Unless...

If you're a fan, you will know the title of this post refers to a line from the book/movie The Lorax by Dr Seuss, a lovely tale about caring for our environment and planet written decades before it was 'fashionable' or spoken about much.

Miss G's special friend turned five today (happy birthday gorgeous boy!) and celebrated with an amazing Lorax party (keep an eye on Wendy's blog for the details, soon I am sure).

Miss G had chosen this green for a dress and when the party theme was announced I knew it would make a perfect Lorax dress.

I may have to prise this dress off for washing...

I planned on applique for the Truffula trees in fabric but when we were in art with the older girls a few weeks back the small kid spotted the wool tops being used and announced they would be perfect.

I remembered I had some gorgeous Corriedale wool tops from Winterwood in my stash and so put them to good use - dry felting them onto some wool felt first, then stitching them into position by hand.

She was right, they are just the thing for fluffy truffula trees!

A long-sleeved T will make this dress transseasonal

The Lorax character was not part of the original plan but again the little Miss spoke up and said he was needed, so I traced the character and then cut him in some wool felt (again from Winterwood) and then I stitched on his face and used fabric glue to secure him to the dress.

Every green dress needs a pink zip right??!!

For a pop of fun and colour I added an exposed zip on the back. I've never done this before but it worked a treat and I will definitely do it again.

I used this tutorial at My Little Nook and it was fabulously easy to follow.

And also for fun I embroidered another line from the movie along the hemline in orange thread...
"I am the Lorax I speak for the trees"

The tree trunks were created using black fabric marker on white fabric then Vleisofixed to the dress before being edgestitched, all prior to putting the hem binding on - yeah it was a fiddly dress to make!

She loves it and it might be hard to get it off her to wash so if you see us around wearing it you'll know why...

The pattern I used for the dress is a great basic A-line that can be embellished as you choose.

I have made her one before but not shown you as it's something I tested for Toni - but she said it would be OK to share it with you.

A basic dress like this gives you the freedom to embellish or use a feature fabric for the entire dress and keep it simple.

There's been lots of 'grown-up' sewing happening too - I will be back much sooner than last time to share some new things with you.

In the meantime remember this:

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."