A pink "baking" dress

That's what Freya is calling it anyway.

This is the new Macy Pinafore from Jilly Atlanta.  I was trying my best not to buy any more patterns but I caved after seeing so many cute versions on Facebook.  The fabric is some pink cotton and steel with little pictures of bowls and jugs and other kitchen implements.  So seeing as it looks a little like an apron and has kitchen pictures on it has become known as the baking dress.

I have a bit of a mixed experience with this dress. I made a size 5 thinking it would add a bit more length so Freya wouldn't grow out of it as quickly.  As I was making it I realised the skirt was long, like seriously long, like almost to her ankles long.  I trimmed off a few inches thinking that would serve me right for picking a bigger size and then read that the pattern is supposed to have a 3 inch hem. Doh!

I also, for whatever reason, didn't interface the straps.  I've adjusted the length a few times but they still seem to slip off her shoulders.  Maybe sizing up wasn't the right decision after all.

However having said all that I really like this dress.  When I'd finished it I was looking at my fabric stash and thinking how every fabric I had would look cute in this pattern.

The pattern itself was great.  The PDF has layers and lines up easily.  Instructions are very clear with colour photos and video links to help.

Although this one may need to be hung up in the cupboard for a while until Freya grows a bit, I think I would still give this pattern another go, maybe this time in the right size.

Check out that attitude! I think she's been watching me take photos of my dresses, LOL!

Pom Pom Tinny

You know a pattern is a winner when you sew 3 of them in a row.

It's yet another Tinny dress I'm afraid.

I'd had this idea to sew a dress with some pom poms for a while and never got round to it.  I also had a metre of this gorgeous cotton and steel print that needed to be used before Freya grew too big for a pattern I could use it with.  

It's another gathered skirt version and I think I have plans for one more so I hope you don't get bored.  I love that this dress can be dressed up or just worn everyday and as I have a girl who only wants to wear dresses, it's nice to have some everyday dresses.

I'm not normally one for embellishments but I've found I don't seem to mind the pompoms.  James said he was a bit skeptical at first when I showed him the fabric and pompoms, but even he said it looks good after all.  High praise indeed!

Now, I apologise for the photo-overload.  It was a good photo day, and I love this dress :) 

Freya's Orange Tinny

I should really listen to Freya more often.

She saw this fabric when I was looking on Instagram one day and instantly kept asking for it.  Naturally we made a trip to the fabric shop (any excuse will do!) and she was still set on having an orange dress.  As ever she was right and it's made a very cute dress.

I used the old faithful Tinny dress by Straightgrain.  To be honest I hadn't really given much thought to the gathered skirt but this is the third version now of this dress I've made.

I've not much to say about this pattern that I haven't already said.  I think it is now my most used pattern, as it has so many options and the fit is so nice.  

Sullivan Dress

Hello! I hope everyone has had a safe and happy Christmas and New Year!

This is actually a dress I made last year but it sat languishing on a shelf waiting for a button that I finally sewed on last week.

The pattern is the Sullivan Dress from Sew Much Ado.  I was instantly drawn to the scallops and the very cute sleeves.  It all went together fairly well.  I had a few errors and frustrations but I think they were more my mistakes than the pattern's.  For instance I stuffed up the lining and had to re-do the bodice, and then I couldn't seem to press the sleeves so the seam allowance sat nicely.

I was a bit worried the fabric would make the dress end up looking a bit flat, but I think in the end it's turned out OK. 

Check out my crazy eyes!

I'm finding it a lot easier to post pictures of projects on Instagram these days.  I've put some of my recent selfish makes up there and hope to get around to posting them here soon.