Peppy Le Phew!

It worked!  I'm so pleased!

So, after finding the below retro fabrics I decided to have a go at a Peplum top for the Rosebud, thinking that the Kitten fabric definitely needed to be used in at least one retro outfit.

I mean, how retro is that fabric???  Seriously, I keep having flashbacks to the early eighties.  Not sure when it was around, but those kittens look veeeeeeeerrrrrrryyyyyyyy familiar...

Anyway, I searched high and low for a peplum top pattern for kids.  And do you think I could find one?

No!  Zilch.  Zero.  Nada.  Nuffin.  Not a single peplum pattern for kids to be found.

(Side note: I did find another awesome blog though - Jorth.blogspot.com - you should check it out.  Another one to add to my regular reading list.  And she made this very cool peplum top which has now made me add "peplum top" to my list of post-baby bump sewing for myself.)

Despite my search being fruitless was unperturbed.  I was determined.  I wanted that peplum top if it was the last thing I did.  So, I made my own pattern.

I know.  A-ma-zing.  I am also totally shocked at my resourcefulness at 8 months pregnant.  And not only did I make my own pattern, but I am really, really happy with how it turned out.

Like, "I am totally happy for the Rosebud to be seen in public wearing it" kind of happy.

Don't mind the photos.  It was, once again, a fight to get them.  There were a lot of photos that looked like this...

And then, of course, she decided she really had to sit in my quickly decreasing lap, right at that particular moment.

And in my attempt to escape to a better vantage point for taking photos I must have offended her because then she was off.  Tears and all.

Oh well.  All for a good cause.  Fashion :)

Here she is - my prototype.  Up close and personal.

A simple silhouette.  Didn't want anything too flashy with that fabric!  I was a little too scared to cut into that kitten fabric on my first peplum attempt.  I stayed with the retro look though - orange fans - very 70s-esque.

With an open-back circular skirt.

Lesson learned - don't use a one-way print on circular skirts.  Looks a bit weird.  But still totally wearable and pretty cute I think.

To make the skirt I had to google the equation for figuring out the diameter of a circle when you know the circumference.  It was eleven o'clock at night.  But, blow me down, I got it right.  First time.  No wasted fabric.  Phew.

Definitely more peplum tops in the future for the Rosebud.  I've got one in mind with little ruffles on the shoulders, and a gathered skirt, instead of circular.  And I saw this beautiful Japanese cherry blossom fabric that would be just right.  Maybe one with a little lace collar...?

But, now I'm not sure if that's how I want to attack that cute kitten fabric...   I'm thinking a pinafore...  and it might need rick-rack...