almost there

Left to do on The Girl's dress:

- hems on purple (over)dress
- tack sleeve seam allowances on purple dress
- bodice finishing on froofy white (under)dress
- buttons/holes on underdress
- maybe some more neckline trim?

Otherwise it's pretty much there and looking super cute!! Unfortunately, it's looking like we might get rained out on Sunday.  Boo.

When this is done, I'm going to try to whip out a cotton voile maxi dress for Lainey; she bought the fabric ages ago and it's almost sundress season here.

The dress is done

I never really consider it "done" until it's worn for the first time, but really, the sewing is over and I am pretty happy with it.

The plate I copied is in this post.

Front and back, with both dresses together:





I started with a commercial pattern (Simplicity Project Runway for kids!) with a square neckline and simple bodice, and made it into a pattern with a fuller skirt back and no front waist seam.  The plate doesn't show the back so I just guessed/improvised on the fuller back.

( More photos and construction notes )

The only thing that kind of bugs me about it is the length.  I spaced the hems an even distance apart, and the plate looked like that space was about a (kid-size) hand's width: about 3".  But with the longest layer hitting just below the knee, the purple overdress is more like a tunic and reads as REALLY short to me.  I could have made the spacing 2" and it might have looked better.  But oh well, too late, it's done now and I'm not doing it over.  Hopefully when she's wearing it that won't be as obvious.