Pattern Testing! Elegance and Elephant's Pleated Playsuit

This week I was given the opportunity to test a pattern from the lovely Heidi at Elegance and Elephants. It's called the Pleated Playsuit and is being released on Friday 31st May as a complimentary pattern. So keep an eye out for it!

There are two versions to the Pleated Playsuit, a short and a long pants version. Being almost winter in Australia, I immediately went for the long pants version. I made the 2/3 size, and it fits really well on Ember who is almost 19 months-with plenty of room to grow.

For me, this pattern really screamed for something big, bold and colourful. The main fabric I chose is from the collection Super, by Gudrun Erla for Red Rooster Fabrics. The contrast is some blue floral quilt backing I had left over from a quilt...which is still sitting rolled up waiting to be quilted!

Wider shoulder ties

I changed a few small things, firstly I made wider straps. I'm not a huge fan of thin straps and I kind of cheat when it comes to making straps! I have a bias maker which makes 1" double folded bias, which when sewn up makes a really nice 1/2" straps that are just perfect for kids clothing.

The other thing I had to change was the pant leg length! Although my daughter is smack on average height for her age, they were way too long! In the end I think I cut off 2 1/2" before attaching the cuffs. This then made them the perfect ankle length needed. I highly recommend testing the pant length on your intended wearer before sewing the cuffs on, just in case some modifications are needed.

Faux piping on pockets [please excuse the grubby marks]

One of my favourite features are the pockets. The faux piping looks great, although with the bold print it does get lost, but on plainer fabrics it just adds that great sense of detail to the finished garment. The other thing I love about the pockets is that they are a great size for kids to fill with rocks and other treasures! Often my peeve with children's patterns is not having pockets or having teensy pockets you couldn't fit a frog into!

Overall I found the pattern very easy, the instructions are well explained and have clear photos. I do not doubt a beginner could accomplish this pattern with minimal problems.

 
It looks great with a long sleeved top underneath too, so we'll get plenty of wear out of them over the colder months. I'm also going to attempt them in some thicker, warmer fabrics and see how they turn out. I also have a few ideas for modifications up my sleeve which I'm going to try out when I have a chance, so stay tuned!