Sewing for my girls is getting harder.  Finding the right match between style, fabric, sizing and pattern – especially for the teen.  Clare is almost 14, but much smaller than most of her peers.  I was the same at her age, and it seems that my genes are strong in this one!  She has a strong sense of her own style, which is much more colourful and individual than many of her friends, yet she wants to dress in ways that make her seem like a typical teenager rather than a kid.  I completely understand that!

The Modkid Cassidy Dungaree Dress pattern goes up to a girls size 12, which is what I used for Clare.  Their website describes it as follows: Cassidy is a playful dungaree style dress that can be layered over long-sleeve tees and leggings in the cooler months but also worn by itself or with a tank top underneath for the warmer months. This pattern will be a favorite for back-to-school and Holiday sewing.  SUGGESTED FABRICS: Bottom-weight fabrics like denim, corduroy, twill or canvas, 54″-60″ wide. 

I used a remnant of printed corduroy from The Cloth Shop for Clare’s pinafore.  (I just can’t bring myself to use the word “dungaree” – that’s just not a term Australians use).  There was a small tear in the fabric, which I forgot about when I was cutting it out.  Fortunately the back and front skirt pieces are the same as one another, so I made sure that I placed the tear at the back of the skirt.  I repaired it with some fusible interfacing underneath and zig-zagged it to secure, then placed another pocket flap over it to hide it.  I think it worked well!

I used quilting cotton to line the bodice and the straps. The most difficult part of making this was finding decent hardware. I bought buckles and hammer on buttons from Spotlight, but have to say that the quality was abysmal. The buttons bent as soon as they were hammered on – and I wasn’t overdoing things, I’ve done this before – and I ended up going through twice as many as needed to have some that worked. The buckles also feel flimsy. I will buy this sort of hardware elsewhere in the future – I was extremely unimpressed with these.

Otherwise, this was a fairly simple garment to make. There are lots of topstitching opportunities, and I always enjoy a lined bodice. I don’t think that the fit at centre back where the straps join is as good as it should be. They needed to be angled more, and I notice that other examples of this dress have the same issue. Note for next time!

The front pockets are also fully lined with the same quilting cotton as the bodice. It’s always good to have somewhere to put your hanky. The flaps on the bodice and back skirt are just that – there are no functional pockets there.

This should still fit next winter as well, with any luck – it’s a style that is rather adjustable and forgiving.