Our family has an occasion coming up during the summer....it involves religion, so I will avoid the details if at all possible! I do not like discussing religion....
Anyway, Maeve is the main girl on the day, and she needs a special dress (in White!!!!), so I made a trial run of an Ottobre dress. She will be able to wear the trial dress during the summer.
I used the Taffeta Princess dress pattern, from 3/2008. I only had a bit of the navy polka-dot left so I didn't add the bottom piece, I just used the brighter fabric all the way down.
Both fabrics are from Dots'n'Stripes.
The little ones will also need something to wear. Nothing extra special, just a couple of nice dresses. I bought some Boden fabric forom SewFabrics on eBay a while ago, and decided on the Bubble dress pattern from Oliver + S for it. I love Oliver + S patterns!
I had some problems with the topstitching on the sleeve part of the dresses, I have the red dress done, not a well as I'd like, and I may take it out or revisit the blue one, I haven't decided yet! I have re-done them both about 3 times already!
I am pretty happy with all the dresses. Maeve needs a smaller bodice on her final dress, it is floating away from her body a bit, I think one size smaller in the width should do it. That is the reason I did a trial run first though, right!?
22 comments:
Millie, I love the dresses and the fabric you used, what a lot of work went into them - lining , zips, topstitching! You've been really busy! The navy polka-dot works perfectly with the flower fabric in the navy dress. It will also be beautiful in white.
The dresses are really lovely, especially the Oliver + S ones. Your choice of fabrics suits the dresses really well!
And ach, make the most of the event: don't talk about it, but sew, sew, sew!
The dresses are all beautiful, like everything you sew! I love the prints that you chose for the bubble dresses.
Lovely dresses, all three. I love the fabric choices for the Otto one. Those bubble dresses are the cutest I've seen in a long while!
Lovely! I particularly like the puckered sort of hem on the bottom two. Does that have an official name?
All three of them are really lovely. Your twins will look very pretty in them and I'm looking forward to see Maeve's white dress.
Thanks Angela...I am glad that I did the trial. I learned a lot. I have now used up all that I had of these navy/white fabrics...I am a bit sad! I am dreading working with the white...I will have to be so careful!
Thank you Thirza...I had the fabric, but couldn't decide on a dress to suit, then I found the Bubble Dress pattern and bought it specifically for this fabric, but I have since bought several O+S patterns...they're great, aren't they?!
Thank you Cindy..that's very kind of you. I love this fabric, and it's so crisp, such nice quality.
Thanks so much Joy...I really enjoyed making them all, and using some of my favourite fabrics, that I have been hoarding for each of the girls!
Thanks Val...The style is a bubble dress/skirt or a puff-ball. The lining is shorter than the outer fabric which causes it to puff out. This pattern uses elastic too, to pucker it more.
Thanks Nicole...I am sure that they will look good, so long as they agree to wear them! They are very choosey at the moment!
I have the white embroidered cotton from you for the trim on the white dress. I am looking forward to using it, it is so pretty.
They are all lovely dresses, and the blue will be lovely in white. I love the pink fabric. My mother made my dress (crochet) for the unnamed occasion, and I still have it - although I shouldn't say so myself, it was heaps nicer than the overdone shop-bought confections most people had.
Great job with all three, and I love your fabric choices :)
Everyone will look gorgeous on the big day!!
Thanks Mise...I agree...some of the dresses I have seen do not fit into my idea stylish for little girls. I want to keep the whole thing as simple as possible. Imagine, your Mother crocheted your dress! I can't really crochet! Only single.
Thanks Amanda, I was saving these three fabrics for a special occasion. The Boden fabrics are a lovely crisp quality, the same seller has some boys fabric, which I might get!
Oh thank you Medrie...I am trying to keep it low-key....lots of other parents make a MASSIVE deal of it all...like a mini wedding!
I really like the blue version - don't you love it when you make a trial dress and it's good enough to be used for wear? This is something that my Maeve would wear. I think you're right on with the simplicity of dresses for said unnamed occasion - the frou-frou ones always seem to take over the wearer, imho.
The dresses for the twins are so cute! They look as good as what Boden has in their spring catalogue, if not cuter.
Gorgeous work, as always. The twins dresses are so cute. Bubble dresses are so sweet on little ones. The blue dress will be fab in white and so appropriate for the unnamed occasion. My own dress was made from my mother's wedding dress, which was a simple cotton. I loved it and wore it until it fell off my back!
Your dresses are stunning - I love the colours of the polka dots in the blue one and the bubble dresses are very lovely (I'm wishing my daughter was still young enough to wear these). I think they would be perfect for any religious event that cannot be named.
Florence x
Beautiful gunas. You are so right to make it and embrace the fact you can..it will be extra special. My Mum made my special occasion white frock too when I was a little one and I just loved it. Sinead
Thanks very much Jen...I am really pleased that she will have a nice dress for wearing to occasions this summer. I agree about the frou-frou dresses...definitely not our Maeve's style anyway.
I haven't even looked at the new Boden stuff, a catalogue usually arrives, I must get onto that. I use it for inspiration!!!
Thanks Sadhbh...I am glad to hear someone else who had a hand-made dress that they loved...it makes me feel better about what I am doing. How lovely that your mother used her wedding dress, mine was pale blue/green, so I won't be using that!
Thanks Florence....I am very pleased with them all. The Bubble dress is a lovely pattern, and I am using it as often as possible, while I still can...it definitely has an age after which it loses it's charm.
Thanks for that Sinead ...another person who had a hand-made dress....I hope my girlie likes hers as much...she is an easy child to please though... once she has input in the design!
Oh my, you always make the pretties clothes! i love the dresses! specially the twins', so cute Millie!!
Thanks so much Iveth! I enjoy making all the girls dresses..... I just wish we had more places to wear them! And better weather too!
All of the dresses are lovely, Millie, and I know M. will treasure the one you make for the actual big day. I still have mine that my Grandma (Nonna) made me. It's a beautiful silk with a lace yoke. Part of me hopes that S. will wear it when it's her turn, but I must admit it looks a wee bit dated...it was 1986 after all!
Your sewing is an inspiration!
Thanks Andrea...Your dress sounds lovely! You never know...maybe S will love it! I am amazed at how many people who have commented had handmade dresses! It's lovely to hear.
My mother outright refused to have me in a floor length dress with a veil - too bridal, she said. At the time I was crestfallen, but now I'm so glad i had something different. Instead of a veil I wore a wreath with white flowers and long white ribbons. I still have that, too:) I should post a picture of it somewhere to show you!
I refuse on both of those things too Andrea!
I would love to see a photo sometime!
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