Spring Top, mini-style

I know this totally defeats the purpose of Rae’s Spring Top Event, since we’re supposed to use this time to sew for ourselves, but I made my kid a shirt.  What can I say?  Her little body is a cutely rounded rectangle whereas mine is the recovering battleground of a devastating pregnancy war.  I’m definitely getting close to normal, but I’ve still got some weird bulkiness around my shoulders and of course my gut that I’m going to get rid of before I make anything for this body.  The biggest fit issue, I’m happy to report, are my fancy new nursing bosoms.  This is the last time I’ll see those puppies and I’m not in a hurry for them to go away!

So, enough about my boobs and muffin top, and on to the shirt:

I straight up copied this from a shirt I saw worn by a little girl in real life.  Living in Asia is pretty terrific as far as sewing inspiration goes.  Everything here is just girly and frilly and ruffled and decked out with bows and scallops and lace and rosettes.  I think the word I’m looking for is DARLING.  It’s just darling.

I don’t know if I can personally carry off the “darling” look, but I’ll force it on my kids for awhile.

It’s just a simple dolman style knit top that I cut at the empire waist to allow for some color blocking.  The bottom portions (front and back) are cut wider and then gathered in the centers.  I used a neck facing so I wouldn’t mess up the lines with ribbing.  You could make this shirt with your eyes shut.

And just for fun, the top fabric has built-in sparkle!  (which I now realize you can’t really see unless you put your nose 1 inch from your computer screen and squint.  So get to it.)