Birthday Dresses for Dani!

So I think it's quite obvious that I am in love with Made by Rae. I think I am borderline obsessesed with the Washi, not only because I love the dress, but also because the pattern and instructions are so amazing. So when I was looking for a cute dress pattern to make for my niece, I was thrilled to discover the Geranium. It's basically a girl's version of the Washi. Anyway, my niece is a hardcore girlie-girl. She loves shoes and dresses, and fashion. She's seven and I think she puts better outfits together than I do. Since she could walk, she's raided my shoe stash every time she comes to our house, and she walks better in heels that she does in barefeet. Since she was about 2, she's been wearing my shoes. So, I thought she would love a couple of new dresses (and she'll probably end up with some new shoes to go with them too).

For the first one, I used a floral print cotton that I bought months ago from Fabric.com. It turned out to be a bit more hawaiian in real life that I thought it would be, but I thought it would be perfect for a little summery dress.

How cute is that? I am so happy with how this dress turned out. The instructions where amazing again, and so was my new Pfaff. One of the things I was looking for in a new machine was an automatic buttonhole feature. I have only ever made buttonholes once before this, and they didn't turn out really well, so I was a little nervous doing these ones. Especially because they are one of the last things you do when making this dress, and I didn't want to screw the whole thing up. I am happy to report that the Pfaff's (I really should give her a name) buttonhole feature is super easy to use, and the end result is gorgeous.

For the second dress, I made the same version but I used a quilting weight cotton from Fabricland. It has little ruby slippers on it which is very appropriate because not only does my niece love shoes, but she also loves the Wizard of Oz and her favourite colour is blue. Perfect!

Aren't the buttons gorgeous? I found them at Fabricland in Salmon Arm and I couldn't resist. Ruby slipper buttons!! Both bodices are lined with a light batiste cotton in navy that also came from Fabric.com.

I couldn't be happier with how these two little dresses turned out. They were super quick and easy to sew up, and it was nice to sew something for someone else for a change. I really hope Dani likes them, and also that they fit. I think they will, but that's always my worry when making something for someone else.  We just got home tonight from the lake, so I am hoping to get a visit in with my little lady  in the next day or two, so I'll let you know how it works out.

The Anniversary Washi

Yup, I made another Washi. I seem to do this. I make up a pattern, and then want to make tons and tons of them. Okay, well maybe not with everything, but with the things that turn out well, like my leggings, and my plantains, among other things, but those are the ones that I have blogged about. Anyway, for this version, I made a round neck and no sleeves again.

This fabric came from Goldhawk Road in London and it is super soft. It's 100% cotton with little grey, yellow and teal flowers. It's really pretty. I finished this dress on John and my anniversary, and it was the last project I sewed with my little Janome. I finished it in the morning and John took me to buy new Pfaff that afternoon. Awesome anniversary gift, right?

I am really digging this photo location. The only problem is that I set the camera on the retaining wall of our garden, and I guess some of the plants got in the way. Sorry about that, but I didn't want to redo this photo shoot. The neighbours already think I am crazy enough.

I love this version even more than the first. The fabric is super dreamy and has a really nice drape and weight. The neckline still isn't lying flat and I am actually wondering if I could go down a size to resolve this issue. I ended up taking this one in about 1/2'' on the side seams, so I might be able to get away with sizing down.

I think this dress will look great with sandals for the summer and awesome with a cardigan, boots and tights for the winter. So it's pretty versatile. Plus I have discovered Made by Rae's Washi Expansion pack too, so I can make even more variations. Yay!

The construction of this dress was really easy, and I feel like I have a good handle on the shirring now. My little Janome handles the elastic thread really well, fingers crossed my new Pfaff will do the same.

We've had another lovely week in the Country Place. The weather has been great, and John has enjoyed fishing and I've enjoyed sewing. Things have been a bit stressful, as Solomon is really starting to struggle. He is having more and more trouble walking if he has to go more than a few steps, and he can't stand for very long. I think his age is getting the best of him. He's almost 13 and he's had a really great life, but it's so hard to see him struggle. He is still very alert and is still eating really well, but I fear he is fading quickly. And I dread making the decision. I have always hoped than when his time came, he would just lay down for a sleep and not wake up. I'm no sure we're going to be that lucky.  So needless to say it's been an emotional week, and I have been happy to have the distraction of sewing. My Mom and Stepmom are coming to visit later on today (they are staying for the weekend), so I'm looking forward to that too.

How has your week been? Are you a summer dress person?

My First Washi Dress

I found this pattern from Made by Rae, way back in December. Just after Christmas when John had gifted me the serger that started this whole crazy obsession. Anyway, I liked the look of the dress and it seemed to have a real cult following, but I was unsure of how it would look on me. Sometimes emprire waists can be extremely flattering, but sometimes they can be the exact opposite. Anyway, after much deliberation and googling, I decided to bite the bullet and try it. There are tons of cute Washis out there, and it appears to look great on all shapes and sizes. For my first attempt, I decided to use a flowered cotton I bought at Walthamstow Market in London. It is a bit heavier weight than I usually like for dresses, but it was really cheap, so I thought that if it didn't work out, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

I made the sleeveless version with the U neck, because I thought the U was a really neat detail, unfortunately I couldn't get the neckline to lay flat. I'm not sure if that is because I stretched out the neckline while sewing it, or if I need some sort of neckline alteration.

Oh my goodness, am I white! Sorry for the lack of shoes. I took these photos while we were at the Country Place so I didn't really have any shoes on hand that went with this dress. I also made it a little too short (oops!) so I don't really feel comfortable without leggings. It's fine if I'm just standing there, but it's very dangerous when I bet over. Plus my I could blind people with my legs, they are so white.

I really love these shape of this dress. I think it flatters in the right places and still gives a nice feminine shape. This wearable muslin turned out quite well. Other than the neckline, it fits well and is super comfortable, and I also think the empire waistline hits in the right place and is quite flattering. What do you think? I now know what all the fuss is about.

The back also has elastic shirring which makes it nice and fitted, but also really comfortable. And the best part about this dress? It has pockets! I love it! It might be hard to tell, but I am actually standing on a slant, so my hem isn't really that off, it's just the angle of my feet.

The pattern and instructions are fantastic. This dress was quite easy to put together and the instructions are detailed and clear, plus Rae has several tutorials on her website if you need extra help. I'm not in love with the fabric to be honest, it's quite stiff and I wish it had a better drape, but I love the colour and pattern. I see more Washis in my future.

Are we getting sick of the sewing posts yet? (I hope not, cause I am loving it!)