Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Ruffles and Pinafores


One of my mom's co-workers recently asked if I would be able to make a dress for her friend's eighteen-month-old daughter. After selecting and approving a pattern and fabric, I pulled out my shears and snipped away!.



I used Butterick 6711, a pattern that my mom had purchased in the 70's. As you can see, the pattern cover has not fared too well over the years! Fortunately, all of the pattern pieces were intact.



The yellow calico fabric and blue ric-rac trim are the same that I used in a recent baby shower gift. I had purchased enough calico to make both dresses, but having just the right amount of ric-rac for this dress was a surprise! I had three inches left over.



To be sure the pinafore would fit over the little girl's head, I decided not to sew the side seams up the entire way. Instead, I added a button and a ribbon loop to each side:



Only three buttonholes for this project! I used ric-rac for the collar, which was a surprisingly easy thing to do. I love the effect.



I actually like the dress even without the pinafore. I must admit, I was skeptical about the pattern cover -- but once again, the illustrations didn't represent the finished product.



My mom's co-worker also wanted a little purse to go with the outfit. I improvised a pattern for this. The bag is made of two rectangles, which I curved on the bottom by using a protactor. I added a two-inch gusset between the sides to give the purse some shape. Because it's lightweight, the bag was a bit floppy, so I took four pleats along the top (two on each gusset end and one on either side). Voila!




Now it's time to move on to some other projects. Ideas are swirling around in my head -- aprons, blouses, and miscellany of all shapes and sorts. I just have to prioritize!

7 comments:

  1. It's adorable!

    ---Clare
    www.romanceandtheroses.blogspot.com

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  2. How sweet, Shannon! Good job on the whole ensemble!

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  3. Very, *very* cute! I love making little girls' things.

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  4. What a precious pattern that is! :) I love the underdress with the ruffle!!

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  5. Thank you! One thing I liked about this pattern was that I learned some new construction techniques. I like re-using and modifying patterns, but sometimes it's nice to have to read the directions :)

    Yours in Christ,
    Shannon

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  6. Hi there, Shannon! I've spent ages trying to locate your email address, but you don't seem to offer one. I was ready to give up when I noticed the comment option. Phew!
    So, the reason I'm writing is that a friend recommended your site as an example of Little Girl Dresses. Boutique Narelle is running a feature on these over the next few weeks and would like permission to post a picture of your Ruffled Baby Dress along with a link to your blog. My publishing deadline is Thursday, October 23.
    Sincerely,
    Narelle Worboys
    _____________________________________________________
    www.BoutiqueNarelle.blogspot.com
    An internet helpline and resource for modelling modesty,
    providing solutions for the important question of what to wear.

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  7. Narelle, I would not at all mind your including the dress in your feature and linking to my blog; in fact, I'd be flattered! I've enjoyed browing around on "Boutique Narelle," and think it's a great resource for women who want to dress modestly.

    In Christ,
    Shannon

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