Finished Project: Green Bee Design & Patterns - Sally Romper

Toddler time!

Eva got to "test drive" her new romper out at the playground the other day. Photographing my new projects for her at a playground is certainly much more interesting (and better lit) than trying to photograph them in our backyard; however, trying to photograph a toddler at a playground is like trying to hold jello in a sieve, when it comes to getting her to sit still and smile for mommy's phone.

In any case, my latest finished project is a winner, I think. The pattern I used is the Green Bee Designs & Pattern Sally Romper (and Dress):

Green Bee Sally Romper

 Here's a flat view of the romper, not obscured by playground equipment:

Sally Romper - flat

I'm not particularly familiar with the pattern company, Green Bee Designs, but I saw this pattern with its adorable envelope photo and fell in love with it when I was browsing Drygood Design back in July. I loved that the pattern included both a romper and a dress option. Eva is prone to sometimes dropping to a downward-facing dog position at a moment's notice and declaring "Upside-down time!", so I like to dress her either in rompers or in dresses with some sort of shorts or leggings underneath. More specifically, I'm always a sucker for a cute, original romper pattern.

Green Bee Sally line drawing

Those cuffed shorts and pockets are too cute, aren't they?

As far as sizing goes, according to the size chart, Eva would be at the upper end of the 2T size for height, but at the lower end of the 2T for girth. Proportionately, she has a long torso, as well. I opted to trace a 3T in height and a 2T in width for her. I'm really glad that I went with the 3T in height; the 2T would have been pushing things on her torso length. This pattern runs true to size for the measurement chart.

Pattern instructions are on the sparse side. This wasn't an issue for me, but I could see it being intimidating for a beginner.  I like that they direct you to an almost-entirely clean-finished garment. However, there were times that I disagreed with the directed techniques to produce a good result. For example, you could use the "burrito technique" on the bodice yokes/front/back to get a clean-finished yoke, but the directions have you ironing up your seam allowance and top-stitching. I also did my button holes and buttons as soon as I had the main bodice completed so that I didn't have to deal with trying to stitch buttonholes with the romper shorts attached.

Here's a back view:

Green Bee Sally Romper - back view

The fabric I used is a Michael Miller quilting cotton from the "Anchors Aweigh" line. It has coral-colored whales on a navy blue background. I purchased this fabric from Drygood Design when I purchased the pattern.

Another toddler picture

Would I make this pattern again? Absolutely, although since our weather will likely start to cool soon, I'll be putting it away until the spring, when I'll likely need to trace off the next size up for Eva. I'd like to try the dress view, too.

I looked on Green Bee's web site, and they have several other really cute patterns for girls that I might give a try at some point. (I'm particularly eyeing that shirt dress pattern.) They have some cute women's patterns, too, but I'm more hesitant to try those because their women's sizes stop at an XL that I'd have to grade up quite a bit.