Friday, December 26, 2014

A Christmas Ice Cream

Last minute Christmas sewing.
In the shape of an Ice Cream dress for Miss Tilly.
Sewn up in a lurex/muslin cloth I picked up in Horsham Spotlight on our Victorian Holiday 2012.
It washed and pressed like a dream but after being cut it curled and frayed it you thought about looking at it.
Size 2T with the length of a size 5 for my tiny girl.
In retrospect, a bit long. I do find if I size back and add length too much the clothes can lose the nice line.
That almost happened here.
I desperately wanted the 'V'and I have a pretty fail safe method for achieving a perfect notch.
However, after the first pocket disintegrated trying to sew the 'V' I left it off.
It just fits over Tildy's head without it, just!
After tacking the back edges together I used a wee piece of interfacing to hold the fabric together before stitching the yoke to the dress.
I just snipped through it later.
I didn't underline the yoke initially.
Big mistake.
After I had sewn the front in place I could see the yoke was too flimsy to support the dress.
So I cut and jigsawed super soft interfacing in through the opening and then pressed it in to place.
It was a major PITA.
Matilda chose a dainty MoP button which I sewed with gold silk thread.
But when is Mother-of-pearl a bad choice?
The dress seems so very very long, but it works.
The Ice Cream dress is relatively full anyway so there is plenty of ease through the body.
As usual, I lined the dress.
It gives wonderful body and shape and this fabric definitely needed it.
A simple thread chain holds everything in place.
Pockets #2 after my machine ate attempt #1 when I tried to sew the notches.
My poor, sleep deprived brain cut the pocket and edge the wrong way, it should have been a gold main pocket, but I didn't notice until I had sewed it in place.
There was no way this dress would cope with unpicking.
They stayed that way.
Finally, a elegant 'E' for an elegant dress.
And did she like it?
Yes.
Oh yes.
'Mummy, it's sparkly'.
Either is is a bit long or my pocket placement is too low.
'That's okay Mummy'
'I can still dance in it'

Merry Christmas sweet friends.

xx N

16 comments:

  1. For being a PITA it turned out beautifully :) I love this pattern. Merry Xmas to you and yours!

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  2. Thank you Kristin, so little time and so many sweet dresses to sew.
    I really need to think a bit more before I make fabric choices, at least until I find my sewing feet again.
    Merry Christmas!
    xx N

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  3. Sparkles! So sweet and I can see how much Tilly loves it. Sometimes you just have to suck up the pain for the sake of... sparkles!

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  4. She loved it Jane and wore it until she unwrapped her scooter from my brother. Then she stripped to knicker, singlet, knee pads and a helmet, and then spent the rest of the day, that way!

    We have dropped in twice to see you but just seem to miss opening hours!
    Lids and Tildy badly want to choose some new fabric from your drapery. I think they love the shop as much as I do!
    Merry Christmas!
    xx N

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    1. Oh, I love this story!! Everyone should ride a scooter in their skivvies, but don't forget the knee pads and helmet! Safety first!

      This dress is absolutely lovely. The fabric looks like a major pain, but the end result - so pretty! And yes, you can see how much Tilly loves it!

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    2. House rules Inder, we have a rocky track so no helmet-no ride!
      She did look a sight.

      Thank you so much, I made it a bit long but she loves it, that is all that matters.
      xx N

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  5. Ah yes, it wouldn't be Christmas without blear-eyed sewing for small people. T looks very pretty in the soft colours, and she will get lots of wear from it.

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  6. Thank you Fee, I only made a new dress for Tilly as we were having a casual day at home.
    xx N
    Merry Christmas

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  7. Oh it's so lovely and perfect for Christmas. I saw you had quite a chilly one!

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  8. Thank you Peta, she loves it so I am happy.
    It was a glorious day here, I had the house completely opened up.
    xx N

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  9. It's so beautiful, Nicole, and the story shows how much love went into it.

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  10. Thank you Catherine, what we Mummies do for our little ones
    xx N

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  11. A fancy ice cream dress- I love it! Beautiful colors on her, too.

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    1. Do you remember when this pattern was released Elizabeth? Liesl made a sample in silk that was divine!
      I made a tiny one for Tilly and since then I have always liked it as a formal dress.
      Thank you, even though she is fair, pale colours still suit her.
      xx N

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  12. It turned out really pretty. And you're right - no unpicking silly fraying fabric!

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  13. Thank you Joy.
    This fabric was sooooo pretty but not such fun to work with. The good thing is that is standing up to play and frequent washing really well.
    xx N

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