The Lucy Wrap Dress

I decided a couple months ago that I wanted to go out on a limb and make Addie’s Easter dress this year.  A little ambitious, no?

To prepare I decided to get a few practice dresses under my belt before I moved on to the “good” fabric.  I would give you the “how-to” but I used a purchased pattern and don’t feel right about passing along someone else’s hard work without their permission or getting compensation.  If you like the dress you can find the pattern at the Owly Baby Etsy store.

Dress one was made with some extra fabric I had tucked away in my fabric cabinet (I have already used the majority of my fabric as packing material for my collection of cake plates and sugar and creamer sets) So the patterns were really pieced together.

I felt successful at my first attempt and wanted to try a whimsical pattern for my whimsical daughter.  I chose a cute dessert pattern cotton with a white background and colorful cupcakes etc. as the pattern and a narrow pink bias trim.  I thought everything was going great until I finished the dress, held it up … and it looked like a kids hospital gown.

Bummer.

So I added a pink polka dot waistband. Still a little medical-y.

I added a yellow ruffle around the neck and arms.  Then I made a rolled fabric flower and attached it to the waistband.

Ugh, now I just hated it.

I offered the dress up for free on twitter, the Make the Most of What You Have Facebook page AND my personal facebook page if anyone wanted it. No one did.  Hmmmm.  Chalk that one up as practice.

Addie loved the cupcakes and wanted a cupcake dress NO MATTER what so I found a cute pattern with a pink background, hoping to avoid ye olde hospital gown effect.  I shortened the bodice and lengthened the skirt, added a stripe waistband, ties, custom bias trim and wide trim band around the skirt hem.  This one ended up pretty dang cute.  And wouldn’t you know it, I never took a photo of it.  I will next time Addie wants to wear it and I’ll update the post with the pic.  The only downside to this one is that she wears it with a tiara and between the cakes and the jewels, everyone assumes its her birthday! Nope, she’s just got style, baby.

Stay tuned for her Easter dress, it’s gonna be ambitious!  I’m planning on combining three different fabrics: bright florals on white background (eek! but I purchased it before I knew about the hospital gown look), bright plaid in similar colors and a grass green dupioni silk.  I’m going to adjust the lines around the neck, widen the skirt pattern so its more full and make the ties more narrow.  It will be lined and I’m hoping I can pull of a hand-rolled neckline seam.  All while we are packing and preparing to move 995.5 miles three days after Easter.

What a genius.

Get the pattern! Give it a shot!  And finally, let me know if you want the yellow ruffle trim dress.  Its yours for a steal…NOT A PENNY!