Mccall 6074 - the top version

Well, to be exact, I did try the dress first. It just didn't work for me!
First - this is the pattern...

I baught it as soon as I saw it... I mean - it looks great, right? yea, on the models! I just couldn't make it work for me.
I has several issues - for my first try I selected a heavy knit, I think this is why the gathering in the front didn't look good!
But I also have a probelm with the facing. The pattern is constructed of three pieces only - front, back and band for the gathering. for a nice finish you have to fold the neck and arm opening, don't know... it doesn't seem as nice to me, and it's trickier. I guess more experiences sewers will have no problems there though.
Anyway, after the unsuccessful try, I put the pattern aside, but over the next two months I kept seeing great reviews of this dress in patternReview.
So I tried again, a top this time, with several modification.
First - I made sure to use thin fabric, to make sure the gathers will look cute.
Then I changed the order of the construction - I put together the two front parts, and the two back parts. I then sewed the shoulders together, tried it on to mark where I want the gathers to be, I then gathered the front, and finished the side seams.
I drafted facing parts for both the neck and arm opening (well - for the arm opening it's just a strip of fabric...). and I did facing instead of folding the fabric.
Since it was too short (it was a muslin) I had to add some white lace to the bottom of the top..
Here's what I have



Now, I did make more stuff. Some of them I never get to upload here... but here's a little thing I made and made my Lady H very happy...

I used Farbenmix Olivia. which I love! My girl likes it as a night dress.

On a non sewing related note... we are having very hot days here! I really hate that summer camps and the big vacation are in the Summer (silly, I know! ), I have tto bring the girls every day to a different Summer activity, some are outside in the type of whether that I think people should be close to air conditions...
Can't wait for the begining of the school year.
In the meantime, this evening, my little one has her farewell party from her kindergarten. After two years there she'll start 'big kids kindergarten' in September, so it's really a goodbye... kind of sad.
They are having Pirates party, so I made them (at my girl's request) 'Dora the Pirate' cake:


I planned to make a list of everything I did this month... but it'll have to wait. But I can list here everything I plan to make the coming month... I'm good with plans! :-)
1. swimsuit for my niece (I promised.. two months ago!)
2. pants for my mother (she asked for it)
3. bag for a friend (I really want to make her one )
4. another bag for myself (ok, no good reason for this one)
5. dress for a friend of Lady H (her mom asked for one as a birthday gift)
6. two dresses for new year's eve for my girls.
7. cute romper for my sister's son
Do you see that there's a LOT in this list... and nothing is clothing for myself...
Well, I hope to manage all of these stuff. We'll see!