Back to School Tour

Bean starts Kindergarten next week(!!!), so it’s the perfect excuse to share some Back To School looks with a tour organized by Sprouting JubeJube and Lulu & Celeste.

I love the Paneled Sunsuit pattern for school so I made a few versions for Bean. I started these earlier this summer with the hope that they’d be long finished by the time school came around, but of course I only finished them last week. I guess that means these will be fresh for school then, right?

First up is the basic Paneled Sunsuit (use coupon code BTS2016 for 20% off pattern in the Etsy shop!!). The view that gave the pattern its name. This is how I envisioned the pattern being worn. The sizing goes from newborn to 12 years and while it is super adorable on the babies and littles, in my mind the style was designed for the elementary school to tween ages.

The comfort of the stretchy straps and ease of getting the sunsuit on and off is a big feature, but those pockets with the faux piping might be my favorite. Also, the elastic ruffling at the legs is sweet, but not overly precious, while adding some modesty in length and in keeping the leg openings close to the leg.

Assembly line sewing a bunch of things has its down side too. Somehow I missed adding the back elastic to the bodice of this sunsuit! You can tell from the front that it’s not as snug as it should be and I adore that back ruffling detail, so I’ll go back in and add it, but I was so disappointed during the photo shoot when I realized it.

I didn’t forget the back elastic in this Paneled Sunsuit jumper version though! I adore how it ends up looking like a top tucked into a skirt rather than a one-piece.

Both of these Paneled Sunsuits use size 6 for all the pieces. I still can’t believe when I started drafting this pattern Bean was in a 2t. How much she’s grown! The fit in this jumper is perfect, yet will allow for some growth this fall.

This is a good reminder that I need to cut out a few of the Paneled Sunsuit skirt views too. The ones she used as separates last year are too short now and it’s a super quick way to boost the closet options.

These fabrics are all from Imagine Gnats *(affiliate link), except for the skirt of the jumper – that was from JoAnn last year sometime. You know I love the fabrics at Imagine Gnats, but the cotton lawn floral from the jumper top and the cotton lawn solid purple used in the piping details and for the lining of the sunsuit are absolutely gorgeous; so soft and drapey. The solid Cambridge cotton lawn *(affiliate link) is a bit translucent, but it works perfectly in something that is lined or for a lining. And the colors are stunning. The herringbone used in the sunsuit is silky soft and I’m already dreaming up something for myself in that fabric. I don’t see it available right now, but luckily I have some leftover. And finally the lining/details purple solid of the jumper is one of the lovely artisan cottons *(affiliate link) she carries, and again the colors are stunning (the blue piping in the jumper version is artisan cotton too).

Can you believe this goofball is going to be in Kindergarten?!? We’re both so excited about this next step, and I’m sure I’ll be blogging a lot more school stuff in the coming weeks, but first….back to the tour…. there’s a Grand Prize and a Sew-Along so be sure to find out all the details on this post from Sprouting JubeJube. Also be sure to enter TODAY’s giveaway through the rafflecopter below. Enter by August 23rd at 11:59pm EDT to win 1 PDF pattern from Filles à Maman and 1 PDF pattern from The Eli Monster. *excludes bundles