Take 2 strips, flip them over and center them on the bodice side by side, overlapping about 1/4" in the middle and pin in place. Mine are a little uneven, but it won't matter in the end.

Center the last strip down the center of the bodice, in between the first two and pin in place at the top and at the bottom.

So now we're going to make the ties for the back of the dress. It starts out like making bias tape. Measure out 1, 7 1/2"x 2" strip and 1, 8 1/2 "x 2" strips. Make the bias tape just like before. Pin and press.

The difference is, now cut right down the center where the finger crease is. Do this with both strips, which will leave you with 2, 7 1/2" strips and 2, 8 1/2" strips.

take those individual strips and make bias tape AGAIN (I know, I know...), except this time, make one side overlap the other, and then tuck the rough edge under to make a seam, pin and press in place. Do this to all 4 strips.

Tuck the ends in and pin and press in place.

Sew down the center of each strip. There, done with those, thank goodness! Set them aside for later.

I don't have a picture for the next step, so I'll do my best at describing it for you. Grab the 1/2 yard print that you're using for the skirt. Adjust your machine to the ruffle setting. If you are old school or have a terribly simple machine, like myself, follow these instructions: Set your machine to the loosest stitch length (for me it's 9) and the loosest tension (for me it's 0). Using a 1/4" seam allowance sew a straight line the width of your fabric (about 44" usually). Ta Da! You should have a ruffle. Reset all of your settings back to normal before you continue.

Grab the bodice and lay it on top of the ruffled edge, right sides facing in.

Line up the bottom edge of the bodice and the ruffled edge and pin in place. Make sure it's even and straight across the bottom of the bodice. Also, make sure the placket is tucked in so that it gets sewn in place as well.

As you sew keep the ruffle straight and away from the needle so that you don't accidentally run it over (no, of course I've never done that!). Iron the inside seam down and finish the edge to prevent fraying.

Almost done!

Technically, this should have been done back when you were stitching the lining to the bodice, but, I forgot. So, I'll tell you both ways. Proper way: When you line up both sides of the bodice in back, slip these inside before you sew it up. The long ones are for the bottom, short for the top. All of the strip would be inside of the bodice, so that when you turn it right side in, they'd be on the outside, stitched in place. If all that was a bit too much for you without pictures, or you're like me, and you forgot...The way I did it: Place the short strips 1/4" from the top and the the long strips 1 1/2" from the bottom of the bodice. This way, when we top stitch the bodice, it will also sew on the ties.

Now it's time to do some top stitching. I prefer to do this extra step because it gives the shirt a more finished and professional look, in my opinion. On the front placket, stitch along the edge of the fabric down all 4 edges. Get as close to the edge as you feel comfortable with, of use the right side of your pressure foot as a guide for a bigger, 1/4" look.

Alright, one more piece of bias tape from your other coordinating fabric. It needs to be cut 2 1/2" wide and 1/2" longer than the measurement of the neckline. Ours will probably be different since we're using different shirts as a template.

starting at one of the edges, begin pinning the bias tape along the top of the bodice front. See above pictures. Stitch in place using a 1/4" from the top seam allowance.

Now fold the excess fabric over the neckline and pin down to the inside of the bodice. Trim any extra of the placket fabric so that it all looks neat on the inside too. Then, stitch it all down using a 1/4" from the bottom seam allowance.

Top stitch the arm openings using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Measure your child to see how long you want your tunic to be. I made mine 11 1/2" before it was hemmed. SweetPea is on the tall side for a 2 yr old. The length of 3T pants is usually perfect on her even though she's still a 2T in the waist.

Now that the bodice is the length you want it, pin the open back right sides together and sew it up. Sew all the way up to the solid top part of the bodice and back stitch. Finish your inside seams and turn right side in.

Top stitch down the back of the bodice, securing the ties as you stitch. I used a bright color thread so that it'd be easier to see, but I'd choose white in the future. Next, hem the bottom of the shirt. I used a french seam to keep it from fraying. This means that you fold it under once, and stitch it in place. then, fold it under again, and stitch over that.