Jul 8, 2012

Tianna Dresses

A while ago I purchased some pdf patterns from the Lily Bird Studio on Etsy.  They have some really cute things for girls and boys.  I liked that their patterns looked simple and sweet - nothing too fussy or cluttered, just clean lines and lovely little details.  Then this week just gone, I managed to make not one, but two of their Tianna Dresses, and I have to say I will definitely be buying and making more patterns from this shop.

The dresses came together really quickly - I made Ellie's in an afternoon and Katherine's I managed to make in under 2 hours, including the cutting out.  Most importantly, the girls actually like them - Ellie has worn hers twice this week, and Katherine wore hers yesterday.  Just after I had sewn it together, but before I had put the buttons on, Katherine came into the sewing room and saw it hanging up.  She clutched it to her chest and danced around the room with it.  I had to gently pry it from her fingers and explain I still had pins in it!  Haha!


The sizing was pretty spot on for my skinny minnies, which was refreshing as I didn't need to make any adjustments at all, really.  I made a size 2 and a size 4. If you have average-to-larger sized children, I would recommend going up a size.  Katherine's dress I made out of some brushed cotton checks (no, it's not just for old men's shirts :P).  I skipped the buttons down the front on Katherine's and just put a pretty ribbon on instead.


Ellie's was made out of some super cute baby elephant cordoroy, with quilting cotton for the lining and trim.  Sorry about the blurry photographs - it is so hard to keep this girl still! 


I thought Ellie's needed something extra, so I cut up an old yellow singlet of mine and made some little leggings using this tutorial from Make it and Love it, made even easier by the fact that I kept the original hem from the singlet so I didn't even have to hem them!  {Future idea - use an old lace-trimmed singlet to make lace-hemmed leggings!}  I added some little ruffles at the ankle, in the same fabric as the trim and lining of the dress.  Also, I swear the legs on the leggings are the same length!  The left leg must have been scrunched up a bit more when I took these photos.


I really like the way this outfit looks, and have resolved to make more outfits as opposed to just pieces here and there. 




2 comments:

  1. Hi Mellita,
    the dresses looks super cute! It is great to know that you girls actually loved the dresses, isn't that the best compliment you can get?
    I just know a dress will be loved by little girls when my 3.5 years old girl doesn't want to take hers out.
    Thank you for sharing such great review!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thankyou! It gets harder as they get older - my eldest is 4.5 now and has very definite views on what she wants to wear. I wish she loved everything I made!

      Delete