Fourth of July - Beach Party Top

I L-O-V-E this new top I made for 4th of July for Ella. I had picked up this fabric a couple weeks ago, thinking I'd make one of those cross-back pinafores. 

But then I found this Beach Party Top & Dress pattern on fiddlehead. Oh my goodness, it is so cute!  It stretched my sewing skills a little, which is a good thing. I made my first bias tape. (I used Sandi Henderson's instructions found here. They are great.) So anyway, it was a little trial and error, because I'm actually more of a beginner seamstress, especially when it comes to following patterns. But the end result was totally worth the FULL evening (and late night) of sewing.

The Firecracker Pony O's are from Ribbon Candy. 

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26151223

here's the back

 I had extra bias tape left over, which I made into a little belt. I just couldn't stand it that all the contrast fabric was inside where no one knows it's there but me.

here's the inside of the top all kind of opened up so you can see all the cute contrasting fabric.