Farbenmix Yelena for the Fourth

I will try not to ramble, but it's late as I write and I'm feeling kind-of scattered.
I've been participating in the Yelena Sew-Along over at Burlap Button to make my first pair of Yelena pants (only my third Farbenmix pattern ever attempted).
One of the hardest things was decoding what pattern piece was for what and how my fabric choices would translate to the actual garment.  Like, you know, when you see a tiered peasant dress, you might be able to imagine how it would look with one fabric for the bodice and sleeves and different fabrics for each tier.  You can envision the finished product because it's fairly straightforward how the pieces are put together.
Yelena is a tricky one, though.  The sew-along posts helped a bunch to decode the pattern and it also helped to stare for hours at other beautiful Yelenas on the web.
After much hemming and hawing, I finally decided on the outside fabric (a Japanese print that I had a mere half-yard of) and then realized that I had no basics to blend with it for the underneath fabric that peeks out at the top and the bottom of the pants.  Off to the store and back home with a blue and white polka dot and some strawberry buttons to boot.

I followed the first couple posts in the sew-along and then we were supposed to add trim.  Well, you see the dinky little red ribbon I bought?  Yeah, that wasn't going to cut it.  I looked through all my ribbons and trims.... and then looked through them all again before I decided that a piece red crochet and another piece of red velvet ric-rac I had would be just the ticket.  

After the trim is in place, one actually has to sew up the legs and that's the part where I really felt like I was wrestling with these pants.  

Sewing all these curves together in layers that you haven't really traced or cut with the exacting care you probably should have is a whole lot different than sewing up two rectangles with crotch curves cut out.  (holla if you get me)

But I did it.

AAaaaaaand!  Can you believe I was also able to dream up a Farbenmixy tank top to coordinate?  I used the Riviera pattern from Sewing Clothes Kids Love as my starting point.

With all this red, white and blue (and pink, but whatever), it's starting to look a little bit Fourthy to me.  And after working this hard on this set, and having nothing else in mind particularly for Independence Day sewing, I have dubbed this her 4th of July outfit.

I've never really done this much embellishing before (and I know that, compared to some, this is nuthin'!), but hopefully it's a trend that will continue.  Now is the time, when they are still little to use the crazy cutesy prints and crazy cute embellishments.  I gotta take the chance while I have it.

You will certainly see more Farbenmix from me in the future as I dream up Kindergarten outfits for my girl!