First dress for 2011!

So I had all the best intentions to whip up a dress each for my two girls at the start of the new year, preferably within a couple of days.  Then I was stumped by fabric choice (I am seriously woeful at knowing what fabrics go together).  I also had great intentions of inserting flouncy sleeves into the pattern I was using (New Look pattern 6504), as well as inserting a box pleat into the skirt. And then I was stumped with how to insert the sleeves.  Mum was visiting me for a few days, so she helped me adapt the pattern (thanks Mum, couldn't have done it without you!).  I ended up ditching the sleeve idea, but we did managed to alter the pattern to include a box pleat in the skirt with a contrasting fabric.

I also had a go at doing some applique.  I have never attempted it before, so I was a bit nervous.  On advice from some other sewers (thanks EBers!), I used vlisoflix to attach the applique fabric.  I found out afterwards that I should have used a stabiliser underneath it all when I was doing the applique as that would have stopped the puckering.  It looks okay, but the stabiliser would have been good.  And I did get better as I did it.  I did the top applique first and it definitely looks rougher than the applique done on the skirt (probably should have done it the other way around).

Anyway, although I am rusty, I finally finished it.  Here it is! 

Samantha's pink 60's style dress!

The skirt applique (the better one)

Edge-stitching on the yoke top

The yoke



Yoke finish on the inside (no scratchy seams to bother Samantha)


Hopefully Samantha will love it.  I'll try to get a photo when Samantha wears it first.

Now to do Asha's dress ... and then a few potholders are beckoning ....

Edited to add a couple of photos with Samantha wearing the dress -

Feeling groovy!

And Asha was all excited too.  :)