Friday, July 20, 2012
Butterick 4176
Man, I love sewing little girl dresses!! After taking 2 months to sew a wedding dress, then 2 weeks to sew a dress for me, it is such fun to stitch up a sweet little dress in 2 hours!!
This one is Butterick 4176. I've had this pattern in the stash for a while, but Ottobre other patterns kept distracting me and I never made it, but I really love all the sweet details it has.
The fabric is quilting cotton. I know, but it's the nice stuff - Lecien for Free Spirit. It's a sweet little strawberry print that is a warm shade of pink that looks really nice on Myra. I only had a yard, and I just barely managed to squeak out this dress. The binding is pieced from teeny scraps.
Speaking of binding... The pattern has the neckline finished with a bias facing, which I always think looks Becky Home Ec-y. Myra has sewn this pattern several times and suggested a bound finish for the neckline, which I did and absolutely love. It is so sweet and pretty! In back, instead of the thread loop, I just extended the narrow binding into a bias loop. Pretty and easy!
I had these three "pearl" buttons in my stash, two large and one smaller, and I thought they were perfect for this. Myra really loves them. Since the front buttons are just stitched to a single layer of fabric, I reinforced them in back with two little circles of fabric. Hopefully that will keep them in place. The buttons don't look like they line up in this picture, but they do.
The sleeve is intended to be finished with an elastic casing at the hem edge, but instead I made a ruffle by stitching clear elastic 3/4 inch above the narrow hem. It would have been easier to make the casing, since the sleeve hem is quite curved, but the ruffle is so girly. I think it was worth the trouble.
Overall, I think this pattern is another winner. The style is more casual and free flowing, but it is comfortable and perfect for playtime.
It's even bike friendly!
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6 comments:
Another cutie. I like the fact that it's bike friendly. Wish I could cycle in a dress.
Brenda in the Boro UK
The dress is super cute on her!
Bike-friendly is a great thing!
What a cute dress. I love seeing little kids in genuine 'little kid' clothes, instead of just small versions of adult stuff.
I have this pattern too. I've just been waiting for baby girl to grow into a size 2. And, I had this fabric. It's really special. Last spring I made her a popover sundress and bonnet for her first strawberry picking trip. I like your neck binding, though I'm not sure if I agree about a bias finish. I'm going to think about that because I'm always trying to make things look a little more professional. You could be right.
I only say that about a bias facing because I personally have trouble sewing them so that they lie perfectly flat. There always seems to be a ripply area somewhere. I find it easier to keep a binding even and smooth, so they look more professional when I sew them. Your mileage may vary! :)
The dress was already great, but the buttons are such a great feature.
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