Freya's requested Ileana

Freya's becoming quite vocal in the things I make for her, which can lead to some fun!

After noticing she had a few cat dresses but no dog dresses she announced she needed one.  So off we went post haste to the fabric shop and found this Cotton and Steel fabric that fit the bill.  Of course the contrast colour just had to be yellow but I think it works really well.

I was then told it needed to be twirly and I decided to go with the Ileana dress pattern from Compagnie M.  I've made it before and figured it was high time for a new one.

As it was quite a directional print I went with the half circle skirt, with the raglan sleeves (my favourite!) and added the triangle pockets.  Because you can never have too much yellow when you're four I also added a belt, which I think lifts the dress nicely.

I made a size 5 for my growing girl.  It's roomy but still definitely wearable.  I had a little hiccup with the back of the skirt when I cut out the pocket shapes from that piece as well.  I was able to wrangle another back skirt out of what I had left but had to cut it in 2 pieces and add seam allowance.

Freya LOVES her new dress and I have to admit, I do too.

The Purple Frederique Dress

 This is the new Compagnie M Frederique Dress, an instabuy as soon as I saw it!

It's a wrap dress, a style I've never really made before so I thought I'd get Freya to wear it for a day before I rushed out to make a second one. 

For this one I kept it pretty simple and left off the collar and sleeves.  I didn't have enough lining to fully line it as the instructions, so I just lined the bodice.  It all seemed to work out OK but there's a couple of corners and edges I'm not 100% happy with so I'll try to fully line the next one.

This is some Cotton and Steel Fabric I have sewn with before.  Freya and I liked that dress so much, that we (and I mean we!) decided she needed another purple dress as she grew out of the old one.  I'd actually bought some more a while back with another dress in mind, but luckily it's worked out nicely for this one.  I picked out some mustard for a contrast tie.

Construction and pattern wise, it's pretty good as usual from Compagnie M.  There's a few options to choose from and I liked not having to worry about zippers or buttons for a change. I made a size 5 for my growing girl and it is a little roomy but not too gapey.  It all stayed together and didn't unravel as she ran and jumped around in it, which was a little concern of mine.  When it does get cooler, I think this will layer nicely.

A certain someone also recently has been able to jump, with both feet off the ground, for the first time.  So now that's all she wants to do which can lead to some interesting photos...  So proud of this girl! A small achievement for some but huge for us :) 

The new "boring" Laure Dress

A certain someone who proclaimed this dress as being "boring"looks pretty pleased with herself in these photos!

This is the Laure Dress a new pattern by Straightgrain.  I must admit a bit of a weakness of a dropped waist dress so this was an insta-buy when it was released.  This is with the bow collar but there are also other options including a qipao collar that I'd like to try one day.

I ended up making a size 5, which is a very generous fit on my girl.  She turns 5 soon and at the rate she's growing I wanted to do some future proofing.  I had some great advice from people on Instagram regarding sizing but I figured I'd be happier with her growing into the dress, instead of growing out of it quickly.  It's not as if she has a shortage of things to wear :)

As ever the pdf and pattern went together well.  The cap sleeves were a little fiddly, but no more than any other sleeve.  There was some great instructions for the invisible zipper, especially for the top.  That's one area I'm never 100% happy with how it looks.  I used some fabric I'd had in the stash for a while (I'm not sure what collection it is) and was able to get this dress out of 1 metre.  I was pretty pleased with how it turned out but Freya proclaimed it to be "boring"and said it needs a pink collar. Who knows, I think she may be onto something. I'm really enjoying how she's developing her own taste now.

Freya was in fine form today with her "modelling"poses.  She had me in stitches! 

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.