Sunday, April 3, 2016

Tea Party Dress/Tea Party Birthday!


Let's not get too hasty...Camden sort of had a tea party-themed birthday, but not really.  I made teacup-shaped invites, and we made butterfly-shaped placemats (that blew all around in the wind that thrives in Bend, OR)...and I meant to make a butterfly-shaped birthday cake, but that totally didn't pan out (at least it's GOOD cake!)  Anyway, best-laid plans and all that aside, the kids had fun, and it was a gorgeous day!  I took not ONE single picture, and I'm now a bit sad in realizing that.  I was too busy trying to keep candles lit and things from blowing away, aha!

Back on topic, though!  I made Camden a fourth Tea Party Sundress by Oliver and S.  I last made one in 2014 and blogged about it here.  I always LOVE this dress.  The sad issue is that Camden has run her course with this pattern.  I officially made her the size 5 - AND lengthened it.  It's definitely still a bit short.  I added an inch to the hem and sewed the bodice length with a smaller seam allowance then did the same with the bodice/skirt seam, just to give it that much extra.  No worries, as it's still cute, but this pattern ends with size 5 - understandably.  It wouldn't be quite as fetching to see it on an older child.  The bodice DOES have a tendency to look wider, compared to the skirt.  There exists an optical illusion, just because of the piping, but also because of the flare.  It's just definitely a little girl dress, and one of these days, Camden won't BE a little girl!  :O

I used the same bodice fabric as I used for THIS dress, which worked out nicely, and I again used deep stash fabric.  It feels good when I'm able to use up some of the cuts I already have, rather than buying more, when I really can't afford to.  Camden really wanted some sort of blue, as in ELSA blue, but I had to keep insisting that sort of blue wouldn't quite work, aha!

The pattern is always delightful to sew, but insert a million disgruntled faces here:  I totally recognize that my flat piping looks WONKY, and I went against my better judgment and cut it the width the pattern calls for, though I'd been thinking of cutting it just a bit narrower.  Too bad, so sad for me, but that's a bit of a bummer, as it looks too wide and crazy.
This kid really wants his own photo shoot, it seems!
Simple, chain-store buttons, but I love how they work!
It worked out well, and everyoone at Camden's party loved it!  It's always nice when other people notice her me-created outfits.

Up next for me??  I have yet to blog about a new skirt I made Camden, and I have plans for a few more outfits, but.......NO sewing this week!  A friend and her family will be in town, so, I hope we get outside quite a bit!  I also just bound off a cowl, and I hope to sneak photos of that this week!

A bit of a weekend in review!

That tongue, aha!

Awww!  Helping at Windy Acres Dairy
Crazy sunshine days!

Poor, hungry babies!

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