My newly turned 8 year old had a lovely birthday, complete with a new pogo stick, a fishing pole, and comics. She requested this dress a bit back and I finished it a few weeks ago. She wanted me to sew an "acting dress" for her and this was the pattern she decided on that was the most like her sketch. The sleeves were the most important part. I used McCalls 6141 and she chose the colors. I pushed her a bit to try and move away from pink, but she insisted, as she should, and I figure I can make one for myself if I want a different color, you know?
This pose was 100% her. She just went into character. It killed me. Especially seeing her 5 minutes later at the breakfast table, reading comics and eating her peanutbutter toast still dressed up—veil and all.
After she tried it on she declared it her Guinevere Dress and asked if she could be Queen Guinevere for Halloween. Be still my beating heart.
Here's some additional info:
- This was really fun to make. It took a while and I worked on it at a very slow pace. Both the fabrics and the trim I got at Fabric Depot.
- I love the iridescent pink fabric. It's woven with gold, making it a sort of warm peachy-pink. Neither fabrics are at all itchy—which is the top complaint of store bought costumes.
- The white fabric has these tiny pleats, which was wonderful for texture, but a horrible fabric to sew with. I was lazy and didn't stay stitch and it stretched like crazy. I'd say avoid it, or be committed to stay stitching every piece, and even then it will grow on you.
- It runs big making it nice to grow into, but it can gt a bit shifty. I use some safety pins to draw up the shoulders in the back sometimes.
- The veil was really easy, just the trim ribbon and some soft tulle. The ribbon is stitched on top of elastic so there is a bit of give and the tulle is stitched on top of that . No finishing is needed on the tulle.
- The belt and tassel were added for drama. You know, how can I not use gold cording? I also gathered the bodice front because it was too big and I ditched the eyelets in the back and used 3 gold buttons instead that look like coins, and they ended up being a favorite detail of hers.
- In the past I have shopped at thrift shops for costumes like this—ones that had a ton of yardage and multiple layers, because they cost a lot to make and require a lot of fabric. But, they itch, are badly made, and just don't feel good to play in for more than 10 minutes. Plus, the girls are into designing what they want to wear and like choosing the fabrics and seeing the patterns, so it seems like a good transition into sewing these ourselves. This wasn't terribly expensive to make, about $45 all said and done, and it's lined on the bodice and sleeves (with a cotton flannel from a bed sheet) and lovely and totally worth it to me.
