pretty Perfect

A little reckless abandon, a little luck and lots of pretty fabric...

 a dress for Aria

You know, sewing a girl's dress isn't so hard, really?  Really it's not.  I think each time I've finished one in the last year or so, I'm surprised at the ease with which it comes together, compared to a quilt.  I mean, I actually sewed this all in one day!

Nouveau Dress

I get so psyched out about doing something different.  So silly.  (Note, I still reserve the right to be terrified of sewing for my womanly curves).  I say this in hopes of encouraging other quilter-y types to take up the garment sewing gauntlet.  You can do it too!

Nouveau Dress

Inspired by this dress, I lengthened the Geranium dress bodice and combined it with a full, gathered skirt.  The Comma Period and Nouveau Bouquet fabrics were pieced with French seams before cut as pattern pieces.  No, I did not fussy cut the floral fabric, though that would have been a good idea on the bodice.  Maybe next time.  I still love how it came out!  It hits at her calf, since Aria prefers long dresses.

rescued buttons

On the back I used these old black pearled buttons that my mom cut off of some garment.  They're the cherry on top of a vintage-pretty look.

Last week, when Aria unwrapped the Nouveau Bouquet fabric from Sew Love Fabrics, she gleefully crooned, "Is this for my Easter dress?"  I was a little lost for words because I'm actually planning a few mama-made dresses for her this year, a bounty to which she is decidedly unfamiliar.  I guess I'm a little chicken to tell her my plans in case things don't quite pan out. 

Eventually I said it could be and asked "Does that mean you'll save it to wear on Easter?"

To which she replied, "Oh, NO, I'll wear it on Sunday if it's ready!"  So sweet.

Nouveau Dress

Somehow Aria has learned to love handmade dresses even more as she's grown older.  Because she's Awesome.  Turns out she'll wear this dress for the first time on her baptism Sunday this month.  Unplanned, but just about perfect!