I sewed my very first dress for Ella. Judging by her reaction, I’m guessing she doesn’t like it.
I kept trying to assure her that I did not sew any fire ants into the seams.
Anyway, I’m pretty proud of my hand-sewn dress. Other than the required apron I made in 8th grade and my recent curtains, this was my very first thing to sew from a pattern. My 8th grade Home-Ec teacher would also be very proud that I’m putting my skills to use. (Though, on a completely unrelated note, I have never fully forgiven her for cutting me in the first round of 7th grade cheerleading tryouts. Well, maybe it’s not completely unrelated. I mean, I haven’t used my sewing “talent” in all these years. It’s probably all because of my 8th grade Home-Ec teacher.)
Sure the pattern said EASY!, and maybe it would be easy for an experienced seamstress, but for me, a novice, it wasn’t easy. There were buttonholes! And interfacing. I didn’t even know what interfacing was until I googled it.
I even made a few alterations to the pattern. It called for appliques. Appliques! Ugh! I know! That word “applique” is just awful! Also, I’m just plain old fundamentally opposed to appliques themselves. An executive decision was made that I didn’t have to put the appliques on the dress. That was modification one.
The other modification was the lovely ribbon accent I added to the bottom hem.
Now I just have to learn how to make jon-jons for Carson. HA! Ha, ha, ha!! Oh man, hoo boy! I crack myself up.
Great job on the dress! I keep trying the whole sewing thing, it turns out I have all the seamstressical coordination of an epileptic squirrel.
And I’m sorry, is it wrong of me to love love love that picture of your little girl? ‘Cuz I do.
HellTygr´s lastest post..Quote of the day
What a cute dress! I’m very impressed. And love the photos of your daughter’s reaction. Too funny!
Carrie´s lastest post..Family Movie Night FAIL
WOWZA! I am so impressed! That is absolutely adorable! Yay, you!
Dory´s lastest post..Top Ten Reasons You Know You’re on Graveyard Shift
oh wow! you made it? so cool! sewing is somewhere on my to-do/want-to-do list… where it is on the list, I’ve yet to determine! awesome job!
Pia´s lastest post..Life is Short… Eat… Pray… Love…
That is adorable! what pattern is it? I’ve been looking for a simple dress to try and haven’t found anything I was SURE was easy?
VHMPrincess´s lastest post..TAXES
Wow! I want a little girl so I can sew her a cute dress like that.
Adorable!
Cathy´s lastest post..Aha!
I can barely sew on a button (badly) so I am beyond impressed! That is such a cute dress and the ribbon accent looks SOOOO hard to do (unless the ribbon comes all folded up like that—you don’t have to tell me).
Fairly Odd Mother´s lastest post..And the Award goes to. . .
That is precious! The sewing gene skipped me. My grandma is a professional seamstress. She made every single baby blanket we own and they are gorgeous. I can do a little hemming and button-sewing, but that’s about it. I hope Ella decides she likes her new dress…it’s too cute!!
Jen L.´s lastest post..Comfort Food Saturday: Spinach Balls
There you go making the rest of us look bad. Again.
Burgh Baby´s lastest post..Smarter than a 33-Year Old
I made boxer shorts in home ec it was not one of my more finer pieces of work.
Love this little dress! It’s no fun to sew for boys, as much I want to sew again.
Jean M.´s lastest post..I Heart Faces Self Portrait
That first picture .. I just want to pick her up and give her a HUG. I can see what’s going to happen when my sons start giving me grandkids.
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That’s lovely!! You should be proud of yourself.
I want one of those dresses in my size. Can you give the girl the hookup?
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OMG! I just made the exact same dress for my 3 year old! I, too, am a novice seamstress (I typed “sewer” first) and couldn’t figure out MANY things on the pattern. Yours looks lovely (way better than mine!). I LOVE the ribbon on the bottom. I said FU to the appliques as well but added patch pockets b/c my babe LOVES her pockets. TOO FUNNY. Here’s my post with pics (albeit dark and hard to see!). http://cluelessbuthopeful.blogspot.com/2009/04/happy-sort-of-birthday.html
Jenna´s lastest post..Family portraits
Jennifer-
This post made me LAUGH because about a year ago I made pillowcase dresses for my girls (if you want to see what I mean, you can go to my blog’s searchbox and put in ‘pillowcase’ and the posts should pop up) and Madeline had the EXACT SAME REACTION when I tried to get her to try it on/model it for me. You would have thought fire ants indeed. LOL.
Moriah @ Please Pass the Salt´s lastest post..Not your average day
Oh, and I also meant to say that dress is DARLING.
Moriah @ Please Pass the Salt´s lastest post..Not your average day
OMG, you are a total rock star and I bow before you.
& if Ella doesn’t want to wear it, I will.
Shelly´s lastest post..Plain White Box Update
Adorable!! Love the pattern. My sister just bought the same kind of dress off etsy! This is sooo cute!!
That is adorable!!! I love the trim.
She looks like you used her as a pin cushion. Good title!
amy´s lastest post..New York City: I’m Ready
Congrats on your first foray into sewing for your little girl! Beware…it gets VERY addictive! I spent too much money on fabric this past week at JoAnn’s for a bunch of new outfits for the girls!
Sarah´s lastest post..Happy Birthday Angel!!
Impressive! I haven’t sewed since home ec…although my husband is such a gadget guy that when I drag him to a craft store, he thinks the sewing machines are cool because of all of the things they do. I have so far been able to convince him that they are only useful for people who actually sew.
Michelle Smiles´s lastest post..Haagen Dazs Monday
If you sew me a dress, I promise not to cry.
Beautiful dress!!! I’m very impressed.
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Okay first of all, OMG WHERE ARE ELLA’S TEETH? I have never seen a child with two front teeth, and two molars. But she’s darned cute.
And that dress is very cute too. My first dress had buttonholes too, but I was not brave enough to tackle them, so I just sewed the buttons permanently in place.
Now, just keep going! Before you know it you’ll be making Ella’s prom dress!
Texan Mama´s lastest post..Compassion or Conviction?
Too cute!! Also, impressive for a beginner…I know better than to even try. Plus, I only have a dog and I don’t think she would appreciate a dress. Too bad.
Oh go on with your bad self. That dress is so stinking cute!!!!
Your post is motivating me to at least figure out how to thread (is that even the right word) my sewing machine and sew some pillow covers I’ve been thinking about for four years. Thanks!
mep´s lastest post..I Heart Kings Island
Beautiful dress! Especially for a newbie!
Mrs Soup´s lastest post..Shoes!
OMG… that is sooooo adorable. My daughter would love it. She would even notice the cute ribbon on the bottom. Then again… she is the girliest girly girl ever.
Seriously? That is freaking adorable! Even if she hates it. Damn kids.
Miss´s lastest post..Portrait of a Young Woman
You did a very nice job. It turned out super cute!
the farmers wife´s lastest post..Important Topic Ahead…
Oh my gosh she’s just the cutest thing in the whole wide world.
I *love* that picture. Magnificent!
And the dress is ha-dor-ab-le.
kaitlynsage´s lastest post..Pleasant Evening
That is adorable! I love the trim at the bottom!
Shannon´s lastest post..Not That It Happened To Me Monday: The Bad Parent Edition
this is fantastic!!! i love the detail at the bottom
GORGEOUS!
MommyNamedApril´s lastest post..Another Fantastic Sunday of Eating Other People’s Food.
Seriously??? You made that? It is SO CUTE! I love it! Why can’t I do something useful like that???
Kat´s lastest post..I’m Not Afraid!
ohmygod, that is SO MY KID.
also: wow. i guess i thought dresses like that were made by machines. cute!
I have never sewed anything ever, but that dress is so cute I think I might have to try. You didn’t even use a sewing machine?
That is adorable. Send it to P if Ella won’t be swayed.
I see an Etsy store on the horizon!
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I love it! Sewing is one of the things I would love to learn how to do!
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VHMPrincess, The pattern is from Newlook, Bin 98 (I don’t know if that part is important) #6576. I bought Size A (NB-L).
Fairly Odd Mother, The ribbon came like that. All I had to do was sew it on!
Moriah, I’ve been looking for a pattern for a pillowcase dress because Ella is so tiny, a real pillowcase would never work!
Texan Mama, Ella’s teeth are just taking their sweet time. she did finally get her front teeth in the past month or so. Thank goodness her vampire look is gone!
mep, I never can remember how to thread my machine. I have to read the instruction manual every time!
Karly, Well you have to take my description of “hand sewn” to mean I used my hands to push the fabric through a sewing machine.
It really wasn’t that hard. I had to read the instructions that came with the pattern about 50 times, but eventually I figured it out!
Jenna, I got your comments! My spam folder eats comments sometimes!
It’s adorable! But Ella was sooooo not into it.
Susan´s lastest post..Fed up
what an adorable dress!
i’d love to know you in person and hit you up for that hand-me-down!
since i don’t make my own baby food, i’m guessing i won’t be sewing little bean any dresses… but i’ll ogle yours from afar!
great job.
mpotter´s lastest post..easter is for chocolate
I think the dress is adorable and that photo? Is PRICELESS? ha ha ha
I’m most impressed. Go on with your bad self!
WM´s lastest post..Reading this might help save my marriage
1. I don’t sew. And I’m the only woman in my family to not sew. It’s a sad story.
2. Oh my goodness, that dress is adorable!!! It almost makes me want to sew.
3. I said “almost.”
Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect´s lastest post..All right, stop, collaborate and listen.
When I saw these photos on your flickr stream I was wondering if you made it. You did a fab. job!!
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