Sometimes I get a wild hair and just go on a bit of a sewing bender. Last week was that week around here, and I was happily puttering around on my sewing machine for several days in a row when time allowed.

Each of these three outfits employs my handy dandy ruffled pants tutorial. I can whip up a pair of ruffled pants in about thirty minutes, typically, and they are such a sweet staple for a little lady’s wardrobe! I made these peachy-melon pants to coordinate with a dress of mine, then added a fabric flower (you can also read my tutorial for that super easy craft, here) and a few buttons to a white t-shirt.

But what I really wanted was a more involved top, so I worked on that the next morning, looking at an existing shirt as a guide and for sizing.

I am realizing more and more that I would much rather figure out how to make something from scratch rather than using a paper sewing pattern. Go fig.

A little wrinkled after a busy and fun morning at church, Sis rocks the look nonetheless. [On a side note: Too bad that kid’s so camera shy.]

I can only imagine what a shi-shi children’s boutique might charge for a cute outfit like this! My cost? Under $10 total. Hachacha!

Then, since apparently I am a little crazy, I made a third shirt option for this outfit. This peasant style top started out its life as an old bed sheet. I also added a fabric flower and buttons to its front, just like the tee.

That one turned out so cute that I grabbed some cute, fun fabric languishing away in my stash and whipped up another one, this time in aqua.

Oh.My.Gracious. This is one of the favorite outfits I’ve ever made for her, I think.

Some friends have already asked for a CampClem pictorial tutorial for this shirt, so I’ll make sure to snap gobs of step-by-step pics the next time I make one.

[UPDATE: Here’s a tutorial for a very similar piece: the knot top. It’s tie-waist makes the measurements much easier, since you don’t have to have a fitted bodice, wheee!]

My next sewing project was an upcycle.

I had made this simple pillowcase dress a couple of years ago at Thanksgiving. So the dress became pants!

The simple peasant shirt is constructed from a large scrap piece of olive green toile. I love it: totally sweet, simple, and adorable. And the dress-turned-pants were okay… But they REALLY needed some ruffles.

And who am I not to oblige when ruffles are involved?!

Sis approves. And I am *loving* the super tall ruffle on the leg hem, YES!

So there you have it, while trying to keep my head above water during these first couple of weeks of school, I have sneaked in a favorite stress therapy: sewing for Sis, hooray!

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