A few weeks ago I saw a little girl in the playground wearing a cute dress with a shirred top and a double skirt and decided to copy it using pattern G from
Kids Clothes Style Book. This pattern is for a simple sundress with five narrow elastic casings at the top, which were rather frustrating to sew and to fit to R's chest properly - shirring would have been a whole lot easier. I adapted the pattern by adding an elastic casing at the waist and an extra skirt section (with the fabric the wrong way around, if you look closely... I didn't have enough to cut a piece the right way).
One very pretty feature of this pattern is the straps, which tie in a bow at the back - R loves this detail! I do think the straps could be a little narrower, though, as they tend to gather up a bit at the front.
It's got a bit of a puffy look around the chest and I'm not sure if it's been a totally successful experiment, but R really, really adores this dress. The fabric is one of Spotlight's wonderful Japanese lawns - an old one from my stash - and it is very light and breezy to wear, which as just as well since Melbourne summer has arrived with a vengeance!
Spotlight has lovely lawn :) I think the dress turned out lovely! Perfect for this baking weather!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenya - my next sew (a nightie) is also in that Japanese lawn. I love that it doesn't need ironing!
DeleteThis is a stunning dress. The five casings sound like a huge pain to sew but they look lovely. I also like the crosswise cut button section, it adds interest. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks Masha, and thanks for your comment about the contrast skirt - makes me feel better about it!
DeleteI love it too!! Those Spotlight lawns are great. I have some 1m cuts that need to get used before they're outgrown. I thought you had shirred the bodice and since that's still on my sewing bucket list I clicked with interest. Fooled me!
ReplyDeleteShirring is a whole lot more fun than threading elastic through multiple casings, then realising the combined elasticity of five elastics has made the dress way too tight... and having to re-do the whole lot. So go forth and shir!
DeleteOh, I think this is a wonderful dress! Absolute success. The looseness around the top means it will fit for a long time and it must be wonderful on a hot day (no fabric touching you where you don't want it). Love that skirt and the tie in the back! Oh to be young and able to wear things like this!
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks Inder. You're right, it's great for hot days (of which we've had plenty lately) and yes, I also wish I could wear such breezy, girlish things!
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