Simplicity 2716, A Breath of Spring!

I think this is just as cute as a button. This is a Daisy Kingdom pattern, Simplicity 2716, and made for my tall, lanky five year old granddaughter, Sophie. The pattern gives you a longer dress option and a shorter top option and pants to match. I went for the shorter top version and will get her some skinny jeans or leggings to wear with it.

The pattern shows piping and a butterfly at the waist but I thought a fabric flower would  be cuter. I also made 3 butterflies that were pretty poor. You can see I did a double  piping at the raised waistline. That is because I was too lazy to take out the first piping. When I did the first piping my brain was not engaged and I made it out of the same fabric as the bodice and it therefore didn't even show. So, I made another piping out of the underskirt fabric and just stuck it below. They were then topstitched to control the inner seam and make them "pop" properly.

The skirt is interesting. It consists of an underskirt which is two rectangles pieced to make a big square with a hole in the middle for the waist. Over it goes a smaller top skirt which it cut in larger triangles with a lot of  bias. They are layered opposite of each other so all the points stick out. I did a baby hem on all the edges. I found it came out better to do each side of the hem individually. It was easier to control and the points overlapped nicely that way.

The shoulder is very interesting. The back shoulder is longer. Instead of stitching the shoulders together you turn under their edges and make casing. Then you make a cord which is passed through both shoulders to connect them and gather them up in a bow. I think that is a pretty cute "summery" touch.

The fabric is good old quilting cotton from Joanns. You need a LOT of fabric for this outfit, particularly if you make the matching pants. Each skirt layer takes a yard and the bodice takes another 3/4s. Add the pants and you have another yard. So to make the outfit as DK does you need three and 3/4s yard for a size five.

I had fun making that flower and it literally took maybe less than ten minutes. I will try to get a post in on how I did that tomorrow, however we will be traveling to Cape Cod for the week on Saturday, family issues with DH's mom. This dress was very easy to do, even the flower and I highly recommend. Yes, this is snow on the ground and yes, I am sick of it!...Bunny