Children at Play Dress (Simplicity 5226)

I wanted to make Louisa a play dress, and found this pattern, Simplicity "Easy to Sew" 5226, in my drawer (not sure where or when I got it). I decided it would be good for putting to use some of my Sarah Jane Children at Play Michael Miller prints that I've been hoarding. I bought these (and a bunch of boy prints that you will hopefully see up here soon!) from Hawthorne Threads when they were first released last year.


I really like Sarah Jane's illustrations (Louisa has this print over her bed, and Leo has this one over his crib), and Louisa loves white dandelions, so that drew me to this print, Summer Gardens in Lilac.

She actually requested this dress this morning... "the one you made with the dandelion girls on it, you know, Mom?"

I wish I had made the bias binding around the collar and arm holes out of the flower print I used on the ruffle (Meadow in Pink) but I was trying to save that yardage for another project, and also, I hate making bias tape. So, I used some close-enough-pink packaged tape. It closes with a single pink button and fabric loop in the back.


Everything has to have a pocket these days. Lots of treasures to keep track of.


I turned and stitched most of the seams, used some french seams, and serged the bottom. I also made it quite a bit shorter than the original pattern.

Here it is at play!

Running with her classmates in her school's Mini Relay for Life:


And at the first Friday's After Five of the season, getting her face painted with her dear pal Dorothy:

Wiksten Tank (Spring Top Sewalong)

Like so many others, I jumped on the Wiksten patterns when they recently became available as PDFs. The patterns get great reviews and I was not disappointed by the Tank.

I used Anna Maria Horner Little Folks Voile in Diamond Mine Sky, and the same in Coloring Garden Dusk for the trim. The pattern calls for the bias trim to be hidden but I folded it narrowly to show off the contrasting fabric.

My topstitching is far from perfect but it isn't too noticeable on the floral print. I also had a hard time getting the hem to fold nicely on that durn curve!

I bought the voile last summer from Fabricworm.com when I was inspired to make a tank like this one (which I LOVED as soon as I came across it on flickr), and of course I never used it til now.

I made a size medium based on my bust measurement but it is too baggy around my middle. Next time I'll definitely taper it in a bit. I know it is supposed to be loose fitting, but this looks maternity (when I am not holding my hands on my hips to keep the poof down). The fit is a little off in the back too with some gaping at the neck.

The fit on this one from the Quilted Tortoise is perfect, in my opinion. She also inspired me to spend the time to match my pocket perfectly!

This is my first entry into Rae's 2012 Spring Top Sewalong. Hopefully I'll get a chance to follow through on a short sleeved Renfrew Top as planned for my second entry!