pintuck tunic with bloomers

The practice sample of diamond pintucks was put to good use yesterday:

The tunic is my own design and the bloomers were made using a pattern from the book, Little Stitches for Little Ones, by Amy Butler (love that book!)

A few people asked if the pintuck fabric was hard to use in a project, and the answer is, nope!  You do the pintucks first and then cut out your pattern piece just as you would on any regular, flat fabric.

 Here's the back:

I nearly lost my head doing those stupid button holes.  I like to think of myself as a fairly competent button-hole-sewer, having done it many times.  But for some reason last night, although I could make perfect button holes on my scrap fabric (every time!), when I tried to do them on the tunic, it wouldn't work.  I had to unpick it like 10 times, and I'm not even exaggerating.  The only reason I did not scream at the top of my lungs and hurl my sewing machine across the room was because I was in public (on Thursday nights I go to a sewing studio class with some friends to work on projects). 

So here I am, at my wits end, when I decide to just turn the tunic in the opposite direction.  And for some reason, that was magic, because the button holes worked.  Can anyone explain this to me?  I am still baffled.

Anyway, as more practice for the blessing dress, I worked on having no exposed seams inside the tunic.  I still have a few things to figure out, but I'm getting closer.

Want to know my favorite part about this outfit?  When Ruby wears it, she will match my mom's kitchenaid cover PERFECTLY!  ;)