Gift number 2:
This was a new baby gift for my friend Claire’s third child and first daughter, Esme Hazel (isn’t that the most lovely name?). My entire inspiration for this gift revolved around two words “spring” and “girl”! After two boys, I thought it would be pleasant for Claire to have some dresses and frilly things about! Because I know how much everyone loves giving little-little baby things, I decided to make something for the future. For when all of the baby gifts run out and she’s mostly in big brothers over-alls (though I feel certain that she will be just adorable in them). If I planned it right, this should fit her right around the time of her first birthday and hopefully for a long while after that. The fit is very accommodating, so if it holds up, I think she should be able to get a couple of years out of it.
The making of this dress was such an act of indulgence. I was working on it towards the very end of winter when I was really, really starting to be ready for it to be over! Turning these sweet spring prints into a feminine little sundress, was very cathartic indeed. After-all, how often am I called upon to make girly things?? Such a treat!
Really. Sweet, sweet, sweet!
As you can tell, I was quit smitten with this dress. I am showing oodles of restraint right now, in not posting all the pictures I took. Of course, my restraint is not so much self imposed as externally imposed. Do you have any idea how excruciatingly long it takes to upload pictures on an archaic dial-up connection??
But oh, oh, did you see those little birds?!?
I started off by using Erin Harris’ Sunny Day Dress tutorial. I added in the scalloped hem and the trim. And I switched the straps to the criss-crossed ones you see, just because I thought it would be cute that way.
When I started on the top, I ran into significant difficulties with the elastic thread. My machine was not happy. And that is exactly how it landed itself in the shop, for the second time in a month. The little old man, who fixes my machine when I do stupid things, was not very happy with me! Apparently, my machine is not strong enough for working with elastic thread, without buying an addition attachment, and I wasn’t prepared to do that. But, I was completely unwilling to scrap this dress. My solution was to use a thicker elastic string (of the sort that is used for stringing beads) and do a zig-zag stitch catching it in the middle. It worked surprisingly well. The string fit just perfectly in the slit of my presser foot and made it easy to keep everything on track.
And yes, these last couple of pictures are of my son in a dress. I needed a model to help with the correct placement for the straps. What can I say? He’s a very accommodating little guy!
Of course I probably didn’t have to take pictures of him in it…it’s just that sometimes I can’t help myself…
What a pretty little dress, sure your friend will love it:-)
Oh! so sweet! The birds are cutecute. Beautiful job.
Wow! That is absolutely cute! Great job Melody!
Okay, I went to COLLEGE for sewing, and that is way better job than I could have done-It looks fabulous….If I ever have a little girl, will you maker one?
Whooo hooo! Do I need to say I LOVE this dress??
It is so beautiful! Your pics are so good! When I get around to photographing other gifts I will link to yours since mine won’t to such justice to your workmanship (or should that be work-womanship?). I am so enjoying the novelty of flowers after seven years of being the only female in this house!
Thank you Meldoy
And….. if you ever give birth to a girl I will return it to you for double the use!
Claire
I wish I had a little girl to sew for. I have only one boy and my nieces are teenagers – oh well.
Beautiful dress.