Dresses 70 through 74 - Little Lovelies

These cute sundresses are made from pattern M9028- McCall's Easy Stitch and Save. I purchased this pattern from Walmart. I bought the small size range, 1-6.

Aren't these little girls adorable?  They look lovely in their pretty sundresses.

This pattern is very easy!  Only a few pattern pieces, and I like that the bodice is lined.  No bias tape or elastic, and slips right over her head.


















The first dress I made, I used view A.   Its a bit less work than B, which is a tiered dress.  I made the largest size, a 6.  I used pink scraps for the yoke and matching pocket, so the skirt yardage was much less than the pattern calls for.

 The yoke is fully lined, and the skirt is pleated onto the the bottom of it, with the skirt's raw edge hidden in the finished yolk edge.  I added dark pink rick rack for trim, which also helps seal in the raw edges.  The only seams that need reinforcing were the two side seams, which were finished with French seams.

I added three green buttons down the center of the yoke.  The pocket is made from the same pink print as the yoke, with matching dark pink rick rack, and a larger green button.


After I finished the dress to the length from the pattern instructions, it seemed a bit short to me.    I measured the length against the Dress a Girl chart.  It was about 5 inches shorter than the chart for the same size.









When making dresses for this program, you need to make sure there is plenty of length to the skirt.  A lot of modern patterns for girls stop at the knee or a bit above. We need to make these dresses several inches below the knee.
I took out the hem, and had just enough pink left to add about 4-5 inches to the length.  I added more dark pink rick rack above the band.  Much better!


Making the dress.

First, I cut out a 5 1/2 inch strip following the curve of the skirt, and sewed it on.  Next, I sewed the sides with French seams.  I then added trim above the band, and sewed a small hem.  My helper is working with me today.


Next, is the bodice.    Sew the front to the back for your fashion fabric down the sides, and then sew the lining the same.  Turn the fashion fabric right side out.  Sew your two strap pieces down the long side and turn.  Baste them to the outside of the front of bodice at the shoulders.




Put the outside of the fabric inside the lining fabric, right sides together.  let the straps hang down straight.  Leave the bottom open, and sew around the neckline and armholes, leaving the back bodice shoulders open.

Turn right side out and iron.  Your front straps are connected, but we need to attach to the back shoulder area.  Feed the other end through the opening in the back shoulder.



Turn  inside out again, and line up the raw edge of the strap with the raw edges of the shoulder opening.  Sew across.

Turn right side out again, and done with the bodice.  Iron again and if you want, you may top stitch all the way around.


Next, attach the skirt to the yoke.  Pin the side seams of skirt to  bodice, and the mid front and back points.  Pleat or gather the four sections equally leaving the lining free.  Turn inside out and fold the lining over the raw edges of the seam, and sew closed.

Make your pockets and attach.  Not sure where to attach your pockets?  fold the dress in half, shoulders to hem.   The line where it is folded is where you place the top of your pockets.


Here are a few more I made.  I hope you like them 😀

Dresse 63 through 69 - Myria's Rose Garden

My Victorian Roses Ladies Riding Society sister, Myria "Ebony Rose", donated several yards of this yellow with pink roses print to make dresses for the girls.  Here is Ebony Rose riding Eddie in one of our group's photo shoots. These dresses are all part of  Myria's Rose Garden.

For the dresses, I used the following pattern:


EASY SUMMER MUUMUU  by PrettyPrudent.com.

It is similar to the peasant dress in construction, but the dress is fuller, and the sleeves are set in differently under the arm.   Here is the link to the pattern:   Instructions/pattern download

I downloaded the pattern and taped it together. I actually only used the body and sleeve patterns, and constructed the dresses differently than the original summer muumuu instructions. 

Below are the pieces I used. I cut two bodies on the fold.  From fat quarters, I cut two sleeves on the fold.  I did not cut out the decorative strips to sew on the bodice.  I also cut one or two pockets from the same fat quarter as the sleeves when there was enough fabric.



















I used the same method as the previous peasant dresses I made, sewing together like this diagram of the peasant dress pattern. The sleeve shape is a bit different, but you can attach the same way.   The summer muumuu instructions has you make 4 different elastic casings at the top of each piece before sewing together.  I preferred to sew all pieces together, then make one continuous casing.

Dresses 59, 60, 61 and 62 - Life is Just a Chair of Bowlies

I had one fat quarter of the cutest cherry fabric, that had the saying "Life is just a bowl of cherries".  It reminded me of the Mary Engelbreit print, Life is Just a Chair of Bowlies.


 I turned that little fat quarter into the sleeves of a peasant dress.  There wasn't enough for  full pockets, so I added scraps across the top of each pocket, made from the same red fabric as the body of the dress.  I used bias tape to decorate the edges of the pockets.















 

 I also had a scrap of pink and white stripe fabric with cherries on it. I used the August dress pattern, and got the yoke cut out, and one pocket. From the left over scraps, I pieced together a second pocket, covering the seam with green rick rack trim. I made the pockets different from each other to be interesting.  I paired it with a green and white stripe for the skirt portion.

   I have a few yards of each of the following two tutti fruiti fabrics, so you will probably be seeing more dresses from it later.  

Dress on the left has cherries, strawberries and lemons - and sparkles!  I used citrus green for the sleeves with orange rick rack.  The pockets are sunny yellow with matching green contrast, orange rick rack and green buttons.

Dress on the right has cherries, pineapple, watermelons and.... carrots? Lol  Again, I used another green for sleeves, and gave it the same pocket treatment as the other dress.