Okay, Everybody! Hop into your way back machine and the Vintage Me will model my latest creation for you...
Simplicity 2160: The starched cotton Party Dress!
(Okay really this was the birthday frock for my sweet little niece Violet on her 3rd Birthday!)
(What do you think? Does she look like Alice in Wonderland? Or Dorothy? Or little me?)
This was a very good learning experience for me. I learned little dresses are just as challenging as big dresses. I learned that machine gathering is vastly more fool proof than hand stitched gathering (skirt installed twice) and a piece of the pattern was missing so I learned to use other pieces, and my imagination to recreate it.
The fabric was purchased from a local shop who also sells on Etsy as Starlit Nest.. She has this in stock still and will sell it to you if you ask. It is like a confection and all the wee bugs keep it from being too sweet.
Violet named all the ants and bugs after members of the family.
The little eyelet apron was a fast addition. I was short on materials and time to do the whole overdress.. But thanks goodness the pattern had one or the bodice piece recreation would have been a million times harder.
Finishing the insides properly is my great joy... so I am sharing that with you. Double fold Bias tape over all the gathers, ( not pictured is the 3 different seam treatments: Flat felled under the arms , hand stitched- turned on the skirt and pinked at the shoulders ( to make it comfy)..
I love sweet little buttons all in a row..
and I just love these dresses on little girls. Yummy.
That dress is so pretty!! I wish I had a girl! What a skillful seamstress you are. The fabric is beautiful too, perfect for that sort of dress.
ReplyDeleteyou must be the favorite aunt for sure!
ReplyDeleteThe dress is lovely and suits your beautiful niece perfectly. I love the marker line on her shin in the last picture, a true reminder of her little-girlness.
ReplyDeleteMethinks little you, I mean, Violet is a wiggle worm. Very cute! (though when I saw you had posted my heart raced thinking you'd already whipped out the CaprisDress).
ReplyDeleteCute dress and a lovely little girl! Thanks for the photography tips in my blog, too. :)
ReplyDeleteHoly cow! Little girls are so much more fun to dress than little boys.
ReplyDeleteThat is one hell of a flippin cute dress and apron! Plus your niece is cute too.
Just gorgeous! And maybe at a later date you can do the whole apron - because that would be sooo cute.
ReplyDeleteI would like to order one in a size seven for Beatrice please. The dress is amazing. Is that the pattern you scored from Creative Reuse? That photo of you is seriously cute. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteFabulous dress! and how Violet resembles you-wow! Isn't it fun to make girls clothes? My first clothes sewing was for my daughter, (I never made any clothing for my son - bad mama!)
ReplyDeleteOK, where do I get those amazing seamstress skills? And those photographic skills? Oh, why can't I be you?
ReplyDeleteYour little doppelganger is super adorable ... like you were (and are).
I'm hobbling (sp?) along here on my mom's computer and I don't have your email address. Is it anywhere on your blog? or profile?
ReplyDeleteHere's a guy who teaches classes on pattern drafting in SF. He also wrote a book.
http://deofsf.com/Classes/
Very cute. I used to love making dresses for Frankie when she was little. I invested in a gathering foot and a ruffler, money well spent. Really nice inside, I like when the garment is nicely finished.
ReplyDeleteLove the red shoes as well, what a cute little girl.
The dress turned out fabulous! I love the fabric and the finishing details are excellent! Those shoes, don't ya wish they made them in our size?
ReplyDeleteSimply adorable. I used to sew all my own daughters' clothing when they were small...22 months between them in age ... matching clothes ... different colours. Everyone thought they were twins. Was such a dissappointmet when they grew up and didn't want me to sew their clothes anymore...sigh... Enjoy this while you still can!
ReplyDeleteThe dress turned out so beautifully. And what a lovely model too. She looks very pleased with the dress, as she should be! Inside finishing is even more important on kid's clothes, because they won't wear them or they'll be extra cranky if seams are poking/rubbing them! I'm glad the overdress ended up as an apron, all the better to see that cute but not saccharine bug fabric.
ReplyDeleteaww man.
ReplyDeletethat dress makes me so happy!!
i would love to have a little girl to make it for!
thank you for sharing your awesome sewing skillz!
aloha
how wonderful! And the shoes just make it even more magical! :)
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'm in love with the name Violet, Violet herself, the fabric, the pattern ,and of course, the red shoes!
ReplyDeleteThis little Darlin' is the one example of the reason that the idea of a child in my world might creep in. She is a cutie pie. Amixture of you, Alice in wonderland, and Dorothy. Well, maybe that makes her , her very own special fairytale girl? What a doll. And the dress, of course, amazing. Your attention to detail floors me. I can't do it. probably why you make heavenly textile treasures, and I fling paint?? xxo,V
ReplyDeleteIf only my little one were still that little (12 now)! I sure miss those days! You did a really really nice job, and the fabric is perfect!
ReplyDeleteThis is just adorable! Beautiful fabric, wonderful pattern and a cute model too. Oh and a talented seamstress of course!
ReplyDeleteLucky lucky girl!
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness! What a beautiful dress and great photos of a sweet little princess! Love the shoes, too.
ReplyDeleteHow come I was born as your niece?
ReplyDeleteI would love to see photos of all of the three different seam treatments you mentioned:
ReplyDelete"Flat felled under the arms , hand stitched- turned on the skirt and pinked at the shoulders ( to make it comfy).."
The little dress is beautiful and the eyelet apron is perfect! Great job!
those pictures are beyond adorable!
ReplyDelete