You probably already know by now that I sew each of my girls a dress for Christmas and one for their birthday. I had a lovely embroidered eyelet pinwale corduroy all picked out to make an Oliver + s Apple Picking Dress for Stella this year. But I ran out of time. Mainly because I was making the dress I knew she would want me to sew, rather than the one that I would want to sew.
Every time we are in a fabric shop and we come across anything in pink that has sparkle, shimmer, silkiness or shine involved, Stella practically hyperventilates and asks me to buy it. So I figured that this dress would combine every element that she loves while still being comfortable and easy to wear.
Most of the fabric is from GJs Discount Fabrics (yes, the remnant table). The bodice and one tier are in cotton/lycra jersey, another tier in pink/silver jersey, the sleeves and another tier in crushed stretch velvet, and the lower tier in satin. With that amazing pink ribbon rose trim (from Darn Cheap Fabrics) overlaid on the bodice!
I based this dress on the Violette Field Threads “Adele” dress pattern, altered to have the tiers/ruffles on the front of the dress as well as the back, and with long sleeves instead of short. It is winter, after all! Each skirt tier is finished with an overlocked rolled hem.
Although I didn’t especially enjoy making this dress – I’d have much rather been sewing the Apple Picking dress – Stella was thrilled to receive it. And wasn’t that really what it was all about! This time it was the product rather than the process.
