So this little dress was actually intended as a birthday dress for Miss nearly-Five. Miss Six-and-a half is wearing it in the photos. The fabric is a Nani Iro border print in double gauze cotton, which is beautifully soft and pretty. It is also fully lined in a combination of silk habutai and silk jersey (scraps from my previous projects). The combination of fabrics make this the most deliciously cool and swishy Summer frock. Try to ignore the sewing threads and cuttings on the floor behind the pretty cherub.
I used a pattern from one of my Japanese pattern books. I adore my Japanese pattern books but I do find it tricky to get the sizing right at times. Sizing is by height of the child, as far as I can understand.This works reasonably well most of the time, but sometimes I miss the target in trying to negotiate for my very tall girls. I got it wrong this time. I knew the dress would be big, but not quite so swimmingly big that it is.
On Miss Six, the dress is roomy, but it still fits reasonably well. Thankfully, the middle sister hasn’t seen the dress yet, so I can still replace it with a better fitting one. In the meantime, Miss Six LOVES her new little bubble dress, especially the little side pockets for her treasures. I love the pretty little faux pearl buttons that fasten up the back. And we both agreed that we would wrap up the dress, place it under the Christmas tree and ‘forget’ about it until the big day.
What a patient one to agree to leave it under the Christmas tree! Dress looks great.
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Thank you! She's definitely a funny one 😉
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Could Miss 6 look any more adorable? No, it's not possible! I adore this fabric, it's incredibly pretty. I also have trouble sizing right when I make stuff for my M. I always seem to have to take in, let out of otherwise throw it in the corner with a pout. It's not pretty. But this dress? It's very pretty.
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That is such a pretty dress. The perfect pattern and fabric combo. Ive been wondering about cotton gauze, its sounds lovely but ive never seen it in real life to undertand how it would handle.
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It's so pretty and swishy and she wears it so well! Your little girls are very stylish.
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This is a beautiful dress! I love everything about it. How patient of her to know it's under the tree!
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Thank you Jillian! That's the beauty of three daughters less than 2yrs apart. My kid sewing is completely stress free because if I stuff up the size, I just pretend I made it for someone else. It's funny how my middle child seems to get the largest share though…
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Thanks Barbara. Double gauze is lovely, but to me it has a very, very casual feel, especially the nani iro I've sewn with. I'm torn with nani iro, because I love the print but such a 'rustic' loose weave is a bit casual looking for my style – and wrinkles up so much with washing – but that can be a look. I like double gauze for kids clothes though because it is so soft, and would make myself some pj's in nani iro in an instant if I got a good bargain!
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Thanks Sara!
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Thanks Lisa! My first born is a funny little thing. She likes rules adhered to (I suspect she may end up as a policewoman or lawyer one day). So Christmas day is when she must open the gift – her decision!
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Coming out of lurkdom to comment on how beautiful this dress is! Pretty fabric and pretty silhouette on a very pretty girl. I always enjoy Japanese kid's patterns but have never sewn one.
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Thank you! Oh you totally should! Some of the tot stuff is so cute and the picture directions make the sewing a breeze.
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