Pool Side Beach Party Tour

I’m so excited to join in the super fun Pool Side Beach Party tour!  Make sure you make it to the end for a fun giveaway and links to all the other great blogs on the tour.

These cute cousins just can’t get enough of each other.  In matching swim suits, they couldn’t be more adorable!

I just had to include this cutie and that belly when I started planning for the Pool Side Beach Party Tour!  Don’t you just want to eat her up!!

We used a handful of patterns and hacked away to get these looks.  This one is sporting The Uptown Bathing Suit by Little Finch Patterns.  I’ve had it on my to-sew list since it released.

Sophie is wearing a little Peekaboo Pattern Shop– the fabric came from PAB and I used these bottoms.  The top is a modified Cosi featuring a cascade ruffle that I just had to do after seeing my pal Karly’s cute suits.  The headbands are Barb’s Headband, a free pattern from Simple Life Pattern Company.

These two are in modified Cosi’s also.

I feel like this post should be titled ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Darling’ 😉

The Good- My sister has lived thousands of miles away in Alaska for far too long and she’s here for the summer with her darling little family.  We spent the day sewing up these suits together and it was THE BEST!  We’ve spent far too many hours on the phone or FaceTiming about our sewing questions and creations and it was ‘simply marvelous’ being in the same room sewing!  Can’t wait for more of those days in the next couple months.

The Bad- I’d love to say that sewing these up was a breeze but that’s just not how it went down.  This cute suit from Little Finch needs a little TLC.  The pattern has some drafting issues which were easy to smooth out and it came together so, so fast.  I did a 6 width with an 8 length and it fit like a glove.  The way the front tie is constructed per pattern instructions she couldn’t get it over her head so we improvised and I sewed one end of the tie down to the center front and we just wrap it around her neck and tie.  It has a heck of a time staying up on her chest but I think a little clear elastic in the top band would help.  I will definitely make this suit up again and try to tweak it further to get it perfect.  It’s too cute to give up on- I love the cut of the legs and the sleek, sophisticated style!

This suit gave me a run for my money.  Those bottoms- ugh!  I’ve made them multiple times and every time I think ‘I need to fix this pattern to fit better’ and I’ve never gotten it quite right.  The pattern is one simple piece with the same front and back rise.  If you look at that tiny booty you might think that’d be just fine but it’s always bugged her and the back is always dangerously close to over-exposing a  little toosh.  I added a wide waistband this time after hacking off the elastic at the waist.  I finally redrafted the pattern and sewed up a new pair in the hot pink fabric that she can wear with this top too.

I love the ruffle detail and wider neck straps I hacked on this top.  I think I need to make another version with a few little tweaks to get it just perfect.

This cute chub and that belly were a bit of trouble for the high-waisted Cosi bottoms.  My sister chopped off a couple inches and added a waistband and I’m just loving this two-piece and that tummy!  Not bad for my sister’s very first swimsuit, right?!

This tiny girl just turned one and the smallest size in the Cosi (6 mos) was still a little big in the chest.  With a little pleat and a decorative bow, this suit is now the perfect fit!

Ok- now for the Darling!  C’mon, little girls in swimsuits is just about the cutest thing ever!

Have you keeled over from cuteness overload yet?!!

One more to push you over the edge…

Make sure you check out all the other stops on this fun tour.  So much summertime inspiration!

Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for your chance at this awesome prize package:
2 patterns of choice* from Mouse House Creations
1 pattern of choice* from 5 Out of 4 Patterns
1 pattern of choice* from Chalk and Notch
*Excludes bundles
Open Internationally

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Starts at 12am EDT June 29th, ends 12am EDT July 1st. Giveaway winner will be notified by email and will have 72 hours to respond before a new winner is pulled.