Spring Bloom Dress

I love using Pinterest as a medium for new ideas. Sometimes I will see something and think..I can make something like that. My most recent pin was this adorable dress, perfect for spring.

 

I love the plain color but I really wanted it to be a little more whimsical and fun. So I let my daughter pick her fabric (she choose pink naturally) and I got to work.

Instructions:

for a 3T you will need 1 yard of fabric, 1/2 yard of contrast for the ruffles, 3 buttons (or buttons to cover), matching thread

1. Start with a basic bodice pattern using a well fitted t-shirt. For more information on this check out THIS post. Using your basic bodice (make sure you have a front and a back, the back neck should be slightly higher than the front) draw a diagonal line starting about 1 inch from the inside of the shoulder. The back piece needs to be 1 1/2 inches wider of the center line for the overlap of the buttons.

2. Cut all your pieces:
       -2 front pieces on the fold (1 front, 1 lining)
       -8 side panel pieces
       -4 back pieces
       -Skirt piece: 2 rectangles measuring 15" long and 44 " wide (my dress was really poofy so if  you want a slimmer look you can make your skirt panels shorter in the width.)
       -2 strips of contrast fabric: 2"x 44"
       -2 strips of contrast fabric: 2.5"x44"

3. Pin the front bodice piece to the back bodice pieces at the shoulders with RST. Sew together. Repeat with lining pieces. Press seams open.

 

4. Match the side panels together at the shoulders. Stitch together with RST.  Press seams open.

5. Using your strips fold over 1/4", press, fold another 1/4", press. Top stitch in place. This creates a nice hem. Repeat with all the strips. On the other side sew a gather stitch along the top length keeping the ends of the thread long for pulling. Gather to make ruffles matching it to the side panel. Press the ruffles flat.

5. Lay the pieces down in the following order:
    -Bodice top right side up
    -2" strip right side down
    -2.5" strip right side down
    -side panel right side down matching shoulder seams with bodice top.

Pin all 4 pieces together (I used a lot of pins). Stitch together using a 1/2" seam. Press open so ruffles face up and out.

6. Stitch lining pieces together the same as the top pieces omitting the ruffles.

7. With RST pin top piece to the lining. Stitch around the neck and arm holes. Flip the bodice right side out and sew the sides together.

8.Turn the bodice over and mark your button holes. Use your machine to make the button holes in the back. Add your buttons.

9. With RST pin the skirt panels along the sides and stitch together. This makes a large tube. Along the top sew a gather stitch. Gather the skirt tube until it is the same size as the bodice top. With RST pin the skirt top the the bottom of the bodice. Sew in place using a 1/2" seam.

10. Turn dress right side out. Finish the hem by folding under 1/4", press, fold 1/4", press. Top stitch in place.

***If I could do this again I would make the ruffles wider and I would sew them about 1/2" from the neckline instead of an inch. I would also make my skirt less full (but my daughter wanted it nice and full for twirling. You gotta love little girls and their twirling.)

Emmaline Dress Review

I was looking through my dress patterns the other day trying to find a fun spring dress to make for my daughter, when she decided to come in and search with me. There are so many patterns that I have purchased with the intent of making but never get around to it. So while searching through the online patterns I came across the Emmaline Dress from Violette Field Threads and Elizabeth instantly wanted me to make her one. She loved the fact that it is long. Very different from anything I have made her before.

So I decided to make a girl day of it and gave her total creative license. We went to the fabric store and she picked the fabric, she picked the pattern, and she even helped me with the sewing a bit. She is only 3 so I know actually sewing with her is at least 5 years off but it was fun to have her play with her little ironing board and talk while I made the dress.

It turned out FANTASTIC! So adorable. I love the length and the lightness of the dress. It is a very light coral colored cotton with white polka dots and inside the polka dots are orange polka dots. My only complaint is that that neckline is a little low. I feel more comfortable with a plain white tee under it just to make sure there isn't too much skin showing. I am sure I will be making it again. She has worn it every day since I made it (she is in a stage where she tries on several dresses throughout the day.)

 

 

Christmas tutu

Every year I like to make something fun for my kids to wear to celebrate Christmas. This year I only got around to making something for my daughter, but I did make a tutorial for all of you to enjoy.

A Christmas tutu. Flirty and fun.

You will need:
-1/2 a yard of top fabric
-1/2 yard of middle fabric
-1/2 yard of bottom fabric
-1inch elastic

1. Cut the following strips of the fabric:
     -2 strips 3"x44" (top fabric)
     -2 strips 4"x44" (top fabric)
     -2 strips 5 1/2"x44" (middle fabric)
     -2 strips 6 1/2"x44" (bottom fabric)

 2. Fold 1 of the 3" strips in half lengthwise with wrong sides together. Iron flat. (This is the elastic casing).
3. Sew the other 3" strip to the raw edge of the folded strip using 1/4 inch seam. Press flat.

4. Sew each of the other strips to the matching strip at the end making 1 long 88" strip.
5. Turn under the bottom of each strip 1/4th inch, press, and another 1/4th inch. Sew the hem down.
6. Sew a gathering stitch at the top of each strip and gather the strips to match the elastic casing piece.
7. Pin all the pieces together to the bottom of the elastic casing piece. This is the difficult part making sure that all the pieces are pinned securely in place. (USE A LOT OF PINS).

8. Sew the strips to the elastic casing piece and press open.
9. Top stitch along the seam where the elastic casing piece meets the ruffles.

10. Pull your elastic through the elastic casing using a safety pin and sew at each end in place.

11. With right sides together pin the skirt along the raw edges matching up each ruffle. Sew the skirt together up the side. Flip your skirt right side out and you are FINISHED!

 

The perfect Christmas tutu for prancing and dancing during the holidays.

Mustard Village Frock

If you are looking for a cute fall/winter dress Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop has a great pattern and tutorial available for just 50 cents (that's right I said 50 cents). The Brooklyn Frock is adorable. I love the smashed ruffles and the button closure in the front.

This is the dress we used for our family pictures and I am so happy I went with this one over the country time dress. I love that it is a solid color, it really shows off the details of the dress. I used a linen in mustard yellow that I found at Joann's. So many linens that I love in stock right now. The color is fantastic with the autumn leaves which we had a blast tossing around and rolling in. The buttons are fabric covered buttons with the same material as the dress. If you have never made fabric covered buttons YOU MUST TRY IT! All you need is a button kit (found at almost any fabric store) and follow the directions on the box. So easy and really cute.

I did make one small adjustment adding ruffles to the arms as well. I used the same technique as the neckline but added it to the sleeves (same sleeve length as the pattern with a 4 inch ruffle piece). It just makes the dress more appropriate for the cooler weather.

Country Time Dress

It is the holiday season which means picture time for many families. Every year we get our family pictures taken (the one time of the year that I am actually in a picture), and I love searching for the perfect clothing ensemble for all of us. I usually pick one clothing item that I love and build on that for everyone. I started this year with a yellow and blue plaid shirt my son likes. So I took those colors and created an apron dress for my daughter.

I used a golden yellow base for the skirt and complimented with this funny chicken fabric for the apron and straps. It has a country feel with a little bit of whimsy.

One thing I love about apron dresses is that you can make small adjustments each time to make it your own. This time I had the straps come together in the back to make a large bow and I added some country eyelet lace to the hem of the apron with a crochet edge.

We didn't actually end up using this dress for the pictures. I made another one that I liked more and went in a different direction. But is still a fun dress and will be worn many times in the future.