After a little trial and error, and the very first time I've ever made anything too small for my niece, I think I've found a pattern that I love to offer my customers for spring/summer! I didn't take pictures while I was creating this, I was entirely too engrossed in the project to even think of getting the camera. Largely in part to finally, after two months, forcing myself to thread my new serger (that was so scary!), and dying to serge any and everything, this dress turned out to be quite frilly. I'm pleased as punch with the way it turned out!! I will be offering this in sizes 6months - 18months with the bloomers, larger sizes available without bloomers. Any fabric combination - I love combining fabrics that most would turn their nose up at - they usually turn out to be cuter than anyone would have ever thought!! Now, say yes to the dress ;)
Isn't it too cute? It took awhile to make, and was very time consuming - but I'm chalking that up to exploring as many options as possible, to make it as girly as possible :) Hopefully, I'll remember to take pictures of the next one I make during the process... What should this number be called? I think it needs it's own name. What do you think it should be? Let me know in comments!
The top of this dress has elastic around the very top, and then 6 rows of shirring. Measuring and allowing for stretchiness with the shirring was the trickiest part for me, but I think I've got it! The straps are simple - serged edges, gathered down the middle with a dollop of cuteness in the form of ric rac right on top!
The bottom of this dress is where it all started.... It was simple, in the beginning.... just a zebra print border, hemmed. Then, I decided I wanted ric rac along the bottom - I really wanted bigger ric rac, but this was all I had, so it worked. Once the ric rac was in place, I remembered how difficult it was for me before I started using my serger to create ruffles, so I just HAD to create a ruffle, which turned quickly into two different sized ruffles, which I just sewed right onto the bottom... and fell in Love :)
Edited to add: This dress has a name - I should have just went with it when I originally named this post "Sweet Summertime" when I couldn't get that Kenny Chesney song out of my head.... Sweet Summertime it is!
