Hello, sailor!

I've been resisting the urge to make something incorporating a sailor collar for some time; while I just love the classic look, this is more a hoodie neighbourhood.  But I'm guessing as Sophie gets older, there will be lesser chance that she'll wear what I love to dress her in (vintage-style play-clothes, Liberty florals, ribbons and bows)  and just wear her own thing (odd sneakers, Iron Man costumes, dreadlocks, etc), so I'm striking now.

I'd love to be able to say I drafted this from scratch, but that would make me a big fat liar.  I bought this pattern on eBay some years ago in the hope that I (or a friend) would one day have a little girl.  I'm planning to grade it up to a size 4 and 5 so I can keep Sophie's wardrobe stocked up with sailor tunics for the next couple of years.  I'd love to do one in blue with long sleeves and the classic white trim around the collar and hem.

The cotton linen was a bargain - four metres for the price of two!   I have heeeaps left.

 

The pattern calls for a thread loop and button at the neckline, but I am absolutely hopeless at those.  And trying to push a teeny button  through a teeny hole when dressing a squirming toddler is a futile exercise as far as I'm concerned, and likely to put me in a vile mood for the rest of the day.   So I made a faux-button tab, which is attached with press studs...

....yay!  So much easier - click and DONE!