The Janie Dress & Peplum Top

If you are looking for a quick, easy, and very rewarding sewing project, then look no further! The Janie Dress and Peplum Top Pattern from Mouse House Creations (affiliate links) is the answer.

After recently cleaning out my daughter's closet, I discovered she hardly had a long-sleeved shirt that fit anymore! I immediately thought I needed to sew her a Janie Peplum Top with long-sleeves and a cowl neck. She loves an oversized slouchy collar (remember the Bimma Top?) and anything that gives her an excuse to twirl.

Nora Dress by Children's Corner Store

Here's an adorable dress I sewed for Ella months ago--the Nora Dress Pattern from Children's Corner Store. While I tested this pattern in record time, I'm embarassed to say it has taken me wa-a-a-a-ay too long to finally share it on the blog! The Nora Dress is a drop-waist knit dress with short sleeves, but this exclusive tissue pattern also offers an A-line dress version and long sleeve options. 

The Children's Corner Store has a long reputation for outstanding tissue paper patterns that feature heirloom and smocking designs, but recently, the owners have been working to add new, trendier styles to their pattern offerings while maintaining the same high quality that their loyal customer-base expects. The Nora Dress Pattern does not disappoint!

Springtail Sundress Pattern

It's been a l-o-o-o-ng time since I've done any pattern testing, but when Rachael at Imagine Gnats posted a picture of a fresh summer dress pattern she was working on, I jumped at the chance to volunteer to try it out. I was thrilled when she asked me to give her Springtail Sundress Pattern a test run that I ended up making more than once since I liked it so much!

sewVery Sunny Dress & Top Pattern - ON SALE!!!

I finally did it! I finally created my very own pdf clothing pattern for sale! Introducing the sewVery Sunny Dress & Top Pattern available for sizes 2T - 12!

The pattern offers two styling options (Option A with the neck ruffle and Option B without the neck ruffle) and two lengths (dress or top).

Through Sunday, August 3rd, grab your copy of the sewVery Sunny Dress & Top pattern for 20% off the regular price using code SUNNY20 (no coupon code required if purchased through Craftsy (affiliate link)).

Go to the sewVery Pattern Shop now!

Thank you for your support and have fun sewing!

The Bohemian Babydoll Nautical Dress

Elegance & Elephants latest pattern, The Bohemian Babydoll Dress and Top Pattern, is a summer favorite here in our house. My daughter and I love the style of the dress for its simplicity, plus it's fuss free to sew and wear thanks to the no closure design. Ella has been wearing this nautical version of the Bohemian Babydoll dress for almost two months now (in rotation with other clothes, of course)!

The sewVery Sunny Dress Tutorial

I'm really excited about the project I'm sharing with you today as part of Melly Sews' (30) Days of Sundresses Series!  The sewVery Sunny Dress is quick and easy to sew and simply perfect to wear on a hot, sunny, southern summer day!  Oh, and did I mention that it's adorable on your little one and may promote smiles and hugs, too?!  And guess what?  I actually digitally graded this into a pattern and have it available to download for FREE!  

Selvage Designs Soleil Dress

I've discovered a unique, new Spring and Summer dress pattern:  the Soleil Dress by Selvage Designs. The moment I saw the sample version of Lauren Dahl's design, I knew I had to have this pattern!  

I met Lauren in person last year at Sewing Summit.  At first I thought she was Rae of Made by Rae!  I'm pretty sure I never told her that!  By the second class we had together (and I think we took a lot of the same classes), we finally introducing ourselves, and I learned her true identity!  I had seen her name all over Facebook in the weeks leading up to Sewing Summit, plus, I have a few friends who had used her services for grading and digitizing their pdf patterns.  I knew she was very talented!

The Cottage Mama Pattern Tour: Miss Matilda Dress

My dear, talented friend, Lindsay aka The Cottage Mama, recently released four new patterns in both pdf and paper formats.  If you're not familiar with Lindsay's work, let me tell you, you are missing out! Lindsay has a knack for not only designing classic children's clothing, but she knows how to combine modern fabrics and trims in a way like no other!

I was fortunate to test one of her latest dress patterns, The Miss Matilda Dress and Top PDF Pattern, for Ella, and this dress has quickly become a favorite at my house!  I just love this picture of her. She looks like such a little lady!

Disclaimer:  The pattern was provided free of charge to me in exchange for testing it; however, all opinions stated in this post are 100% my own.

The Miss Matilda Dress and Top Pattern has a very classic style and is a well written pattern accompanied by lots of color photos and excellent instructions.  The final product definitely looks like a boutique design.  

I tested a size 5 of View A of the dress which includes the full ruffle around the neckline and down one side of the button placket on the bodice plus the attached sash.  

However, the pattern includes two other options:  View B is for a top with only a neck ruffle and sash while View C is for a dress with no ruffles.  Plus all views can easily be embellished with trims and piping to make the piece even more unique.

I agree with Lindsay's difficulty rating that a confident beginner could accomplish this, and for an experienced sewer, it only takes an afternoon to complete from start to finish.

Ella reports that this dress is very comfortable and makes her feel good when she wears it.  I think she looks sophisticated and quite beautiful.

The fabrics I used are all cotton, but I could not find the selvedge of the floral print to tell you what it is. The lilac and pink with a touch of blue/green is very sweet and reminds me an Easter dress!

For Fall, I think I'll make the View B version top without any ruffles to pair with capris or pants.  I really like the top test versions everyone made.

Be sure to check out Lindsay's shop to purchase either the pdf or paper versions of all her patterns. Below are the links to the newest pdf patterns in The Cottage Mama Shop.

The Miss Matilda Dress and Top Pattern

The Georgia Vintage Dress Pattern

The Skip and Play Pants and Capris and

The Daphne Wrap Dress and Top

Hope you'll decide to follow along the Cottage Mama Pattern Tour and visit all the other lovely bloggers that are sewing up these wonderful patterns!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you'll continue to follow along on my sewing journey!

Girl's Halter Top Sundress Tutorial

I'm excited to be sharing my Girl's Halter Top Sundress Tutorial with you today!  

My friend, Melissa from Melly Sews and Blank Slate Patterns (affiliate link), is hosting her ever popular series of 30 Days of Sundresses, and I get to play this year!

I had no trouble deciding exactly what sundress I wanted to make for this series.  In fact, I've been wanting to make this halter sundress since earlier this summer when I participated in Elegance & Elephants Knock-it-Off Series.  You see, my Girl's Halter Top Sundress is my version of the Halter  Dress from Kelly's Kids, but I made it for a fraction of the cost!

Halter Dress from Kelly's Kids

For my Girl's Halter Top Sundress Tutorial, you can make a size 5T version using the measurements and details I have provided.  However, you could easily make one in any size if you have a peasant top or pillowcase dress pattern in your child's size plus this circle skirt tutorial from Made.  

Here we go!

Download the Armhole Cutout Pattern Piece (affiliate link).  Fold the Front Bodice piece so it is now 15" x 9" and align the armhole cutout pattern piece straight edges with the open edges of the bodice (not on the fold).  Trim away these pieces of fabric to form the armhole openings for the halter top.

Next, finish the Tie by following the directions in the picture below, then complete the Back Bodice as described.

Before you press and sew the casing for the Tie on the Front Bodice, either hem the armhole openings with a 1/4" hem or trim the opening with bias tape.  I did the latter.  I cut strips of fabric 2" wide x 12" long for each side and pressed to make double fold bias.  I then sewed each bias strip onto the armhole opening to encase the raw edge.  Trim off any excess length of bias before proceeding.

Once you've finished the armhole openings, then create the casing for the Tie by following the instructions below.

To create the skirt of the Girl's Halter Top Sundress for a size 5T, I used one yard of fabric.  First, fold the fabric so the selvedges are lined up.  Next, fold the yard of fabric in half so the length is now 18" long x the width of the fabric.  You'll have a fold on the left and at the bottom while the top and right side are open.  Now trim the excess fabric from across the top so you create an 18" x 18" square.  Take your ruler and mark a radius of 18" from the folded corner of your box.  Alternatively, rig a marking pen or pencil to a piece of string and mark the 18" radius by firmly holding the string at the folded corner while marking the fabric from the bottom right edge up and to the left to meet the top left corner of the fabric square.  Trim along this line.

Using either method above, mark and cut out the fabric for the skirt top as instructed below.

If you choose to make a size other than the 5T, you'll need to determine the radius of the circle to cut out for the waist opening.  To do that, wait until you've completely assembled the bodice, then measure the length of the front plus the back bodice at the bottom (this will be circumference).  Take that number and divide it by 6.28 (which is 2 x Pi).  The resulting number will be the radius of the small circle to cut out for the waist.

Now all that remains is to run the Tie through the Bodice casing and hem the skirt.  I am not fond of pressing curved hems, so I opted to used a package of narrow double fold bias tape.  It is very important to calculate the yardage of bias tape you'll need before you begin.  For the 5T version like I made, approximately 113 inches or 3.14 yards of bias tape are needed.

And there you have it!  A lovely Girl's Halter Top Sundress just perfect for twirling in the summer sun!

Ella loves wearing this dress, and I think it looks so feminine and sophisticated on her!  She looks ready for Sunday brunch!

Thanks for stopping by today, and I hope you'll decide to come back again.  I'd love to have you follow along through Bloglovin' (just click the button below) or any of the other social media links shown at the top right of the blog page.  Also, be sure to check out my giveaway and a special coupon offer for clothing size and care labels.  Giveaway ends at midnight CST on June 18th.

And for more great, free sundress tutorials, follow along with the 30 Days of Sundresses Series at Melly Sews!  Thanks again, Melissa, for inviting me!

Junebug Dress Pattern Test

Jess from Craftiness is Not Optional just released her first children's clothing pattern, The Junebug Dress Pattern, and I was lucky enough to test it out for her.  Jess is the sweetest person, and she's pretty talented, too.  You are going to love this pattern!

I know Jess has been wanting to develop her design into a full-blown graded pattern for some time now, and I am sure it is going to be wildly popular!  Really, this pattern is amazing not only for the design but also because of the simple instructions and great photos.  The way the instructions are worded, you'll feel like Jess is there personally talking you through each step!

For my pattern test, I made Ella the size 5T dress with sleeves.  The pattern also offers a sleeveless option and measurements to make a tunic length top.  Check back tomorrow to see the Junebug Top I made using velcro for the bib closure instead of buttons!

The pattern pieces included are for the bodice and the sleeves, while the skirt dimensions for the dress and top are in tabular form by size in both the instructions and repeated on the pattern page that you print out.  Measurements for the elastic used on the sleeves is also provided so there is no measuring your child or guessing about what length to use!

The bodice is fully lined, and Jess's pattern instructions walk you through step by step on how to do this for both the sleeveless and sleeve versions.  A simple gathered skirt and cute little puff sleeves round out the look for a relatively quick sewing project.  I completed this dress from start to finish (including printing, taping and cutting the pattern, cutting the fabric, and sewing) in roughly 3 hours!

The fabric I used is some Robert Kaufman quilting cotton I purchased last year and had been hoarding for just the perfect project.  The dots have a touch of hot pink on each of them hence the extra large hot pink buttons on the bib.  Ella loves them because the button fabric has a touch of glitter in it!

I normally make Ella size 5T, and according to the pattern measurement chart, she was somewhere between a 4T and a 5T.  When that is the case, I usually make the larger size so she will have some growing room.  The 5T in this dress will definitely give her that and she should be able to wear it next year, too.

For the Junebug Top I tested (remember to check back tomorrow for the blog post about it), I made a 4T and felt the fit was spot on for Ella right now.  Here's a little sneak peek of the top.

I'm extremely happy with both the dress and the top, and Ella has loved wearing them both multiple times in the last two weeks.  I have the feeling this pattern is going to be our summer favorite!

If you are as excited about this pattern as I am, then head over to Craftiness is Not Optional to purchase your own copy of the Junebug Dress Pattern!  Tell Jess that Veronica at sewVery sent ya, and I'll see you tomorrow for more on my Junebug Top!

Have a great day!