Simplicity 3978, two years in a row!!!
I have to say, I’m so very proud of myself. I started this year’s dress late (Thursday night) and had everything complete by bedtime Saturday. I used the same pattern as last year’s dress, since it was already cut out, and even though last year’s dress still fits, DD insisted on a NEW dress, of course! So, having bought the most 3 coordinating, wonderful cottons from our local quilt shop, I knew I wanted to incorporate all the fabrics somehow. The base fabric is a pink floral on a light blue field, which I absolutely love. I decided to do a color block hemline, as is so popular in RTW right now, and used the same color (pink) to bind the sleeves. As I was completing the bodice, I decided that it needed a little extra length, as my 4 year old did grow in the last year! So I cut a 3″ wide strip of the 3rd fabric (light blue) for a waistband, and added a very thin strip of the pink in the center. Easter in Michigan is always iffy with the weather (it did snow after dinner), and I don’t mind paying $8/yd for cotton that is high quality (and machine washable). She will use this dress a lot this year, as I love it and so does she. Having so much success modifying a pattern is new to me, so I think I will invest in some tracing paper for the future, that way I can keep re-using the patterns regardless of size.
Both dresses are pictured below.
Kristine
Replies
How delightful to see girls in these type of dresses. MO, they're in keeping with their age rather than some of what is in RTW.
I enjoyed reading your success.
Me
Those dresses are just preciouse and so is she!!! You really did an excellent job on them. I especially like the one from this year. She even has cute little shoes on in both photos! Too sweet! Mary
Every girl knows... the shoes must match, right???
I'd rather buy shoes than chocolate! It was a joke in my family that I always had a pair of blue shoes, still do. I get all the songs and rhymes about shoes you can imagine. I even had a pair of platform sandal rollerskates (about 30 years ago).
"Little Betty Blue, has lost her holiday shoe. Oh what will poor little Betty do? Give her another to match the other, and then she'll walk in two."
Speaking of blue shoes, Mary, have you read Alexander McCall Smith's Happiness & Blue Shoes (or the other way around)? It's one of the Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency series - a delightful book, as are all of that particular series.
I never saw platform roller skates, but I had the kind that were adjustable lengthwise & widthwise (with a key) that we clamped onto our shoes when I was a kid - also resulted in many skinned knees :)
Gloria
I had those too. Now the kids and grandkids have fancy rollerblades, helmets, knee and elbow pads. Too bad they don't wear the safety gear as they should! When they were little, we did'nt give them a choice. Of course now they think they are "indestructable". lol
I had those crazy skates when I was a young mother, I should've kept them, they would be great in a time capsule, along with mini skirts, and "hippie" clothes, black eyeliner and white lipstick that I once wore, lol. I do wish I could still wear those 4 1/2" heels!!!
We certainly didn't have the padding when we were young, eh? All sports have safety helmets or padding now. (Also, remember those flimsy little cotton & wire car seats that had the wooden beads in front, & the seats just hooked over the back of the bench seat - front seat, no less - when our kids were small)? Yah, times have changed, along with our feet. I certainly can't wear heels higher than 1 1/2" anymore. Guess we'll just have to look fondly upon what glamourous creatures we were when we were young. :)
Gloria
Woohoo!! Those dresses are absolutely adorable. What a lucky little girl to have such a talented, and dedicated, grandmother. I love the changes and updates you made to the pattern. One would never know it was the same base pattern as last year. I like the new and improved better than the original. And your granddaughter is precious.
Ditto: it is so refreshing to see children dressed like children and not mini adults. (sultry ones at that).
Precious little girls, you are so lucky and blessed.
You did a wonderful job, and so quickly. Awesome, awesome. Sometimes I think a lot of us do our best work under pressure. giggle.
Happy sewing.
Gotta love it when the saleslady at the quilt store knows me well enough to say, "You like to wait until the last minute, don't you?" I seem to recall being in there at the end of June last year for a Fourth of July party... It's so nice to shop in a place where they know you by name, it makes the slightly higher prices than JoAnn's worth the cost!
Kristine
ha ha ha.....you said it. I go to Joann's so much that the staff just waves at me, talks to me, asks me what I'm making and asks me about crafts. Some know my name and others don't.
How cute! She is adorable and I love that pattern. The one with the pink is my favorite. You work fast.
Marcy
Absolutely adorable, the child AND the dresses. I love your taste in fabrics and you did a great job. What a lucky kid!
Kristine, your daughter is adorable and so are her Easter dresses. You should be proud of yourself! You did a great job, working under a tight schedule, and especially with adapting the pattern to fit your growing little girl. I hope she did a proper twirl to show off her new dress! :-)
Your daughter is beautiful. So are the dresses, especially this year's. You did a beautiful job! It's so refreshing, as Mary in Colorado said, to see a girl dressed so appropriately, just like they should be. This is definitely a successful pattern - & better, the dresses don't look like they were made from the same pattern. Delightful!
Gloria
Very pretty dresses, both of them. Your necessary adjustment to the waist band turns out to be a nice addition. Don't you love it when that happens? I love the tucks in the bodice, and the pink trim on the sleeves.
So cute!
kbalinski: Absolutely fabulous. I am so impressed with your creative talent and eye for fabrics. Your daughter is of course adorable. Thanks so much for posting these pictures of your super work and lovely daughter. Scrubble4
Just gorgeous - isn't having little girls to sew for great?
Beautiful job on both. You can tell your daughter loves wearing her pretty dresses.
Sherry
WOW! These are exquisite. I've seen dresses like this for $80 a piece! Great job. I had knee surgery this year so I didn't get to make the Easter dresses for my GDs this year.
Your girls are adorable and I love those fabrics.
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