My daughter has made it clear from the time that she was itty bitty that she prefers to wear dresses. For today’s post, I am going to show you two of the most recent dresses that I have made for her, talk about the pattern I used, and talk a little about life.
The Pattern
I was excited to test out the latest Sofilantjes pattern – the Optimum Racerback. I have really enjoyed all the Sofilantjes patterns I have made, and this one was no exception. The pattern comes in sizes 12 months to 14 years, has one racerback bodice style, and the option of a 3 panel circle skirt or a 6 panel circle skirt. This dress brings out all the twirling. She was dizzy from spinning by the time our photoshoot was over!
Sizing and Adjustments
I found it was very important to follow the pattern instructions as far as mashing/grading sizes. I made my daughter a size 8 for chest, 9 for waist, and used the 9 height on the skirt. The bodice is fully lined and only has shoulder seams and one seam in the back. I found that using clear elastic in the armscye and neckline of the bodice were very important to keep them from gaping.
Speed
I was rather surprised at how quick the Optimum pattern was to make. It was only maybe 10 pattern pages to print and tape together and took less than 2 hours to cut and sew up. It really helped saved time by doing a rolled hem on my serger for the bottom hem. If you have never done a rolled hem before, just check your serger manual. On my machine, I have a lever to push forward to change the setting to rolled hem, then I remove my left needle, and increase my stitch length. It makes a really clean finish!
Fabric
I used cotton lycra for all of this dress. The solids are from Made Whimsy. The print on the bodice was a scrap that my friend Aimee Wilson sent me. It is dream catchers, and I made the mistake of putting them upside down. Whoops! I don’t think she noticed!
The Second Dress
For my daughter’s second dress, I used all double brushed polyester. I love all the variations you can get in a paneled skirt, and that I could use just scraps! For this one, I cut out 4 panels in the print on the front of the bodice and cut out 2 panels that were in the solid on the back of the bodice.
Life
When I was thinking about what I wanted to talk about in my post today, I kept thinking about the joy I hear and see in my children from their relationship with each other. As I go about my day, there is constant noise in my home. I don’t mean noise in the negative sense. Rather, I mean there is always chatter, excitement, play, laughing, and tumbling about.
This girl always seems in the center of it all too. She notices people. She notices when someone needs help. Her level of attention astounds me and sometimes feels quicker than my own. We talk a lot about the gifts and joys that each kid brings to a home, and I feel that she brings the heartfelt love and concern in our home. I can’t wait to see her be a mom one day and to go for her dreams. She tells me that she wants to be a nurse or doctor and care for babies in some way, and I say “yes, go for it!”
When we finished taking photos of her dress, she accompanied me to the grocery store and asked for a prize of donuts for all those smiles and spins. When we arrived home, she announced she brought donuts and shared with everyone who wanted one and then sank her teeth in. Sharing is a huge part of being in a big family, and thankfully, she is quick to do so. She also announced that mom lost the keys during the photo session and we hunted for them while the sprinklers went off.
Resources
- You can find the Optimum pattern HERE. It is also available in French and Dutch. The pattern is on sale for release through Monday .
- The cotton lycra solids that I used for the first dress are from Made Whimsy. Her solids are my favorites.
- The floral double brushed polyester fabric for her second dress is from Sincerely Rylee. The solid yellow double brushed polyester came from Knitpop.
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Disclosures
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation when you purchase via my link. This does not cost you anything, and I genuinely appreciate the support. Any and all opinions expressed are still my own
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