a whale of a dress

i have a hard time sewing for elliot. as the momma of four girls, i know that if i make a pretty dress for the biggest, my hard work will potentially be worn by three others down the line. and if i sew for girl #2, girls #3 and #4 will benefit. and even if i make a dress for #3, i at least pass it down once. (i realize this concept is so foreign it needed an entire explanation. please bear with me, i haven’t really blogged in a week. i’m rusty.)

if i sew for elliot, though, that’s it. she wears it, and—since the child is growing at an incredible rate of speed—it’s done within mere moments.

but there are certain ideas i get, or certain fabrics i see, that just HAVE to be baby dresses. for instance…

the string is driving me crazy in this picture. but just as i was obviously too lazy to clip it, i’m now too lazy to go back and photoshop it out. what does that say about me?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

many Serious Sewers bewail (ha! “bewail” you see what i did there, right?) the lack of decent fabric choices at jo-ann’s. i’ll admit, sometimes i’m one of them. it seems like they’re always a touch behind the times when it comes to trends in fabric design and color. but they’re close, and they’re easy. and sometimes they do get it right. sometimes you find a fabric so cute you can’t help but grab it up.

i also finally broke down and bought myself a ruffling foot. it took me a solid 45 minutes and three separate online tutorials to figure out how to use it.

but i got it, and i ruffled this little skirt and attached it to the top and made straps and added a little elastic.

i probably should have done this a few weeks/months ago, during the heat of summer. a baby in a jumper with no shirt?

well, in my book that ranks up there with a baby in just a diaper or a baby in just a onesie—i.e. completely adorable. but we can put a shirt underneath for the cooler months.

it needs some work. the bib should be a little smaller, i made the straps way to long, and it needs much bigger white buttons. also, in elliot’s professional opinion, there should be a pocket at the top.

will i return to this style again and correct the issues? hmmm…possibly. although elliot looks doubtful…