I hadn’t sewn since we got back from Michigan. I was busy with other things and my sewing room sat alone and sad and uninhabited for over a week and a half and something needed to be done!
But, I did’t know what to make. I needed inspiration.
And since I had just posted family photos of Hazel in that cute sun dress from babyGap, I thought it might be fun to tackle making that dress myself.
After all, why mess with a good thing?
(photo credit: Claire Wise Photography)
So, I grabbed some fabric from Anna Maria Horner’s new line that had arrived from Sew Fresh Fabrics while I was gone. (It’s hard to go wrong with Anna!)
I cut the body pieces from ManiMina’s Everyday Dress pattern, finished the arm holes (instead of attaching the pattern’s sleeves) and threaded a little circle of coordinating homemade bias tape for the strap into the neckline. I also added a line of the strap fabric to the bottom to give it interest.
And just like that – Hazel had a new summer dress!
I even had time leftover to join Oliver for a 2-hour nap in my bed! Not bad at all.
I accidentally cut things a little short (and tried to salvage as much length as I could by just doing a serged rolled hem instead of turning it under twice). I tried the dress with wide-leg jeans at first (maybe should have tried skinny jeans?) but I like short dresses on little girls and it’s just so hot outside, so I eventually decided to go for it with a pair of bloomers and it was super cute!
What have y’all been making lately?
>Such a cute dress for a cute little girl. Love reading your blog. :)
Terri
>so cute! i love the fabric, just adorable! No sewing here, since I separated the girls into two rooms, I lost my craft room and haven't organized an area yet!
>I'm working on my first quilt! It's small, but so colorful and I LOVE it. It's pink elephants and green giraffes so polka dots. I haven't been good at turning the kid's room into a boy/girl shared space since Piper's been born, so this is her first girly thing!
>Also, somehow the first half of my comment got chopped. I actually thought you had made the dress in the photos so this is funny! LOVE the fabric. And jealous of your kids' long naps! Mine don't do that :)
>Cute! I made myself a purse last weekend, it's a small messenger bag style purse using a dark denim for the outside, and a kelly green and white polka dot fabric for the inside… I love it, lots of pockets and magnetic snap closure! I thought the outside looked too plain, so I cut out an "A" out of the polka dot fabric, interfaced it and hand stiched it on the front along with a white ribbon flower… I was so happy with how it turned out. Sometimes my experiments don't! :) Thank you for the inspiration to keep sewing.
>I think yours looks better than the one you bought. Anna's fabric makes such a unique little dress.
>I wish wish wish I knew how to sew & make adorable little dresses like that! I am wished i knew how to sew especially since my very tall 10 year old is growing out of all the kids stores & moving on to junior sizes. A lot of the stuff is just not appropriate for her age! Wishing I could make her clothes for her. . .there would be less battle for sure.
>Very very cute! I'm working on a "scrap happy" quilt for my daughter's twin bed. It's my first foray into such a big project. We'll see how it goes. ;)
>That is such a sweet little dress for a sweet little girl!
Well done!
I wouldn't even know where to begin.
xxxxx
>SO cute!
I made myself 2 pillow covers(including 1 BIG floor pillow!) that I'm hoping to post photos of tomorrow, and I'm anxious to make a few more!
>I just made a pillowcase dress for my daughter too! Although, I didn't use a pattern and it turned out to "just fit", meaning the second daughter will get much more use out of it.
>After crafting my tuckus off for my son's birthday party and photo shoots for my friends I needed a mini break, but I am ready to get back behind my machine! Cute dress!
>Oh that dress is adorable! I want one! :)