After discovering the Lekala patterns , I saved a few other styles I like for Monkey Pants and purchased this cute summer dress right away. I love the detailing on the bodice and I worked hard to convince Monkey Pants that she wanted a dress for summer. She is currently obsessed with rompers but wants nothing to do with dresses as they are just nonsense in her world of backyard shenanigans -you can't use them for swinging, riding a bike, jumping on the trampoline, she told me. Well, I promised her she'd love it because it would be sleeveless and cool for the summer heat, casual, and easy to wear. And it's been a success! Yay. Pattern:   Lekala Tunic Dress #42 30 Fabric: "Apparel" fabric from Hobby Lobby (cotton) Notions: buttons Total Cost:  $14 including pattern Size: Custom          Height 153cm          Bust 76cm          Underbust 66cm          Waist 62c...

After a very long hiatus from kids apparel sewing, I'm back in the thick of it making a summer wardrobe for this, now, teen girl. This would have been an excellent idea had I started in the spring but that's not how most of my projects get done. I stopped sewing for the kids mostly due to time. Driving them around to their activities took all of it! However, it's been difficult to find nice clothes for Monkey Pants pretty much after the age of nine. Nice clothes are no where to be found and fit is nearly impossible as she seems to be of elvish blood --short torso, wide shoulders. Because she's been in dance the last few years and attended a charter school last year, she's been either in school uniform or dance wear most of the time. But summer is definitely a time she needs, what I like to call "real clothes" and she was badly in need of shorts and cool, summer tops. The Shorts After making a thourogh review of all of our Ottobre magazin...