Needles and a Pen » Knitting, Sewing, and Nursing School

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  • Welcome to my blog!

    Hi! I'm Traci. I'm a Registered Nurse who loves quilting, knitting, cross stitch, and the great outdoors. In my pre-scrubs life, I owned Real Photography, and you can still see my old wedding and portrait photography site here .

    I've created a map that shows links to our camping/hiking/general family fun review posts that you can find here. It's pretty much the coolest thing on this site. Thanks, Google!

    I great big puffy heart *love* comments, so please let me know you visited! I try to always reply!

sandpiper top for ellie in children at play

Since summers are our busy season, I started a tradition last year of sewing Ellie’s summer clothes in the winter and spring.  It’s disappointing to trim the last thread and tuck them into a drawer, but oh so satisfying to know that we won’t need to run to Gymboree when the weather turns warmer!  Today I whipped up the Sandpiper Top from Clever Charlotte.  Here’s what I want from a kid’s pattern:  for it to be cute, and for it to be easy.  Emphasis on the easy.  If it takes me more than a day to make, I’m not in love.  This top delivered–super simple construction, with an absolutely adorable back. I’ll be making more of them for this summer for sure and luckily the pattern will be good for many more years of bigger sizes–this will be an annually revisited top!

I made this fully reversible so that when Miss Eloise spills on her front we can simply whip it around for a fresh change. Warning to anyone who might do the same: be careful to sew the buttons on loosely, since the button behind limits the range of motion as you try to fasten the strap.

I’m thinking this would be really cute as a dress with bloomers, so I might monkey with the pattern to see if I can elongate it without totally honking it up.  Wish me luck!

Marta - This is pattern is adorable and spunky! Love it. Now, if only I had a little person to sew one for.

For now, this blog post shall live in Evernote. Beautiful work, Traci.

Jessia - i. love. this.

Chrystal - These are adorable! It looks like you did a very professional job on them 🙂

debby - I love this top!!! Cute and sassy I am going to have to get the pattern for our grands, they would be perfect, thanks for sharing

Audrey - This is adorable! You need to bring this pattern to the retreat! I have one that is open back that seems similar that I will bring-it is more rounded but crosses in the back, too.:)

Erin - This is lovely! The balloons are so happy and make us wish summer was here!

Lani - What a great idea. Love the top, so cute…I wore something like that when I was little. My little Lizzy would look adorable in a top like that. She’s such a little girly girl! Fun, fun, might have to go sew something to spare my brain while working on books!!

britney - this is super adorable! where can i get the pattern?