A Few Of My Favorite Things…

I am so excited to be apart of the ‘My Favorite (Sewing) Things’ blog tour Hosted by Sewing By Ti! This tour is going to be super fun and it has all been organized by Ti! I cannot believe it is August…

Swimming and the beach (and pool) are two of my favorite things. I love when the water isn’t as cold as a glass of freshly poured ice water. As soon as August hits the beaches are packed and parking spaces are hard to come by – the water is perfect as well as the crisp refreshing breeze that wisps by. Mind you, in June and July the water is pretty chilly and between September and October is when Hurricane Season hits.

With children that are constantly growing it is always important for me to have a good rashgaurd pattern. I use to think rashgaurds were only for surfers, boogie-boarders, and ocean swimmers. Rashgaurds are perfect for the beach or pool – especially when it can be used to protect a child’s delicate skin from harmful sun-rays and the craziness that comes from the ocean (chafing from the sand and rough ocean waters).

A rashgaurd will help the child to keep their body heat in and ocean scraps out! So, whether you are building a sandcastle or splashing around in the waves – the rashgaurd provides an extra barrier of protection. I found that the Maggie Top for Girl’s by Bella Sunshine Designs is the perfect option for a rashgaurd. In the photo’s below is my Maggie Top used as a shirt in aqua unicorns in double brushed poly from So Sew English.

The loose fit of the Maggie and casual construction of the pattern really makes this ideal for a rashgaurd. You have the option of short, 3/4, or long sleeves which can please any child’s unique style. Plus the gorgeous details of top-stitching offer a professional finished look which won’t offer that homemade look. I omitted the clear elastic because I was unsure of how it would hold-up over time with extended use in the pool (chlorine water).

I made the size 4T for girls for both the original Maggie and slimmed down the chest and waist for the Rashgaurd Maggie to a size 3T with 4T throughout the remainder of the pattern. For a more fitted look you can trim down by 1 full size to for the chest (not armcycles), sleeves, waist, and hips. Just note that there is a flair in the pattern around the hips. 

So – Don’t let the cold ocean water and blazing hot sun keep your child from swimming…….Rock a gorgeous Maggie Top as a Rashgaurd! Grab your pattern while it is on sale and create a versatile look throughout the year….

Patterns Used: Bella Sunshine Designs –  Ladies’ Maggie Top, Tunic, & Dress – grab your pattern here. Girl’s Maggie Top, Tunic, & Dress – grab your pattern here. On Sale (no code needed) through August 4th.

Fabric Used: Swim Knits used throughout this blog post are all from Knitpop Double Brushed Poly In Aqua Unicorns from So Sew English

Don’t forget to Check our awesome Bloggers coming up on this round of Ti-Blog Tours

Tuesday, August 1st: Intro;  Tenille’s Thread»»»2nd: Stitching at Night »»»3rd: Sewing By Ti »»»4th: Needles To Say »»»5th: Very Blissful

Sunday, August 6th: The Fairy Dust Bin »»»7th: Anne-Mari Sews »»»8th: Sewing With Sarah »»»9th: Thats Sew Lily »»»10th: Stitching at Night »»»11th: EYMM»»»12th: Sew Sew Ilse

Sunday, August 13th: Lulu & Celeste »»» 14th: Seams Sew Lo »»» 15th:  Tales From a Southern Stitching Mom »»» 16th: >Stitching and Making »»» 17th: Creative Counselor »»» 18th: Ma Moose »»» 19th: Kainara Stitches

Sunday, August 20th: Embrace Everyday »»» 21st:  She Who Sews »»» 22nd: Idle Sunshine »»» 23rd: My Heart Will Sew On »»» 24th: Lovely For Life »»» 25th: Margarita On the Ross »»» 26th: Anne-Mari Sews

Sunday, August 27th: Made By Melli »»» 28th: Adventures with Bubba and Bug »»» 29th: Auschick Sews»»» 30th: Me Made »»» 31st: Living in Twinado Alley

Note: this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you choose to purchase a pattern, a small portion of that gets recycled into my fabric/pattern addiction – this is at no cost to you! All opinions, hacks, and creative styles are my own!