Cheerfully Observing Thread

 I made these pants from Burda Style pattern #6199 a couple years ago, and they are perfect for the Fourth of July (so long as it doesn’t get too hot)! They are made of a lighter weight linen/cotton blend, and the slit in the legs makes them cooler, too. I used double fold bias tape to finish off all the inside seams, which makes them look very professional inside. The tied belt in the front is a really fun aspect - very feminine and a little flirty.  Even if I don't wear them for the Fourth this year, they'll get plenty of use for other occasions!  

I wasn’t initially interested in the popular Zara shirt that sold out, or the knock-off available on Amazon, but then I saw this blue check gauze, and started thinking about the upcoming Fourth of July, and the beach, and other summery things, and I decided to my hand at making one. I used a cotton/Lycra knit for the fitted part, and attached the woven bottom part with a double needle  while stretching the top to meet the bottom and gather it automatically. The top part I made using this headband method , (I measured the length I wanted covered at the bust, doubled it and added an extra inch for the seam, and tapered it back to the center of the back [I cut it on the fold to help keep it even] to help it hang evenly around my body. For the width, I measured around my torso at the widest part of my bust, and subtracted two inches). I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out, at a fraction of the cost of the original and better quality than is usually found on Amazon! 

 How pretty is this grey and white striped cotton sundress with its tied shoulders?  It's from Butterick pattern #6205, which seemed perfect for this wider-striped fabric.  I love how it has the two tones of grey in it, with the slightly looser weave look to it.  I lined it with a cotton lawn, but it's still really light weight and cool for the hot months ahead.  I initially put a 1" non-roll elastic in it, but that turned out to be very heavy and stiff, so I pulled it out and put a 1/2" braided one instead, which was much better!