Ninja Kitten

Belly’s Silk Dress

February 4th, 2013 4 Comments finished project · sewing
Tags: Belly, dress, silk, Simplicity

So, while I was gone, off being awesome instead of blogging, I decided that I really needed to investigate my other hobbies.  I furthered that desire by temporarily quitting Castleville for a bit.  I know.  I know.  I’m one of those horrible people who play games like that.  Go ahead, judge me.

Sadly, while I was away from you, I lost my ability to take photos that were focused on my daughter’s face.  She will always be out of focus from now on.  I apologize for this.

But I did remember that I know how to sew!

This was a dress made from Simplicity 3854 and some silk from Mood that my husband bought me a long, long, long time ago.  I have a review of the pattern at Patternreview, but let me tell you the real details now.

First, I did not have as many problems with cutting this as I assumed I would have, but I can see why people like the idea of cutting silk using pattern weights and a rotary cutter.  Just pinning and cutting took me hours and I was a wreck during all of it.

I started with the top before realizing it called for a bias tape binding around the neck and arms.  Not only did I not have enough fabric to make that bias tape, but I didn’t want to make a silk bias tape, so I decided to go buy some black bias tape to match the ribbon I had for the waistband.  I did do up one side the way the pattern said before I read all the pattern reviews, cursed wildly, and tore out the side French seam I had done.  (The whole interior has French seams except at the waist where I used a ribbon to hide the seam.)

The bubble skirt part came together fairly well, but, I was so afraid of gathering and that turned out to be the easiest part of it.  I no longer have fear of gathering.  Perhaps.

Blurry Photo

Anyway, I also hand picked the zipper which was also terrifying, but I think I did a pretty decent job.  Check out the outside stitching.

Those tiny black dots are the stitches!  Anyway, it was all a rousing success as you can see.  She looks so so cute.  I’m very inspired to make more dresses for my baby girl.

The best part about it is that N, who loves me, also loves to see what I’ve sewn for his sister and he was excited to get into the photoshoot so he did a lot of kissing of his sister.  This prompted her to turn to him, cling to his arms, and attempt to kiss back.  Belly’s favorite?  N.  Definitely N.