cottington's so crafty: Josephines...and Flying Machines? Maybe Bunny Ears!

So...speaking of LATE.....if the birthday dress was posted several weeks after it was sewn, then this post is stepping out of line, LOL. These Violette Field Threads Josephine dresses were sewn MONTHS ago...perhaps late November - maybe before that? That's what happens when we ALWAYS have wind, and I forget and have other things going on, aha! Thank goodness I knew I'd have a wee, wakeful baby boy and had sewn TWO. Smart lady, that Autumn!

Ahhhh, the faces today....

Camden's last incarnation of a VFT Josephine involved THIS ensemble:

Easter 2013

I LOVED that outfit more than one can know! I think it's classy and was super cute for Easter last year. The pants are the VFT Whitney trousers, naturally - and I'm actually whipping up a pair of those again tomorrow (holla at my first REAL sewing opportunity in weeks and weeks!) - to go with a Josephine blouse - just as flowery as the one pictured above.

As for the pattern itself, it's super easy to understand. Directions are lovely and not tricky at all. There are a couple things to consider when doing this pattern - especially if you over-think things like I always do: One is that the collar doesn't necessarily come all the way around - like, it clearly isn't supposed to, but one should plan for how close she wants the collar to come in to the ruffle/button band. Shorten or lengthen, as needed. Also, adding the ruffle DOES obviously add bulk - which can be HIGHLY ANNOYING when doing button holes ;) Of course, right?? I was smart this time around, and I measured out carefully/did my button holes before attaching the collar so there would be no seam-thickness issues. That definitely helped, but with those ruffles, there is a sort of cavern created where the button holes go, which is not cool.

The weight at the top is NUTS!

You can barely see it, but the bias tape at the collar is contrasting fabric on both dresses

Then, speaking of the button band, the ruffles add to the weight, obviously, and the top pulls away from the blouse, which doesn't look awesome, in my humble opinion. I could add a hook and eye to help alleviate that, but eh. Guess I'm lazy ;) I tried getting that button up high enough, but it clearly didn't work out well.

Someone tells me she can no longer smile....

I DO wish I could think of another way to take out some of the thickness in that spot. Lastly, I'm a weirdo and like the front/back to be specified if the sleeves are created to have a difference, and it's not marked with this pattern. This likely means I should make sure to just remember which side means front and which means back.

....Anywho...all this to say I'm a fan of this pattern and think it's super cute! I didn't add the sash option, as it wouldn't look right on Camden, as she doesn't have a waist to speak of, LOL. I did do the purple version in a size 3, I believe, with added length, and I did the green version in a size 4, with added length. The fabric is Aneela Hoey, which I LOVE!! You'll see her fabric again when I complete the Whitney trousers, aha!