ayashe blouse and skirt

 Over the weekend I got back to sewing and worked with a new pattern Ayashe from Figgy's. Thanks for all of your sweet comments on my sewing slump! This weekend it rained, no one had a cold and we didn't have any plans, perfect conditions for spending the hours in my sewing room. It felt great to get back to work!

 My second attempt at this top was much better than my first experience. I made the blouse in a size 2/3 but added about 2 inches to the length. Sophie can easily get swallowed up in tops that are too big for her, so I am really glad that I chose the smaller size for her.

The only problem I encountered is that her average 4 year-old sized head does not fit easily through the 2/3 neckline. When I opened it up more it gave her quite the plunging V-neck, not a look I was going for! I found a happy medium but it is still a struggle to put it on over her head. Any suggestions? Next time I may try some little ties or a button and loop.

For the skirt I went with a size 4/5. Sophie is tall for her age and I am hoping to get a lot of wear out of this skirt. I am a sucker for a little denim skirt! I love all of the pleats on this skirt and the pockets. 

 The pattern includes a nifty way to add elastic to the back of the waistband. This was essential for my little girl. The downside is that in order for it to stay on her waist I have to cinch it so much that I lose  some of the cute pleated details on the back. The elastic will be easy to let out, so I just have to wait patiently until her weight catches up to her height.

I am sure I will be making more versions of this pattern. There are several different options given for the blouse in the pattern and on the Figgy's blog they have a tutorial for making it into a dress. I am excited to be finding more great pattern lines to work with! I tend to stick with familiar favorites and not branch out too much. Have you tried any new patterns lately?