first Dress
Come see, come see, what's on my table today!
Looking too bright (and waaaaaay too tiny) for this mama? You guessed it, this one's for Aria! I really fell for the Sis Boom Marissa dress and Jennifer Paganelli's Honey Child collection. The two together are perfect for Easter! I received fabric the other day and have been busy working away. The main print is Danielle in orange and the lighter accent is Dana in orange, both from Honey Child.
You all know I've never made a dress before, but I have made clothes before. I made pajamas for the kids ages ago and it. was. torture. So far this experience is nothing like it. I made the pjs with a tissue paper pattern from Hancocks. All those sizes on one huge, flimsy paper and cryptically short directions - ugh. In sharp contrast, the Sis Boom pattern is full of colored photographs and detailed how-to's that really walk me through each step. It's been actually quite pleasant!
I'm kind of shocked that things are going smoothly since I'm altering the pattern in several places. Aria is on the slender side, so she measures a size 5/6 for height and a size 2T for waist. Not having a clue, I decided to alter the 5/6 bodice by removing 2" from the center of the front and back bodice pattern pieces. The bodice is cut on the straight fold, so I moved back the fold line, making the bodice thinner but keeping the same curves. I've already stitched up the bodice... and it actually fits (I think)! It could be on the small side. I don't think I'll feel confident until I've finished the entire thing. I've also added some piecing to the back bodice and to the skirt, just to get more of that cute Dana print into the design.
So, the pattern is lined in the bodice, but not in the skirt. I want to add a skirt lining with tulle sewn in to make the skirt fluffy and twirly. The Marissa design has a full skirt with lots of gathering, so it's a great candidate for twirls. So I bought some tulle and I have muslin for the lining... And that's kind of where I'm at. Any suggestions? I think I'd make the muslin lining and add maybe 2 rows of doubled tulle stitched onto the lining to lay in between the muslin and the outer skirt? Is that a bad idea? I'm also wondering if I should make the muslin lining smaller in circumference than the outer skirt so that it will "fit" underneath with all the tulle. Or, conversely, if it's smart to make the lining just as big as the outer skirt to make everything more full? I totally expect to experience some trial and error here, but your tips are very welcome!
P.S. I was able to visit Whipstitch again while on a business trip to Atlanta. I picked up this emerald green Mikeala print also from Honey Child and this salmon pink print from It's a Hoot. Together don't they remind you of watermelon! Yum.
Looking too bright (and waaaaaay too tiny) for this mama? You guessed it, this one's for Aria! I really fell for the Sis Boom Marissa dress and Jennifer Paganelli's Honey Child collection. The two together are perfect for Easter! I received fabric the other day and have been busy working away. The main print is Danielle in orange and the lighter accent is Dana in orange, both from Honey Child.
You all know I've never made a dress before, but I have made clothes before. I made pajamas for the kids ages ago and it. was. torture. So far this experience is nothing like it. I made the pjs with a tissue paper pattern from Hancocks. All those sizes on one huge, flimsy paper and cryptically short directions - ugh. In sharp contrast, the Sis Boom pattern is full of colored photographs and detailed how-to's that really walk me through each step. It's been actually quite pleasant!
I'm kind of shocked that things are going smoothly since I'm altering the pattern in several places. Aria is on the slender side, so she measures a size 5/6 for height and a size 2T for waist. Not having a clue, I decided to alter the 5/6 bodice by removing 2" from the center of the front and back bodice pattern pieces. The bodice is cut on the straight fold, so I moved back the fold line, making the bodice thinner but keeping the same curves. I've already stitched up the bodice... and it actually fits (I think)! It could be on the small side. I don't think I'll feel confident until I've finished the entire thing. I've also added some piecing to the back bodice and to the skirt, just to get more of that cute Dana print into the design.
So, the pattern is lined in the bodice, but not in the skirt. I want to add a skirt lining with tulle sewn in to make the skirt fluffy and twirly. The Marissa design has a full skirt with lots of gathering, so it's a great candidate for twirls. So I bought some tulle and I have muslin for the lining... And that's kind of where I'm at. Any suggestions? I think I'd make the muslin lining and add maybe 2 rows of doubled tulle stitched onto the lining to lay in between the muslin and the outer skirt? Is that a bad idea? I'm also wondering if I should make the muslin lining smaller in circumference than the outer skirt so that it will "fit" underneath with all the tulle. Or, conversely, if it's smart to make the lining just as big as the outer skirt to make everything more full? I totally expect to experience some trial and error here, but your tips are very welcome!
P.S. I was able to visit Whipstitch again while on a business trip to Atlanta. I picked up this emerald green Mikeala print also from Honey Child and this salmon pink print from It's a Hoot. Together don't they remind you of watermelon! Yum.