Sew and Tell with Charlotte's Dress

 

Happy Friday to all you out there!  We're celebrating my son's 6th birthday this weekend, so we should be having oodles and oodles of fun as all 30-something members of our family converge on our house.  I actually do like to get together with our families.  They're a fun bunch ;) 

 

Even though we'll be having an outdoor pirate-themed water party, I still wanted to sew up my daughter a new pirate-inspired dress.  Then I realized how silly that would be.  She'll be in a bathing suit.  I've got the cutest pirate fabric, and Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop's Perfect Peasant Dress was calling my name... but, alas, that will have to be for another time and place. 

 

If you are lucky enough to have a fancier party (or photo shoot, holiday, church, special event) to sew for than I did, may I suggest Charlotte's Dress from Olabelhe Patterns?  This is such a classic and feminine style that will flatter any little girl!  The bow at the waist gives it just the right touch of charm, while the full double skirt (with a crinoline underskirt) give this dress a graceful fullness with beautiful movement!  Everything Olabelhe designs is golden in my book!  Every little girl needs a dress like this hanging in her closet!  So many opportunities for embellishment mean that you'll get plenty of use from this pattern.  How cute would it be to add a ruffle where the contrasting fabric bands are or to change it up and attach a fabric flower instead of a bow?  I adore patterns that allow for personal creativity so you can truly make the design your own!  Charlotte's Dress comes in sizes 3- 12.  Want to add this pattern to your stash?  You can get it for 25% off right now on the website! 

 

But before you head off to purchase, read the review sent in by LisaAnn!

 

 

I've learned to sew entirely by myself by trial and error and a few good books.   When my first daughter was born after my first three boys I just HAD to have some girly updates to all that boy stuff ;)  That was several years ago, and I consider myself to be average at the skill of garment sewing.

The beautiful grey/cream sample on the cover of the pattern caught both my eye and those of my two youngest daughters.  We went fabric shopping and they wanted the same colors, but we ended up with something much brighter that suits them.  The fabrics are mid-weight cottons-  Easter Crosses Tonal White by Eggscelent Prints Fabric, which is bright white small crosses (about an inch high) on a duller white background for the main dress and He Is Risen from Holiday Inspirations, which is a bright yet deep purple with small (about 2 inch) stained glass designs of doves and hearts in light blue/grey/white and the words "He Is Risen" and "Alleluia" in white for the contrasting bands and bow.  The crinoline (underskirt) was plain white broadcloth and fine white tulle with light glitter.

The pattern came with the bodice pieces printed which took only moments to cut out in my size 10 as needed for both girls.  I then covered the pattern with clear packing tape for stability and durability as I see myself using this many more times.  I pinned it to the correct layers of fabric (I cut out both bodices at the same time), making sure to put the fold edge on the proper folded edge of the fabric for the fronts.  The skirts were a matter of cutting rectangles of fabric in the correct dimensions on the correct fabrics.  I urge you to please be sure your directional prints are lined up correctly before cutting!  I cut out all of the skirts and folded/stacked/labeled them as well as the bodices in less than 30 minutes.  Then I moved on to the banding strips which took another 10 minutes.  I stacked/folded/labeled those as well.  As a note- I ended up needing two more strips of each row of banding for the completed project.  I don't know for sure if it was a pattern issue or a problem with my measurements, but I was about 15" short for each row. You may want to cut extra just to be sure.  I made matching headbands out of extra strips as well :)

This pattern is not terribly difficult for even a beginning seamstress.  The most difficult part is the gathering of the skirts, but the author has even included a nice diagram of the correct way to do this. The only other suggestion I have on that is to pin the four center quadrants first (like N,S,E,W on a compass) then pin in between each of those, THEN do the gathering technique. This will keep things evenly spaced around the skirt and make it much more manageable in general.  I was glad I knew about this beforehand, or it could have been frustrating to get it all even.

Sizing on the pattern is pretty close to average store sizing, but runs a bit larger, especially around the waist.  You may want to try it on and adjust before the final assembly.  The dresses for my girls are both a little larger in the bodice than I prefer, but they fit the way the girls like it- loose and comfortable, which also gives them growing room.  If we were doing this for an event like a wedding I would make a size smaller to have a more snug fit.

Although my daughters both wear a size 10, one has longer legs and other is a bit shorter so I adjusted the skirt lengths accordingly.  That is an easy way to customize and change up this dress so you can make several different looks with the one pattern. 

I used a half inch sized crystal button, and the size 10 needed four of them for good spacing.  I don't have the cool, fancy ruler shown in the pattern so just measured the bodice length and divided by four then spaced them accordingly.  You could easily use different sized buttons and adjust the count as needed. That is another great way to customize the dress.

Overall we all love the dresses made from this pattern, and it was easy enough to make that I am willing to make several more in other fabrics for their summer wardrobes.  They received many, many compliments on the dresses at Easter church service.  I can't wait to see what other looks we make from this pattern!  

 

 

 

 So elegant!  If that's not a perfect Easter dress, I don't know what is!  What beautiful girls we have modeling for us, too!


To go with our party theme today, our Pair it Up feature will showcase some tea party necessities :)

This AWESOME pattern collection from The Sewing Loft contains a pillowcase apron, felt doughnuts, and sugar cookies!  Everything your little princess needs to host her own tea party (except her tea set, of course!)  Make her apron as dainty and whimsical as she likes!  Her "guests" will adore those scrumptious treats she has prepared.  All of these individual patterns are included in the Tea Party Collection.



 If you want to add some variety to her tea party menu, take a look at the Petitfore Pincushions from Indygo Junction.  These deliciously sweet pincushions look good enough to eat!  Make a few for her to use at playtime and whip up a few for yourself to decorate your sewing table with ;)  These are perfect for pincushion exchanges or just anytime you want to create something unique! 

Hurry over to the website and get your copy of Charlotte's Dress while it's on sale!  This gorgeous pattern is worth every penny!  Y'all have a great weekend!

Go sew something magical!!

Take a look at where we link up our blog posts! 

Sew and Tell with the Sabrina Shirttail Dress

 

Hi everyone!  We have such a beautiful dress to share with you today!  Allow me to introduce you to the Sabrina Shirttail Dress from Peek-a-Boo Pattern Shop!  This is so fun and different from most of dresses out there.  Perfect for those no-fuss kinds of girls who don't want a lot of ruffles, but still enjoy a cute dress  :) 

 

The bib front with all its pretty pleats is just begging me to sew it up!  And I love the contrasting cuffs!  This dress is all about the details.  There are ribbon ties at the back, so those of you who dislike zippers and buttonholes can breath a sigh of relief ;)  I feel like there are a lot of modifications that can be made to change up the look to make it uniquely yours.  The buttons on the bib are decorative, so leave them on or off.  You can do some fabulous things with the right buttons... they can really make a certain fabric pop if done correctly.  You can play around with the bottom of the dress if you want a hemline that goes straight across instead of the shirttail look.  But, I think it gives the dress a lot of character as is.  Trim your bib with rick rack or lace, finish the back closure off with a button instead of a ribbon, do the bib and dress in the same fabric with only the bib-border a different color... the possibilities are endless!  Now the dress is really calling my name... 

 

And to further entice you, I have a review with a gorgeous little girl modeling the Sabrina Shirttail Dress.  This review was written by Theresa H. 

 

 

 

I have been sewing for just over two years. I taught myself to sew and sew nearly every day.  I love to sew clothing and test patterns.  I consider myself to be intermediate/advanced level.  The Sabrina Shirttail Dress is a great pattern for both beginning and advanced sewers.  No "special" skills are needed to sew this pattern.  It comes in a wide range of sizes.....3 months to 8 years!

The tutorial/pattern downloaded and printed easily.  The pattern pieces matched up perfectly and are color-coded for each of the different sizes for easy cutting.  A measurement chart is given, as well as directions on how to choose the right size and how to customize fit.  My finished garment measurements match the charts measurements exactly.

The tutorial is very thorough, clear, and easy to follow with detailed instructions.  Color photos are included to aid in the understanding of the instructions.  The pattern runs true to size.  It has a shirttail hemline falling at the knees.  The sleeve length is perfect and includes a placket with great detail.  It has a pleated bib front and a keyhole opening with bow ties in the back.  I used bias tape instead of ribbon for my back ties.  That is the only thing I changed in my version of The Sabrina Shirttail Dress.  I didn't do the optional decorative stitching or use buttons on the bib since I used a fabric with a busy pattern.  The next time I make this, I will probably lengthen the dress a couple of inches which is very easy to do!

I used 100% woven cotton fabric.  For the main dress parts, I used Studio E Bloom Swirls in purple.  For the front bib, sleeve plackets and sleeve cuffs, I used Studio E Bloom Cherry Blossoms in purple. The Cherry Blossoms line is a bit hard to find, but oh so pretty!  I only used two different fabrics but this dress can be made with more if you use different coordinating fabrics for the dress, bib, sleeve plackets, and sleeve cuffs.  The Shirttail Dress is perfect for everyday wear, or you can dress it up with fancy fabric, satin ribbon back ties, and blingy buttons!  It only took about an hour and forty-five minutes to cut out and sew!  As you can see, my daughter loves hers!

 

That is such a happy dress :)  It reminds me that spring is just around the corner!!  Hurray!!  It would be a great dress for school for the older girls.  It's trendy, not over-the-top, and would be easy to move around in.  Make sure you head to the website to get your Sabrina Shirttail Dress Pattern for 25% off for the next few days!! 

 

While you are on the website shopping, have a little looksee at The Sewing Loft's Cupcake Backpack.  How cute is that?!  I don't think there is any girl anywhere in the world who wouldn't go crazy over this backpack.  If it's for a super special little lady you could take the time to sew on little pearls or buttons for the "sprinkles!"  Would that not be precious?  Decorate your cupcake however you like!  Fill it with books, crayons, toys, clothes... whatever you need for a trip to the library, long car rides, or weekends with grandma. 

 

 

You may have noticed how adorable the little girl in the photos above looked wearing her crotched hat.  Foot Loose & Fancy Free has a really great pattern (several really) that is perfect for beginners called the Cloche Hat with Ribbon.  Whether you crotchet or would like to learn how, this is a great pattern for you that produces beautiful results!  If you don't crotchet, maybe you have a grandmother, aunt, or friend who does that could whip up a few for you.  The pattern is available in sizes New Born- Adults, so this one is perfect for you too ladies! 

Head over to the website and get your copy of the Sabrina Shirttail Dress while it's on sale!  I hate when I see something on sale, and I think I'll just get it later.  Then when I need it, it's not on sale anymore  :(  Leave us a comment and let us know what you think about the dress, about the review, about the blog, about what you had for dinner last night... whatever you like ;)  Hope you all have a lovely day full of productive sewing, fabric shopping, and pattern browsing (possibly my 3 favorite things!)