Polka Dot Play Shorts...and Top

 Stretchy, colorful, comfy shorts! Perfect for play.

This is a self-drafted shorts pattern. I just used a pair of my daughter's pants as a guide, shortening to the desired length. I added the pink trim just to be fancy. ;) For the roll-top waist, I referred to Modkid's Yoga Shorts to guide me on the non-elastic waistband. I love the look.

 The shorts came second, actually. I made this top, modeled in part after The Audrey Cape (I made two capes of my own), but with a few alterations and adjustments.

 The Cape is cut like a circle skirt. My top is cut more like an oval, with the longer parts in the front and back. I sewed about 3" from the bottom around 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock (if you imagine the top looks like a clock)to make sleeves. I also used elastic thread for the neck line and pleated it a little too before sewing on a ribbon bow. To finish off the top, I hemmed the bottom (do this part before sewing the sleeves) and added a tag.

And voila! A hip and breezy top to dress up or down for summer.

Together, the shorts and top might be a little too much polka dotting? So I'm hoping to mix up these pieces with some solids. I think my eyes are starting to cross.

Reach, reach!

 

But I love the look of these knee-length stretchy shorts. My daughter is always running and has had so many scraped knees. My hope is that these shorts will protect her baby skin a little bit better as she hops and skips and plays.

Nice baby lounge-wear too, I think.

I'm adding these shorts to the Shorts on the Line Flickr pool hosted by Designs by Sessa. Check out the other pretty pieces!