Scarf Dress

Let me tell you at the outset that it was a nightmare sewing this dress. The material is so slippery I had a hard time and 10000+ pins to make it stay to sew. But I love the way the dress falls. There were so many ways I could have done this one and it was very difficult to choose. What you possible might overlook is the attached double folded lower hem to add a little weight to the dress and make it look pretty as well.

I wanted a self printed sash or more like a knotted waist tie but the girl absolutely wanted a sash, so had to comply.

Now for my stellar neckline. Here is the story. I started with a usual neck, bias taping or piping whatever you call it. But gave up and finished up the dress before I gave a fresh look at the neckline. It had to be a cowl scarf like neckline, anything less with this beautiful fabric is criminal. So I again double folded and sewed up the neckline (did I mention the pins?). Then did something which sort of totally changed the look of the neck. I turned the shoulder part up and over(does that make sense) and made tiny tacs on the shoulder and the front and back middle of the overhang to give it that classic scarf look. Brilliant? Well not exactly as I was playing with the neck double fold and and chanced upon this. Other options were of course pink highlights on the neckline, armholes and the bottom attachment. Didn't do it as the neck turned out stellar.

And here is the recipent wearing the dress....what a model she turned out....perfect

Ladybug Dress II

As it is for a birthday girl turning 4, I used the pink sash to make it look elegant. She was very insistent on the ladybug print, hence the dress. I did put some pink ric-rac on the frills join but it just didnt look good. So gave up the idea of embellishing the neckline and armholes. Just stuck to the sash to lend the dress its class.

I could have omitted the frills below and just kept the pleated front but wanted to do something extra hence. Not sure either ways, but maybe it would have looked better without the frills. What do you say?

The back is buttoned and the sash ties into a knot (too wide for a bow, but can achieve). So thats the last of the fabric. Time to go buy more.

The Ladybug Summer Dress

With a fabulous juvenile fabric collection at Jo Ann's I just can't refrain from making girls' dresses. This one I made for a 12-18 month old with a chest measurement of 18 and length 17 inches. I intended the chest to be 20 but the finished chest measures only 18, guess I went wrong with the seam allowances.

The straps are adjustable as there is buttons. The best part is one can wear this dress both sides, i.e there is no front or back of the dress. The white bias-tape work on the neckline and arm holes was the most taxing, otherwise the dress was simple to make.

When I sewed on the bottom part of the dress I forgot to add the bias tape so worked in the ric-rac on it and it kinda looked great so went on and indulged in the hemline as well. The box pleats also were kind of accidental. I cut the bottom more than the top part and had to adjust the width so did the pleats....now I think that is what ate up 2 inches off my chest, better design ahead next time.

I am very satisfied with the way the dress turned out. I had actually cut out a different material for the bottom but at the last minute decided to stick to the same pattern. And am I happy I did that. It wouldn't look half as bautiful as it does now with the green seersucker I had chosen.