Thursday 6 October 2011

Jumping for joy

That's what my little girl was doing because I have FINALLY finished this dress for her!

I'm embarrassed to say I cut it out in November last year - and planned for her to have it last summer.

Little white flower buttons just from Spotlight

Somehow it didn't get done last summer so of course I shoved it aside for winter and recently 'rediscovered' it...

She likes to call this her 'school dress'.

My fear on completing it was that there was no way the size five was going to fit and it would have to be handed down to the smallest person.

Miss L is very pleased it does fit - it's actually the perfect size for her right now - so I plan on letting her wear it whenever she wants to get good wear from it until she grows out of it!

I was making it in this colour as a bit of a trial for size - I am not mad on this colour on Miss L - I think it washes her out a bit - but she doesn't care!

Please excuse the badly tied bow - I need to work on that I think!

The pattern is the Oliver+s Jump Rope Dress, which I believe is now near impossible to find in the larger sizes.

It's a classic shirt dress - one I know I will make again, despite the fact that I didn't really enjoy making it this time - because it took place over such a long period of time - so I felt I read and re-read sections of the pattern again and again.

The fabric is actually sheeting that was part of a bunch of fabric a friend gave to me last year. It is a little stiffer than a quilters cotton so holds the shape of the skirt quite nicely, and I learned today also wipes clean!

See more lovely versions of this dress on Lara, Rachel, Jen's and Bec's blogs.

Tomorrow - sewing confessions - I am 'outing' myself on projects unfinished that MUST be done!!
Feel free to come back and kick my butt then!

22 comments:

Jenny from Ohjoh said...

Great dress!
And it looks quite fiddly with plackety bits and collars and such.
They would have me running screaming.
You Miss looks very happy with it.
(Also nice to hear that others have things banished to the cupboard too!)

Jennifer said...

Glad too see that you finally made it! Looks great.

Liesl said...

What a lovely version of this dress.

You've got to love a garment that both looks gorgeous and wipes clean. Magic!

Miss Prudence said...

sew so beautiful - your really are a very fine seamstress.

Liz said...

Karen I love that dress and she looks gorgeous. I just love that you dress your girls as, well, girls! So rare these days to see little girls looking pretty and girly instead of like mini 16 yr olds...just my gripe I'm afraid...
Lizzie
xxx

Kylie said...

It looks great on her. Did you hear that Oliver+S have started putting there patterns for sale as downloadable PDF files.

bec said...

Gorgeous! The plackets are painful, I think, but so worth the 'tailored' look. And I seem to have the bigger size pattern.... thanks for the link to my blog, too, it was nice to look back at my little girl! All that hair!

Belinda said...

That looks gorgeous!! My Mum bought the pattern to make the dress for my niece.... and has never finished it. She found it too fiddly.

Tas said...

It is lovely. Well worth it's return from hibernation.

Tanya said...

It's very gorgeous, and I am abit jealous that you have girls who love dresses and are really happy to wear what you sew for them!

Seaweed and Raine said...

It's a lovely dress. Glad she loves it. :) Every girl needs a bit of pink every now and again! ;)

Kelly Casanova said...

That is a really lovely dress! I like the classic yet up to date style.
Thanks to your marathon inspiration I'm now reading Michelle's latest book (I had no idea who she was before you mentioned her!) which is great. II'v incorporated a little jogging into my walks.
She tells me I need to eat less calories, which is the part I don't like!

Unknown said...

It looks like our posts today share a theme. Oliver + S released a pattern today digitally. If it goes well, they plan to release other discontinued patterns digitally as well. So people may be able to get their Jump Rope Dress patterns after all (eventually, and maybe).

Unknown said...

I just wanted to add that Miss L looks gorgeous in her Jump Rope Dress.

Cass said...

I love it Karen well done and she looks pretty pleased too

Cath said...

That dress is gorgeous... and so is the model!!!

dandelion dreamer said...

Gorgeous dress! what luck it still fits....lucky girl!

willow and moo said...

Fabulous dress!

Sally said...

Fabric that wipes clean... we need some of that in these parts.

The dress looks fabulous. So very smart... I guess that's why it is called the school dress.

sophie said...

So pretty - she wears it beautifully!

rachelmp said...

It looks just beautiful. I have to say I was pretty impressed with this pattern and I'm thinking view b next! Maybe at Sewjourn

Unknown said...

This is gorgeous Karen!
Do you think you could jumbo size the pattern and make one for me?