17 July 2011

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?

Photobucket

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.

Photobucket

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.

Photobucket

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!
Photobucket
What have y'all been making lately?

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Such a cute dress for a cute little girl. Love reading your blog. :)

Terri

Unknown said...

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!

Anonymous said...

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!

Anonymous said...

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 :)

Bacon Writer said...

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.

Naturally Carol said...

I think yours looks better than the one you bought. Anna's fabric makes such a unique little dress.

Marcella said...

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.

Unknown said...

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. ;)

Maria said...

That is such a sweet little dress for a sweet little girl!

Well done!

I wouldn't even know where to begin.

xxxxx

Unknown said...

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!

Sdlgillikin said...

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.

Kameron said...

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!

Emily said...

Oh that dress is adorable! I want one! :)