Picture-Perfect Dress

A couple of weeks ago, I made a beautiful white dress for my best friend's daughter.  It was a knockoff of the Caroline Dress from Kelly's Kids.  You can read about that here.

I ended up having enough of that white fabric to make Ella the Picture-Perfect Dress found on page 20 of the book Make It Sew Modern by Vanessa Christenson of V and Co.  This light, fun fabric was a perfect choice for this dress pattern!

I followed the instructions for measuring Ella to determine the bodice width and length as well as the skirt width and length; however, I had to make the ruffle strips only 4" wide instead of 4 1/2" in order to get 5 rows of ruffles since I was working with a limited amount of fabric.  It worked out just fine though, don't you think?

I used my serger and hemmed the ruffle edges with a rolled hem which worked out perfectly for this weight of fabric.  It also made quick work of putting this whole dress together!  I'm really loving that sewing technique lately.

The instructions for putting together the back bodice with the elastic and button closure was easy to follow, but I somehow sewed together the lining and dress fabrics along what was suppose to be the length of the bodice instead of the width.  The length and width measurements were only off by about an inch, so it was easy to do if you weren't paying close enough attention.  I guess I wasn't because I then cut out another back bodice and sewed it together the wrong way again!  The second time, though, I caught it before I sewed up the armhole cutouts, so I was able to pick it out and finally get it right the third time!  Ugh!

Ella hasn't been extremely cooperative lately with trying on clothes for fit or letting me use a measuring tape to get a good measurement, so I just had to guess on the length for the shoulder straps.  When she tried the dress on for photos, the straps were too long.  I was lucky to get her cooperation, so I just pinned them temporarily until I can figure out how to fix them without taking the bodice apart.  Any suggestions out there?  They are about an 1" too long.  You can see the straight pin I used in this photo.  Just ignore it please.  Remember, it's suppose to be a Picture-Perfect Dress!

Can you tell I'm hiding something in this next photo?  It's my son's dirty tennis shoes!  He was climbing the tree when I shot this photo, which I think is really cute of Ella.  Oh, well!

Don't you just love the blue fingernails and the bunny rabbit tattoo?  Thank goodness both of those things can be removed easily!

Anyway, this dress was so much fun to make, and Ella's comment the first time she saw it was "It's so beautiful, Moma!".  I just love it when she really likes something I make for her.

Now, if I can just get past my fears of children wearing white, I'll be okay! Since discovering my friend's magical stain removal trick (which by the way she is having to use today on the dress I made for Madalyn), I'm warming up to the idea a lot easier!

This is the second thing I have made from the book Make It Sew Modern, and I highly recommend it.  I checked it out of my local library, but you can buy it from V and Co. on sale for roughly $20.  With all the great patterns and ideas in it, I think it is definitely worth it.  Can't wait to try out another project before I have to return it!