Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Best. Dress. Ever.

baby doll dress
This is quite possibly the best dress I've ever made. I was inspired to make it after I got and adored this dress, and then when I had Chic and Simple Sewing from the library I saw the pattern in there for a baby doll dress and decided to give it a go. I was rummaging through my stash and discovered I had 3 yards of this lovely Anna Maria Horner print, and it just came together from there! 

baby doll dress back
Per usual, I did make a number of modifications to the dress. I changed the back up quite a bit. Instead of doing a back dress piece and then a bodice (in two pieces), I made a muslin of the dress following the instructions, then cut it in half and used those pieces to make just two back pieces, with a zip in the middle. Make sense? I didn't like the idea of the back being gathered like the front. I also omitted the facings for the bodice and bound the top edge with some pink single-fold bias tape (and I used three lines of contrast stitching to hold it in place). I did lower the neckline a little all around to make up for the seam allowance that would've been eaten up by the facing. 

baby doll ruffled cap sleeve
I also changed the sleeve. I thought the one in the pattern was a little too long. I ended up just swapping it out with the short-sleeve pattern piece for my version of the Weekend Sewing top. I gathered the sleeve pretty tightly at the shoulder to give it some puff, and then ran elastic through the hem casing (as the original pattern instructions call for). This is quite possibly the cutest sleeve ever. 

baby doll pocket
Also cute? These pockets! Once I had the dress finished, I thought it was still missing something. I don't know if it's because of the centered design in the front or what, but adding these pockets, which were made following this tutorial by Made by Rae, did the trick! Also I think pockets on dresses might be the best thing ever! I carried things in them all day yesterday and really liked having that option. 

Iris chin sniff
So, for about five hours of work on Sunday morning / Monday night, I have an adorable, comfortable dress that I totally love! I'm quite pleased. I think Iris is, too. 

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

love! and those are the cutest pockets ever...i think every dress should have pockets!

Terrie Sandelin said...

I love seeing the clothes sewing you do. the dress is adorable and really, really cute sleeves and pocket!

casapinka said...

This is cute beyond belief!

Karissa said...

Thanks! I really love this dress and can't wait for it to warm up (and stop snowing) so I can wear it again!