Cotton and Steel - The Stuff of Fairy Tale Dress Dreams

The post that should have been written almost a month ago.

Awww!  With her friends at The Nutcracker!

Camden loves this dress, which makes me super happy!  I was on quite the time crunch, as I waited too long too sew it.  Knitting really DOES get in the way these days, as it's more time-consuming, and I always want to finish the "next" project before trying to whip out a few sewing projects.  I am pretty sure I finished this Fairy Tale dress by Oliver and S just a day or so before we left for Vancouver, on a trip to see the in-laws and The Nutcracker.

Her "Cinderella" move, LOL

I used Cotton and Steel, though I'm totally blanking on the designer (and when I tried to look, I found MORE gloriousness!!!!).  I decided to go with the tulip sleeves, as I had before, but this time, I did the bow detail, rather than the big tie at the back.  I also changed things up and did the non-rounded collar.  I do have a thing about thinking collars get ugly, if there is interfacing in them, and I sort of feel that way again with this dress.  It's not too awful, so much as the collar gets funky, of course, when it's not freshly ironed.

The old version...Not a great picture, from March 2013!

Last time, I sewed the tulle under-skirt, which was a mistake, as it was just an annoying extra.  THIS time, I had some under-skirts/petti-skirts to pick from, as an awesome friend sent some to us months ago.  BUT....the length of these skirts isn't quite right for the dress, so, you'll see that it sort of bells out, rather than what it should do.  Ah, well - Camden felt fancy, which is what matters.

Always going for the fancy ballet pose

She found Lemony Snicket and needed to pose!

As for the bow detail:  I do NOT like that you are to cut the fabric on the bias.  It seems unnecessary, and though I don't stretch the fabric when I iron it, it's all weird and puckers...so, sad times.  Also, I thought I'd tacked the bow on nicely, but apparently, I had NOT, LOL....so, when I took the library photos, I attached the bow a bit snugger through the use of a safety pin ;)  And though I DO love the pattern and the instructions are otherwise great, I'm not sure why the bias strip sew-on directions aren't a bit clearer.  I'm sure many people totally know a clean way to sew that sucker on, but method was NOT pretty, and you can see in the back photo how it also didn't meet up with the zipper nicely (and I mostly LOVED my invisible zipper installation this time, LOL).

The ugliness frightens me!

Deceptively secure-looking bow...and scary waistband thingamabob

So...next time, I will totally try the sleeveless version, just for fun, though I'll do the bow in the back again.  I think that'd save me some pain and agony - but I'd really like to use a fabric other than regular quilting cotton.  I think it'd give a nicer finish for this style of dress.

On to some December fun....

LOLOL

A cheerful Christmas morning, aha!

With Uncle Ben and Aunt Jeannette 

Twice the Fun! Oliver and S Roller Skate Dress

One thing I gotta say about this pattern - insanely easy and quick - and only TWO pattern pieces, if you really want to save time.  (Well, okay, that's more thank one thing.)

Last time I made this, I went semi-fancy (just go with it) and used my Heather Ross Dream Bikes (find it on eBay) fabric and added the neck trim.

Late Spring/Early Summer 2013

This time, I knew I just wanted to sort of get 'er done, so to speak.  I wanted some new duds for Camden, I wanted to use stash fabric - and I just wanted to be quick about it, honestly.  As for the neck trim pieces, I couldn't decide on anything that looked great with the main fabrics, so, that was that.

She needed brown bunny, pink bunny and leperly....ummm....

So, hey - cute AND simple.  Not a deal-breaker, right?  And funnily enough, Camden wanted to wear each one all day when she found them hanging on her doorknob :)  Works for me.

I was super happy to use the pink deer fabric I'd bought a LONG time ago, it seems...I'd had only a yard and had never know what to do with it.  But SCORE upon remembering/realizing I could make an Oliver and S Roller Skate Dress with ONE yard of fabric!  I did have to buy some shot cotton to line it - which was nice, as it was on sale at Bolt in Portland when I visited recently.  I am also not really into the bow detail that can be added, so, it's a pretty plain Jane result, other than the fun fabric and the cute kid, aha!  (And P.S.  It was NOT warm out during any of these pictures.)

Camden then informed me she needed the tunic version of this pattern, so, we went through my stash - and found enough yardage of this print I'd used before:

Well, ALMOST enough.  I thought I had enough for a full dress, but sad times when I cut the front pattern piece and then realized that when I folded for the second pattern piece, I did NOT have enough to cut it - not enough by a mere half-inch of so.  I guess I could have brought in the sides of the dress, but whatever.  I'm glad I cut the main fabric first, as opposed to the lining.  And I like the result as a top...which works out, as she wanted a top, anyway ;)  Anyway, I had on hand some green shot cotton - one of my favorite fabrics to use as a lining.

Anyway, I totally recommend the pattern - satisfyingly quick, and one day, I shall do something a bit more interesting with it, as it's a nice canvas for hand embroidery, etc.  I do have another one lined up, as Camden wants a reversible version, so, be ready for that blog post in a week or three.

For now, I leave you with some Halloween shots from 2012 up through this year....all in the same costume.  I wish I had glorious photos from this year, but whatevs.  I forgot my camera.  We had a good time at a friend's house - Lisa from Irons in the Fire hosted a wee get-together, and Camden and her friend, Elora, ran around like crazy, while I sampled strawberry after banana after strawberry, dipped in chocolate :)

2012, when I first made the costume

2013.....LOL....rough life

2014, getting ready

2014....pirate with glow sticks and velcro shoes