Pattern: Simplicity 2171, a "Sarah Rose" design. Frankly, I don't know who Sarah Rose is and must do a google. This dress is easy, peasy with little fit issue. It is called a knot dress among the cognoscenti as the straps, which are sewn into the back bodice, come over the shoulders and in through a buttonhole and after adjusting, are tied in a knot to hold the dress up. In this case I used the heavy turquoise lace I got at Fabric Place Basement for the straps. I did not want to knot the lace until I try it on Sophie so what you are seeing are rolled up balls of lace, not the knots. This pattern has an optional apron which I gave a bit of smocking to as well as some ruffly bloomer type pants. Originally I was going to do the pants but there is enough volume here and I think this will be cute with a little white tee and some white leggings.
(The buttonholes appear uneven. Not.)
Construction: There is nothing complicated here and this would be a great design for a beginner who is not afraid to make the big buttonholes on the front bodice. I did make a few changes, however:
* I added piping to the waistline seam. Smocking just is not pretty butted up to a plain seam.
* I found the fabric just didn't have enough oomph to carry all of the volume of the skirt and apron. I backtracked at the end and interfaced the bodice. This helped prevent seam show-thru from the waist seam as well as give it needed support. Highly recommend you interface back and front bodices. You will be glad you did.
* To finish off the inside facing the seam was understitched as you can see. This is not recommended in the pattern. Again, all that skirt weight will pull those facing out, guaranteed. So, understitch!
* To further secure the facings, the raw edge was serged and then the facing was ditch stitched in the well of the underarm seam to prevent roll out.
I pretty much followed the embellishment ideas from the pattern other than adding the smocking to the top of the apron, the extra row of lace to the bottom of the apron and the piping to the waistline.
I will definitely be making this again, for Carly next time. I am on the hunt for fabrics but so far have struck out. I highly recommend this easy, quick to make dress for any little girl who wants to twirl and catch a few rays in the sunshine...Bunny
Sophie's dress is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI have made a few dresses and tops from this pattern, too. I have added piping for a pop of color between the bodice and skirt,topstitched around the bodice, and added ruffles or a straight band to the bottom, shortened it for a tunic top, etc. I also have to agree with your tips on interfacing and understitching. Those simple changes just make a more finished, professional looking garment. It's a quick and easy to make versatile pattern.
ReplyDeletePrecious! Sophie is a LUCKY girl!
ReplyDeleteBRAVO! Adorable!
ReplyDeleteI never thought to ditch stitch the arm hole seam to keep it from rolling thanks for that tip!
ReplyDeleteI have that very pattern, I love the smocking and the lace. I may have to copy cat you and make an heirloom one.
ReplyDeleteIt's adorable! Any little girl would love it. I really like your fabric choices, the patterns and colours together really sing!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone. I want to go vivid yellow and turquoise for Carly's version. I am striking out so far but will try the quilt shop at the Reservation maybe this weekend to see what's there.
ReplyDeleteThis so so gorgeous. I find that patterns often leave out those details of when to interface and when to understitch. It's frustrating because I wonder if I'm over-thinkng a project. I wonder if I'm going to make the garment too stiff. It's encouraging to see your recommendations.
ReplyDeleteBunny, you make the most gorgeous items. Just absolutely lovely! Thanks you for being such an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteHow sweet! I love the dress and your Bunny tag. It looks great for growing girls, too, as I assume you could easily adjust the straps. Do you know how small the pattern goes? This looks like a great summertime dress for my little one (just turned 1). I figure if I put her in enough dresses and make crawling hard enough, maybe she'll let go of the couch and walk :-)
ReplyDeleteKathryn, the pattern sizes are all in one envelope and they go from 3 to 8. If you need something smaller I bet you could easily adjust a little sundress pattern.
DeleteMy last DGS didn't stop crawling till 16 months. We thought he was the biggest child ever to crawl on the planet and really looked a bit strange doing so. He was wearing out shoes and pants and crawling all over the lawn while his twin sister walked. In the end he got up and ran one day and that was the end of that but we thought it would never come. Each child just seems to have their own clock, don't they?
Thanks for the info - I'm putting this one on my $1 pattern list! She is a big 1 year old, already outgrowing her 18 month clothes, so I think I'll be able to grade it down pretty easily. Apparently the threat of dresses was enough - she started walking 8-10 steps at a time yesterday! My older boys (now 5 and 4) were late walkers, both past 15 months, and my 4 year old was an enormous baby (29 lbs at 1 year), so I get the giant crawler thing :-) Now they talk up a storm and run me ragged all day - it all goes by too fast.
DeleteBunny, your fabric/trim combination is just lovely!! It's a beautiful dress!
ReplyDeleteBunny - this is so full of artistic-ness it's just fabulous! I just love the way you put everything all together. I'm speechless!
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