Piece-y Work

This little outfit for my sweet granddaughter, Emma Rose, came about during quilt class.

As previously mentioned, I am taking a block-of-the-month class at Scharmann's in Longview.  The blocks are coming along nicely.  The zig-zag sashing, triangle insertions, and and block borders - not so well.
In September's class, the instructor mentioned that 4 of the squares we were constructing would not be used.  Why construct them??    Let me explain:   These are made of half-square triangles (HST).  Made by cutting squares, then sewing two squares together, with 2 seams diagonally, and cutting between the stitching lines, the result is 2 identical squares made of identical triangles.

As soon as she said that we wouldn't need them, I asked if we were to save them for a future block (3 more months/blocks in the quilt, after all).  I was told no, to throw them away.   Throw them away????  Toss something pretty on which I have labored????   I hardly think so!    My mind immediately started churning with possibilities.    Embellish a throw pillow??  Book mark?  Kitty necklace??    Then I thought of how nice the batiks we were using would look against denim.   Knowing I had some denim in my prodigious stash, I set about mentally planning the ensemble.   With the squares sewn together in a line, it would be just the right length to embellish a little jumper for Emma Rose.  By the time class ended, I knew the jumper needed a coordinating shirt, and a piping border edging the strip of piecework would be just the thing.  I purchased a half-yard of the blue batik, which I really liked next to denim, and, after completing the block, I went to work.

I couldn't find a jumper pattern in Emma's size in my collection that I really liked for this, but I found the Burda for Kids 9829 that also had a great little shirt.  I know this will get used again!
I even followed the pattern's advice and added ruched strips to the shirt's front.  Cute, nes pas??
I debated about the very heavy, clunky ceramic buttons  --  they seem a bit weighty for so little a girl  --  but aren't they perfect with the batiks??
I can't wait to see Emma in this!!