Twirling

I've been sewing and cleaning like a madwoman all week, preparing for weekend house guests and the baptism of our youngest on Sunday. The one spot of the girls' wardrobes that I found lacking while pulling out their fall clothes last week was Nice Sunday Dresses, which are essential attire for a sibling's baptism. Enter Sense & Sensibility's girls' Romantic Dress pattern. I had picked up this luscious purple cotton a few years ago on the clearance rack at a wonderful little quilt shop in Burleson, TX, to sew up a little dress for the Wonderbug. She grew too large for the yardage, though, before the right pattern presented itself. The Truffle was the beneficiary.

I loved this pattern. The instructions are clear, the construction straightforward, and the resulting twirl very rewarding. I actually just finished a second dress a few minutes ago using the same pattern; this one for the Wonderbug. I'll try to photograph it tomorrow when my model is awake and the light better.

Construction details - I chose the flared sleeve with a hand-rolled hem, pleats instead of gathers for the skirt, and the recommended hem facing for the skirt. Not only did this make hemming easier, it also gave the very full skirt more body. The buttons are vintage glass from my stash. She'll be wearing pantaloons with it on Sunday.