Shortcake Romper and Dress

A fun little romper for Spring!

I used this pattern, Shortcake Reversible Romper & Dress

by The Cottage Mama.  It includes Sizes 6 Months to 6 Years.

Designer, Lindsay Wilkes, has recently started marketing her cute patterns.

She also has a fun blog, The Cottage Home, filled with scrumptious recipes, tales of being a young mother, and examples of her creative sewing.

Her patterns include excellent instructions, complete with photographs of each step of construction.

This pattern also included a recipe for Lemon Blueberry Shortcake Muffins!

Yum!

My version of the romper used Freckles in blue by FreeSpirit Fabrics and

Treetop in pink from an Oliver + S collection for Moda Fabrics.

This is a Size 3T.

This is a very easy and simple pattern, perfect for beginners, or if you just want to whip up something really, really quickly!  There is no hand sewing at all.  It is all completed by machine.

It probably took me longer to decide on fabrics and trace the pattern, than it did to actually stitch.

The romper is completely reversible, making it two outfits in one!

Both romper and dress tie at the shoulders.

I did add a sweet applique monogram to the blue side.

This is the Rick Rack Monogram from DigiStitches.

I alternated the fabrics for the leg bands, to add a little more contrast and interest to the finished project.  I also applied a lightweight woven fusible interfacing to each  leg band piece.  I believe this added a little stability and gave a more finished appearance.

In all honesty, I thought about adding the interfacing while tracing and preparing the pattern.

In my haste to get to the fun part of stitching, I forgot to cut out the interfacing.

Again, I decided to try and follow the pattern instructions for this first time use.

However, after attaching one leg band, I could tell interfacing would really help.

So, my trusty seam ripper was put into action!

After a few minutes of cutting and applying interfacing, I was stitching again and more pleased with the outcome.

For the dress version, I selected Half Moon Modern Big Dots in Steel by Moda.

I used a solid pink broadcloth for the lining.  While the dress is still reversible, I made it mostly to be worn with the dots as the outer fabric.

The hem is edged with pink rick rack.

The dress is Size 4T.

I really love the more full swing style of this little dress -- perfect for running, skipping and twirling!

I also monogrammed the dress in pale pink to match the rick rack and lining.

The font is Empire, one of my all-time favorites, from Embroidery Arts.

I am cleaning up my sewing room to prepare for a few more projects.

First, I am off to pamper myself with a much needed manicure!

Happy Friday to all!

All fabric and patterns available at BessieMary.

Bunny's Knit Nightie

This is Bunny's Knit Nightie by Children's Corner.

I love that it makes a useful, but still sweet, gift!

I can just imagine cute little baby feet curled up inside the elasticized hem.

The hem may also simply be hemmed, and left completely open.

The shoulders overlap, creating the neck opening.

This allows for easy construction, with no plackets or openings.

It also means ease of dressing baby, and no lumps or bumps to irritate soft skin.

I used an Oliver + S knit by Moda Fabrics.

The print is larger in scale, but still delicate.

Another feature of the pattern that I appreciate, is construction with a regular sewing machine.  No need for a serger.

Pattern instructions include suggested settings for stitch length and width.

The seams are stitched with a narrow and elongated zig zag, allowing them to stretch with the knit fabric.

Seam edges are then finished with a zig zag, too.

Neck and sleeve edges are turned under and zig zagged.

The folded edge is also zig zagged, creating little scallops.

This is one place where I do usually deviate slightly from the printed instructions.

The instructions suggest using an overcast foot, such as the one on the right, for the decorative edge stitching.  For my Viking machine, the "J" foot on the right is the overcast foot.

When used, the fabric edge is usually lined up with the thin vertical wire.  The needle will then zig zag back and forth across this wire.  The purpose of the wire, is to prevent the edge of the fabric from tunneling or rolling during stitching.

My experience has been that it also seems to prevent the little scallop from forming.

I use a regular sewing foot, such as the "A" foot pictured on the left.  This is also the foot I use to stitch the seams.

I often find that I need to increase my tension, as well.  I then use a zig zag lenth of 3.0 and a width of 4.5.  The zig needs to be on the fabric, and the zag just off the edge, to create the little scallop.

I do use the overcast foot to zig zag the gown's seam allowances to finish them.

Every machine is a little different, so testing stitch settings and different feet is a good thing!

The pattern also includes a little hat, knotted at the top, and a bib, booties and blanket.

I am off to the dentist again today.

It seems to be a weekly thing around here lately!

Fabric and pattern available at BessieMary.

Lizzy

This is Lizzy, a new pattern from Bonnie Blue Designs.

I used a raspberry and pink floral from Fabric Finders.

While I love this fabric, it does make the design features of the pattern a little more difficult to discern in the photographs.  They are more visible in real life!

This is the dress with sleeves version.  I love the little gathered cap sleeves!

There is also a sleeveless version that may be worn as a jumper or dress.

I planned on using white pique for the yoke.

However, by the time I cut it out, I must have forgotten!

When I finally made it to my sewing machine with the pieces, I had cut them all from the floral fabric.  So, I plowed ahead!

Beneath the narrow yoke, is a center box pleat with two more pleats on either side.  These are all topstitched for a few inches, before releasing into soft gathers.

Again, the busier floral print does not allow all the details to be seen.

This style is great for those who are not crazy about full gathered skirts.

The pattern is sized to 8 years, and the pleated skirt is a more contemporary silhouette the older girls would probably like.

The dress buttons down the full length of the back, making it very simple to sew.

There are two pleats, repeating those of the front, on each side of the back.

I used floral shaped raspberry buttons, which seem to almost disappear in these photographs.

When I am sewing a pattern for the first time, I tend to sew it as the pattern shows.

In my personal sewing, that is probably not what I would do.  I would be adding my own mark to it with favorite techniques or embellishments.

However, many of my customers will stitch it as the pattern shows.

I believe I must have had that experience also, in order to better assist them.

As I was constructing this little dress, I thought of things I would probably do differently.

I do believe the addition of piping along the yoke and skirt seam would help to create a more finished look.  With this type of print, it would also help to break some of the busy floral design.

I might also add piping to highlight the square neckline.

As part of the general instructions included in most Bonnie Blue Designs patterns, there are excellent instructions on how to make and apply piping.  So it is something that any seamstress could easily attempt with this pattern.

The pattern illustration does show ribbon applied across the yoke of the jumper, with a bow at center front.  That would be another option for adding embellishment and a dressmaker touch.

However, in the smaller sizes, the yoke is 2" or less.

Adding ribbon to this size 2, seemed to take too much room on the yoke and throw things a little out of proportion.  I think piping or another small trim along the seamline would be better for the smallest sizes.

When using a light to medium weight fabric, I would also add a lightweight interfacing to the yoke.  The interfacing might not be as necessary if corduroy, denim or a heavier twill was used.

I did topstitch around the neckline.  I felt it would help reinforce the square corners and the overall finished look.

I do really love the sleeve!

This style is also a little more contemporary, and may appeal to more people than a traditional puffed sleeve.

I also appreciate the fact that it is lined, lending to a very finished look.

One fun thing, which the pattern suggests, is using a coordinating print for the lining. 

With so much white background in this print, the ginghams, plaids or stripes that I auditioned for lining shadowed through too much.  So, I just used white broadcloth.

By the time I was constructing the sleeves, I did decide the dress needed a little something extra.  So, I added green rick rack at the edge of the sleeves.

The pattern instructions have the sleeves applied flat, before stitching the underarm and sides seams.  I prefer to attach my sleeves in the round.

After applying the rick rack, and stitching the lining and outer sleeve together along the bottom edge, I flattened the lining and outer sleeve.  The underarm seam was stitched in one pass, beginning at the lining underarm seam and ending at the outer sleeve underarm seam.  I then folded the lining to the inside, exposing the rick rack and pressed.  Gathering stitches were stitched along the upper edges and the sleeve was applied to the dress in the round, with the skirt side seams already finished in tiny french seams.  This results in no visible raw edges of the underam seam within the sleeve.  With the french seams in the skirt, there are no exposed raw edges there, either.  Especially since the sleeve is lined, I feel this step makes them look even better.

Overall, I really like this pattern.  Next time, I will probably add piping and maybe a few other touches to add even more to the sweet design features.  I also think it would be fun to try an all white heirloom version, maybe with softly gathered lace around the neck and armholes.  It could be sweet for Easter or summer beach portraits! 

Linking to Sew Darn Crafty at Sew Many Ways!

Fabric, pattern and trim available at BessieMary.

Headbands for Healing

For once I managed to think ahead!

Following surgery, my eyes will be bandaged and require daily applications of ointment.

I am thinking gauze, adhesive tape, ointment and hair do not mix, nor make for a very pretty picture!

I quickly remembered the cute headbands Heather Bailey shared on her blog.

So, I quickly went to work.  I was able to whip up four in no time at all!

 I selected several lightweight floral lawns and one pima cotton microcheck.  I thought the lighter weight and softness would make the knot at the back a little more comfortable when resting or reclining.  I considered omitting the tie, and just using the elastic, but decided the tie really added a special and stylish touch.

Heaven knows I will need some style while recuperating!

  I followed Heather's instructions, except for two differences.

 

I used a technique that I often use when stitching curves in lightweight fabrics. 

Instead of clipping into the seam allowance, before turning right side out,

I stitch 1/8" away from the original seamline, using a shortened stitch length.

I then use my serrated scissors to trim right next to that outer row of stitching.

This makes a tiny and even seam allowance.

The outer row of stitching provides not only a guide for trimming, but will also help prevent the seam from raveling.  With such a fine seam, it is not necessary to clip into the seam allowance.  The piece may now be turned right side out and pressed. 

The curves will be smooth and perfect!

With the finer lawns, I did apply a very lightweight woven fusible interfacing down the center of the main headband piece.  I found that this added a little stability to the headbands.

I am thinking a dosage of lovely Liberty of Lawn and other delightful fabrics may be the best medicine, yet! 

This is such a quick and fun project!  The ease of stitching makes it perfect for beginners.

If you have daughters or granddaughters that have outgrown smocked dresses, I bet they might still find a use for some cute and fun headbands!

Just another way to stitch a little love into their wardrobe.

You may download the pattern for your personal use at Heather's bog,

Hello, My Name is Heather

Find it under Free Patterns, in the right hand sidebar.