SLPCo Ayda Top & Emilya Pants Outfit

Hello? Anybody there? I know, I know. It's been a while since I've shared any new projects or tutorials with you lately. What can I say? Life is busier than ever. I've sewn quite a few things lately and even shot photos for some new tutorials, so please bear with me as I try and find time to put it all together for the blog.

Ella recently celebrated her 7th birthday, and a few weeks before her party, I sewed together this adorable and fun cupcake outfit using some new patterns I recently purchased from the Simple Life Pattern Company (SLPCo for short). This pattern designer is fairly new to me, but I've been seeing their patterns on several blogs I follow as well as all over my sewing Facebook groups. I knew I needed to give them a try!

Disclosure: The patterns used in this post were purchased by me; however, I was provided the fabric used for the top in exchange for sewing an item with it and sharing it on my blog. All opinions stated in the post are my own.

Ella loves a top or dress with a great twirl factor, and the Ayda V Back Peplum Top and Dress pattern delivers. This design includes a full circle skirt or gathered skirt option, but I chose to sew the circle skirt. Rather than hem the circle skirt by turning up the bottom of the skirt, I used a fun fabric print to create bias tape that I sewed to the raw edges of the skirt. I find this the easiest way to hem a circle skirt.

While the Ayda pattern includes a flutter sleeve pattern piece, it does not include a short sleeve like I have sewn. You might be wondering if I drafted my own short sleeve to attach to this top. Nope! The size 8 Lavinia Blouse Pattern from Violette Field Threads short sleeve pattern piece fit the armscye of the size 8 Ayda top perfectly! I love the look of the gathered cap sleeve with this top, and I hemmed the sleeve with the same bias binding that I used on the skirt. Too cute!

What gives the Ayda such a unique look is the V-back design that eliminates the need for any type of closure. Plus, it makes sewing this top quick and easy because there are no buttonholes or zippers to install. Since the back pieces overlap to create the V-back and to provide the ease to put on and take off the top, there is a little extra play in the back of this top. That extra movement of the fabric made Ella a little uncomfortable, so I simply topstitched the two pieces together. Problem solved, and she still has plenty of room to get into and out of the top.

In case you are wondering about the adorable fabrics I used to create her cupcake Ayda top, all three prints for the top are from the Lolly collection by Maude Asbury for Blend Fabrics.

Ella's pants were sewn using the SLPCo Emilya Skinny Pants pattern. Again, I used the size 8, but I think I added extra length when I didn't really need to. I could just turn the hem up again, but honestly, Ella is growing so fast, I'll probably just leave them as is. I wish I had taken more photos of the pants because they really are a great fit at the waist and in the rise and bottom. The pattern also includes instructions to make capri pants and bermuda shorts which are both next on my list to sew for Ella's summer wardrobe.

Although I had orginally hoped Ella would wear this outfit to her birthday party, she opted to wear something much more casual that day. I was a little bummed that she didn't want to wear her handmade clothes to her party, but we opted to go out for another celebration a few days later and she wore them. We visited a new cupcake shop in town, Sprinkles, because we thought it would be fun to order a cupcake while wearing a cupcake top! Don't all those cupcakes look yummy (both the ones on her shirt and the ones in the background)?!

It was hard to pick. Ella went with an apple cinnamon cupcake while my son chose chocolate with sprinkles! I love the little wooden plates and forks they use. Both cupcakes were delicious and didn't last long!

Both the Ayda and the Emilya patterns were excellent, professionally prepared patterns. The instructions provided lots of written details as well as great photos to reference for each step. I made a second pair of Emilya pants for Ella that she has worn even more than this pair. Both patterns are so quick and easy to sew, that I know I'll be making more soon after I try out the two other patterns from SLPCo that I purchased.

If you decide to give the patterns at Simple Life Pattern Company a try, or already have, let me know if you like them as much as I do.

Have FUN sewing!