Okay, this week I cheated. I didn’t see this idea on Pinterest. It came out of the necessity to stop Ainsley from whining. She’d just watched a movie about mermaids and desperately wanted to become one. She asked me to make her a mermaid top. I told her I didn’t know how. “Yes, you do.” she said. (why is it that children – at least mine – think their mothers are magic and know how to do everything??)
After arguing for several minutes that I didn’t have material or a pattern and No! I was not going to cut up one of her bathing suits…. I huffed and said, “Let me think.” I went to my sewing box and found a scrap piece of muslin. I laid my child down and measured what I thought to be a modest (read covers almost all her torso) mermaid top. I made it wide enough to fit her hips so she could step into the finished product then got to work.
I cut out a long rectangle:
And pinned up both sides to hem. As I was pinning I thought I’d better leave room for ribbon. That’s the easiest way I could think to keep it on her since I wasn’t going to tailor it with buttons and I have no idea how to put in a zipper nor did I have an extra one floating around.
After running a straight line hem on both top and bottom, I put the ends together for a seam up the back making sure to start and stop under the hems so I could still get my ribbons through (very important with both mermaid tops and curtains).
After running the seam I grabbed some ribbon from my box, then measured and cut three pieces. Two for around the body and one from the bodice around Ainsley’s neck. I threaded the two body pieces through the top and bottom hem.
Then I found the middle of the front of the mermaid top and the middle of the last ribbon. Folding the ribbon in a little, I sewed the ribbon to the middle of the garment not caring it went through the ribbon of the top hem. Like so… All you need is a few stitches, not the whole way up and down. I sewed mine on the inside of the garment so you couldn’t see the ribbon unless pulling it upward away from the garment.
Once on it looks like this:
The ribbons pull it tight around her little body and keep it on:
There you have it. Ainsley’s mermaid top. Muslin is all I had to work with, BUT with a little planning you could use silky material or sequined material. OOOOOOOH. That would be pretty. Make it in turquoise and add Bedouin pants and you have yourself a Princess Jasmine set. Just sayin’.
Oh, and one last thing. My daughter also wanted a tail. So we made one with a trash bag. Cause we’re glamorous here in the Burgh.
She stayed like this until she realized it was hard to get around – um, like five minutes. Then she magically had legs again.
What did you make this week?
(c) 2016 Leighann Marquiss
Comments (7)
Love following your blog. It just goes to show that your little one was right – her mom can do anything. Great job on the outfit. Have a great day. Becky PS – we are also praying for the upcoming surgery
But you ARE magic. I love Aisleys smile. You rock as a mermaid top making mom 🙂
sorry big spell error **Ainsley**
I posted the Angry Birds cake I made for Joe. Ok I didn’t make it this week, but I finally figured out how to blog with my iPad, so I posted it this week.
You are such a talented mommy! Great job!
Gail
Annapolis,MD
How clever you are to make that sweet outfit for your beautiful daughter Ainsley.
I covered a plain supermarket tote with some nice sheep fabric.
Love it and you are the best!
I may try to do this for my daugther this week. I’ve been working on tutu’s for her dress up box. She is the big 5 tomorrow. (when did that happen???)
She is still trying to squeeze into a once piece ballerina suit but her boobies aren’t covered. This top will work great!
Thoughts and prayers for you, the rest of the family and little Ryan this week.