“Sugar and spice and everything nice, that’s what little girls are made of.” ~Traditional Nursery Rhyme
I love giving homemade gifts! Little Emerson’s second birthday was coming up, and I wanted to make her something as special and cute as she is! I chose this Advance pattern from 1956. I had recently acquired this pink gingham fabric, and thought it would be perfect for this sew.
I laid the dress pieces out to make sure I had enough fabric. I did, so I pinned it down and cut it out.
The bodice of the dress is lined, so whatever you do to the bodice, you do to the liner.
Once the bodice front and liner were sewn together, you pin them right sides together.
I then hemmed the opening of the sides of the skirt.
Time to gather. I ran two gathering stitches around the top of the skirt.
Once the skirt was gathered I sewed it to the bodice. It is a simple dress, so it went together easily enough.
I pinned the inside liner down the sewed it all by hand.
I chose these little heart buttons for the button up back.
Lastly, I added a tag.
The dress was complete but then I noticed something that I hadn’t really paid attention to before. Do you see how the dress has buttons on the front of the bodice. I was so focused on making the dress I didn’t pay much attention to the other views or their details.
The buttons on the front of the dress are to hold the “bib” in place! Which at first glance I thought was a collar variation! What a smart design! To be able to have a fashionable bib that is easily detachable in case it gets dirty is amazing! I had to make it!
I got some white fabric and cut it out. It is basically two of the same pieces sewn right sides together then flipped. I cut the pieces out and pinned them together at the shoulders.
The pattern calls for a lace trim around the outside but I decided to use the scraps of gingham and make a ruffle.
Now, I have to tell you, that in between the dress and this bib/collar, I used the gingham fabric to make a doll dress. Yes, I was being extra by also making a doll with a matching dress. In my sewing room world, the doll and dress were complete. (You get to see that next week!) While making the doll dress I realized I own a ruffler foot. I will talk about this colossal oversight on my part next week!
Once my ruffle was made, I sewed it all together.
I flipped it right side out, pressed it and started working on the buttonholes. Then I saw it. A mistake for the ages. While clipping the curves before I flipped it right side out I had snipped the ruffle. I tried to carefully seam rip it to see if I could somehow save it.
I could not.
I was out of gingham scraps (since most of them are now a doll dress) and also out of time! I got into my stash and grabbed this vintage rick rack from the late 1940’s-1950’s. At least this trim would be era correct for the bib.
I’ll spare you the resewing of the bib. When it was all complete, I was happy with the way it had all turned out! Also featured is the doll! I will show how she was made next week. The blog lines and pictures get blurred when it’s a two-part project!
Where’s this bib that caused all the trouble? Here it is!
I adore this dress and could not think of anything sweeter for sweet little Emerson!
As for me, onto the next!
(Which you know is that doll!)
