Oh, What a Difference!

I am not big on remaking clothing. I have a hard time tearing into something that already looks cute just to make it into something else. Then, I got this cute little cardigan super cheap.

I loved it, but it made my toddler girl look more like a toddler boy. I wasn't loving that. A friend suggested adding some ribbon to the placket. I thought about that for about 6 months before I came up with the following idea that would, essentially, remake the cardigan (baby steps...). I was also motivated by the jumper that I found in a box in the basement because I knew it would work perfectly with this cardigan.

The jumper just needed a little pizzazz. It was cute the first time around, but it was a different daugheter with a different personality. All it needed for Lady-Loo was a little ruffle. Very easy and it added a lot! All I did is make a tube with the pink polka dot fabric. I ironed the tube flat and then gathered it to make a ruffle. I sewed the ruffle along the bottom and it's done. Looks so much more sweet and fun than it did before!

The cardigan was a little more work, but not much! After removing the buttons, I sewed homemade bias tape (using my favorite pink polka dot fabric again) around the entire placket including around the neckline.

I sewed a piece of ribbon to each corner of the neck opening so the cardigan could tie together at the top.

Finally, I made a tube out of nylon chiffon, gathered it into a ruffle, and attached it to the sweater on top of the bias tape.

That's it. I didn't do much, but, Oh, what a difference!

Now, if I could just get that squirmy little girl to let me take a picture of her in it, that would make a huge difference, too. These pictures are a little "flat" and a real person would breathe more life into it. But, I can't figure out what bribe will make her do it. Besides, she has been sick, so I didn't want to be the meanie.

This is what she does most of the time when I ask to take her picture.
I only have so much to work with here!