Sunki Dress, Take Three

I don't know why I haven't made more of these dresses, as I love the pattern!  This is another one I cut a million months ago, then I finally got around to sewing it in December, I think - yikes!

The Sunki dress by Figgy's is super fun, though it seems to run a bit smaller than other Figgy's patterns, somehow.  I should have lengthened this one by a good inch and a half, but I'll have to just love it while it fits Camden.  I used stash fabric (Kaffe Fassett???) I'd purchased at Cool Cottons specifically FOR this dress....You can see the first version I ever made is basically the same fabric, LOL.  Please note, though, that I sewed it on the cross-grain, as I wanted vertical striping.

Rather rotten picture - but mostly to show how sad it is that the zipper is a smidgen off

The pattern is totally easy, and I think there is a pocket-sewing tutorial on Shelly's blog, but I don't find it necessary.  The dress goes together simply, as long as you take care with the pocket-finishing, in order to make it come out as nicely as possible.

It's a dress that is great with leggings, and I didn't have time or the right fabric to make a pair to match this version, which is a bummer, but I made them once before and loved them (until Camden's dad let her slide about on the SIDEWALK and put a hole in the LOVELY merino wool :O).

One of the old versions:

Awww, June 2012

I made this version for our mom/dad/Camden date to see Shrek, The Musical - which Camden LOVED, by the way!  She totally teared up when things were rough between Shrek and Fiona!  Super cute, LOL.

Matt is not a giant and is somehow dwarfing Camden, aha!

I always recommend this pattern!!!  It has a cool, hip vibe that is great for older kids...especially when you're feeling over the cutesy stuff that isn't quite meant for older children.

And....a few weeks in the life of....

Yard picnic in February!

A nice day for a walk! 

Dad's scrap wood haul 

Pattern Testing!!! Mouse House Creations!

Whew!  I had a long weekend up north, in Vancouver and Portland, visiting my old haunts, like Cafe Hibiscus, Bolt and Modern Domestic.  I'm saving Cool Cottons for two weekends from now, when I head back for the awesome Bolt sale :)  My husband and I had some nice time alone for a bit, too, which was great - while Camden played pool at her grandma's and grandpa's house....

Today, I'm excited to present not one, but TWO test projects for Mouse House Creations.  This is Hayley Crouse's first venture into pattern selling, and I'm excited to be a part of it.  She's been around for quite some time at Welcome to the Mouse House, her fun blog.  Over the years, she has blogged about her family, she has decorated and re-decorated (LOL) her house, and she has also tested for several other pattern designers, so, there are many neat projects to check out.  Also, she has written tutorials for other patterns of her own, and she's designed fun play areas for her children (envious much over here!).

The pattern I tested was the Norah dress, yet to be released, though keep yourself posted on her Facebook page, as it won't be too long before it's out.  The pattern is a quick, fun design.  You can go tunic, dress, collar, no collar, short sleeves, long sleeves, ties, no ties - things of that nature.  For both of mine, I did go long sleeves, ties and collars.  One is for Camden, and one is a fun surprise for her friend!

The first version is a lovely print I picked up 1.5-2 years ago, I swear.  I wasn't holding on to it, all "my precious"-like....I just had no idea what to do with it for the longest time.  And here we have it!  For the collar and tie, I wasn't thinking and did NOT interface, which I'm sad about, but I suppose life moves on.  Also, with this dress, which is Camden's, I did a zipper back, which drove me nuts due to my own silly errors...imagine lots of seam-ripping - though the final effect is lovely :)  Camden isn't a tall child, nor is she tiny.  She is 38.25 inches tall with a round belly.  I usually make things in a size 4 for at this point, though she's more of a 3 in the legs and a 4 in the waist/shirts.  She had tried on a size 5 version of the dress, and for some reason, when tracing and cutting, I went with a size 5, though I'd meant to do the 4.  No worries.  I think the 5 fits her lovely.  I did not lengthen the dress itself, though I had lengthened the sleeves a bit.  The pattern goes together nicely and quickly.

For this next version, which is a gift, I did a size 4, lengthened the sleeves a smidge and DID remember to use interfacing in the collar and tie, aha!  The results are, of course, much better!  Also, as the zipper was not an option included in the pattern, I wanted to make sure to do the button closure, which is also super cute!

Hayley was great to work with, and she busted her butt, helping us out with questions and looking over the pattern multiple times.  It was nice to see how closely she was working with her digitizer, too.  I super appreciate nicely-done pattern sheets in a pdf, and these are laid out beautifully!