Easy Knit Dress

Once I figured out how to shir I fell in love with how easy it was. I had made a couple dresses for Izzie using woven fabrics, and it dawned on me that shirring on knits would be a quick and easy way to get some practice in on the fabric that has scared me for so long! (have I shared how I sewed right through my finger the first time I tried to use knits? Not pretty, and it kept me from attempting knits again for over 3 years!) I am really happy I tried it because my girl LOVES this dress!

All I did was cut one piece of knit 1 1/2 times the width of her chest then shirred 7 lines about 1/2 in apart. I added a ruffle strip to the bottom then took 2 long strips and pulled them at each end (to make them curl up) for the straps. I didn't bother hemming since knit won't fray and the dress was meant to be easy!

It literally took me 30 minutes start to finish. Of course, since it's pink, she absolutely loves it! It's perfect for the hot, hot summer we've been having and she wears it at least once a week. I'm so glad I decided to conquer my fear of knits...and so is Isabel!

I've been having lots of fun sewing clothes for my kids this summer, but it's time to start getting back to business! I've been buying new fall fabrics and working on some new bag designs for a fall line, so to speak. I seem to be in love with grey, lol, as I noticed that almost 75% of the fabric I've bought lately has grey in it! Over the next month I'm going to work on getting ready for fall and will share my new bags once they are all completed. Until then I have more fun clothes I've made for my kiddos that I'll post. Hope you are enjoying your summer!!

Go To Signature Dress

Since I'm becoming more comfortable with knits I decided I needed  to step it up a bit, though sometimes one of my faults (strengths?) is that I tend to aim pretty high and try the hardest things first. When I saw the Go To Signature Dress pattern I thought it was the perfect way to learn some new things while expanding  Izzie's wardrobe! The pattern has TONS of options with 18 pages of detailed instructions and tips. I was slightly nervous from the beginning-it has set-in sleeves(never done before,) rib knit neckline (never done before,) and I chose the most basic option then decided to add some flower appliques (never done before!)   

The instructions were really clear and easy to follow and she gives you lots of tips along the way. I had a little difficulty with the neckline. I ended up stretching both the ribbing and the dress, which just stretched out the whole thing and made it bigger then it should be...but not terribly noticeable (right?!?! don't lie, I can't stop looking at it either!)

The sleeves were another thing that was new for me. Luckily she explains it so well I didn't have much trouble. (Yeah they look a bit uneven in this picture, I think she was getting fidgety. Poor kid, I took pictures of her in 4 dresses that morning! But she's still giving me her sweet little smiles, sun in her eyes and all!)

The flower appliques were also a first for me and I mostly put them on there to keep her interested in the dress by adding pink. In Isabel's world if it doesn't have pink or rainbows then FORGET IT, she's not even looking at it let alone wearing it! Anyway, back to the flowers. As long as you don't look too close at them then they look pretty cute, *cough* but really I need to practice sewing in circles before I attempt them again, haha.

It is far from perfect but I am SO PROUD of how it turned out!!! And lucky for me Izzie loves it even though there's not much pink on it. This pattern is perfect for beginners since she guides you through every step. I love all the options-length, sleeves, pockets and waistbands-all in one pattern! I have already started on the second one, using a striped knit (luckily she also gives you clear instructions on how to cut patterns on stripes so they line up correctly.) So far the neckline went much better now that I understand it and I'm almost done with it. I am so glad I bought this pattern, I have learned so much!