Strawberries and mushrooms: A smock top for Cate

Lately, I've become a little obsessed with the idea of using up the fabric I already have laying around the house, mostly so that I can buy new fabric.  A lot of that fabric is quilting cotton, purchased in small quantities sometime before Cate was born with the vague idea that I would make tons of baby clothes for her.  Having never gotten around to that, I've decided to try to use up as much as I can in making clothes for her now.  I mean, what's the point of keeping it for "the right project"?  Will there ever be a right project?

This top was made using a pattern from Sew Classic Clothes for Girls. I really love the fabric with the red and white mushrooms on a blue background and wanted to make something sweet but not over the top with it.  The fabric is actually a remnant, I previously used it on the lining of her cape for her first Halloween.  Red and white always makes me think of strawberries in the summer. So, I decided to call it the Strawberries and Mushrooms top.Absolutely everything for this project came from my stash.  Some of it, such as the lace trim, I have no idea why I purchased it in the first place.  It was obviously for some project I had in mind but heck if I know what it was.  Same for the red gingham.  The red with white polka dots I used for an ill-fated muslin of the Sorbetto top for myself.  The buttons came from my MIL's button box, but I think she actually got them from her mother's button box--heirloom buttons, I guess.  The facing is muslin for making muslins.

Seriously, can you stand the cuteness?

The top turned out really well--it really looks fantastic on her.  The only thing I would change is that I messed up the button placket in the back.  I forgot about it being a placket and attached the lower part of the shirt all the way across the bodice pieces in the back which made it a little awkward for buttoning.*  I almost switched it to a different style of closure, but I really wanted to use those buttons, so I finagled it a bit.  I don't think it's noticeable unless you are looking for it.  Also, the pockets might have benefited from a little lightweight interfacing or something because the gingham is very lightweight and so they are a little floppy.  Oh well, you live and learn, right?  In any case I'm pretty proud of most of the sewing.  I used french seams on the side seams to make it nice and tidy on the inside and the lace went in just beautifully on the first try!  I practiced the buttonholes on some scrap fabric before doing the ones on the top and I'm very pleased with the way they turned out.

But the real kicker is that Cate looks so adorable in it, I just want to eat her up!  And, make about 10 more similar tops so she can look this cute all summer.

*One of the disadvantages of sewing only between 10pm and 2am is that I'm not always at my best, mentally.