Oliver + S "Ice Cream Blouse" & Brown Bear, Brown Bear

"Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?"

 My love affair continues with the Oliver + S "Ice Cream" Dress and Tunic pattern.  This time I made a blouse of white eyelet and cotton lace trim to go with a very colorful skirt.  This was another outfit for little Chloe to wear during the Eric Carle (children's author/illustrator) unit of study in her Pre-K class last March.  This time I didn't put the notch in the front neckline.

The eyelet was super soft and I lined it in a polycotton batiste.

Cotton lace from my stash.

The skirt was a UFO (unfinished object) begun two years ago.  I had the bottom made but didn't like the top of the dress (too much brown for my taste) and the dress languished until the top would never fit Chloe.  When I was looking through the UFO bins (yes, bins), I had the idea to just toss all that brown fabric and the top and just make a skirt for her instead.

The skirt has two layers of Eric Carle fabric purchased from his museum (HERE) several years ago.  They have even more fabric options now!  The bear is appliqued from a motif from a third fabric from this line.

 I added a narrower waist panel when I changed this piece from a dress to the skirt.  The button helps the child identify the front of the garment.  "Button over the bellybutton!"

 Here is the irrepressible Miss Chloe wearing the outfit after school in her mama's classroom last March.  She recently wore the skirt with a white tank top and brown sandals to afternoon tea at my home.  The skirt is a little bit shorter but still fits perfectly.  It will be a good outfit for kindergarten this autumn.  Her mama would like another white blouse as this "Ice Cream" top is in regular rotation with several other shorts and skirts.  It is so comfortable and goes with everything!

She is a character!  My father would have said, "She is a piece of work!"  LOVE her!

"Yippee!  We're done!  No more pictures!"

Have a wonderful day!