a boo boo order into woo hoo! ruffle tanks!

Have you ever ordered fabric and out of sheer excitement and really didn't look at the yardage description!?!?!  Well I did.  I ordered some beautiful fabric from Fabricworm (LOVE) and did not look at the yardage and got fat quarter squares!!!! I was a little bummed at myself at first, but like all of us fabric hoarders, I knew that I could do something with it!

BTW, Fabricworm was awesome, some of the material was out of stock and after a few emails back and forth they had replacements ready and shipped out!  Great customer service!

So after I was finished pouting, I said out loud "ruffle-tanks!"  trust me I got a few stares from the offspring, but they are used to their crazy mama and went right along with their coloring. 

So I let the girls paruse through the fabric, and with a little mama persuasion,  they picked out two pieces to make their tops. 

At nap time I drafted a pattern from a tee that fits Graceanne well, for the length, and shoulder height.

I didn't take any pictures of the process of making her shirt, dang it.  But have no fear, I made two more!

I traced the pattern on both fabrics, I ended up making the back and front neck line the same, I did not keep the back neck line higher.  I used one fabric for the front, and a different coordinating fabric for the back and front ruffle.  When tracing the back fabric I only folded over the fabric half way to leave enough fabric for the ruffle.

I cut the ruffle the length of the fat quarter, and made it 3 inches wide.  I ended up cutting each end off to match up with the curve of the armhole. 

I then ran the ruffle strip through my serger to finish the edge with a rolled hem.  Next I ran a gathering stitch along the opposite edge.

Pull on the gathering stitch to create the ruffle around the neck of the top front piece, pin in place and stitch it down.

I made bias tape with a coral ribbed knit, it is hard to find pretty ribbed knit fabric!  I made 4 pieces, 1 for the front ruffle, back neck opening, and 2 for each arm hole.  I made those 10 inches longer than the armhole to create a bow tied on each shoulder. 



 before pinning the bias tape down I cut the edge of the ruffle around the arm hole.

I love how easy these were!  They will be worn a lot this summer!

These were a perfect match for my ordering boo boo!  I still have 8 squares left!  But I am ready for the challenge of thinking of something to make!