Sleeved pink dress with a ruffle

The lack of dresses for girls with sleves was part of the reason I became interested in sewing again.  The daycare centre has a very sensible sun-safe policy (which I completely agree with) which prohibits sleeveless shirts and dresses.  The problem is, many sundresses for little girls are strappy little things with no sleeves.

Anyway, I figured I'd start with something simple, so I selected this New Look pattern 6960.

I decided to view A/B, but without the embellishments

I knew it had a zip in it (one challenge) but what I didn't realise is that it also used bias binding to finish off the armhole seams.  I have never really used bias binding before, so that was a new experience. It certainly gives a neat finish to the seam, probably not a bad thing around the armholes. 

armhole detail - can you see how it is finished off?

The zip actually turned out great.  Probably the best zipper I have ever done.  Mind you, I have done some shockers in my time, so that's not necessarily saying too much.  :)  But this one turned out great and you can't even tell it's there - which is why I haven't included a photo.  It's really a nothing photo of the zipper.  :)

When it came to doing the hem, I decided at the last minute to add a ruffle.  So I cut 2 inches off the bottom and cut a few strips of left-over fabric for the ruffle.  I had bought a ruffle foot for my machine a couple of months ago, but this is the first time I have ever used it.  It's a wonderful piecing of engineering!  I love it.  It's very easy to use and make a great pleat.  It took me a while to figure out what ruffle setting to use and what stitch length but once I had that sorted, I was off like a rocket.  Again, I used bias binding to finish off the hem seam, just to make it neater.

the ruffle!



a close-up of the ruffle.  You can see how the seam was finished off as well.

 Anyway, here's the finished dress.  I will try to get a pic of Samantha in it tomorrow.  I made this so that she could wear it to daycare.  :)  She is excited to have a new dress for daycare, and it has a ruffle!!!