First Day Dress

Earlier this month I went on a bit of a First Day Dress making spree. I've been eyeing the pattern for a while and finally took the plunge and went for it. After sewing a dress for Samantha with some super cute fabric she'd chosen I made another one for Natalie in under two hours the very next day. It makes such a cute dress and it's a wonderfully quick sew.  In case any of my sewing friends are interested, here's my little pattern review...


I really liked this pattern. For $10 you get a well put together product with lots of options. You can make both dresses and tops from this pattern so it's like two patterns in one! The directions were clear and thorough and walked me through each step of the sewing process. I think this pattern is perfect for anyone with a little sewing experience. Because of all the illustrations and photos in the directions this is a project that a confident beginner could easily tackle.


I ended up sewing the swing dress with sleeves for both Natalie and Samantha. The twirl factor of this version made it an instant hit with both girls. The skirt portion of this version is two half circles sewn together so it's pretty twirly but not quite as undie-baring as a full circle skirt would be when the urge to spin strikes. The bodice is pretty fitted and we've found that the best way for them to get it on easily is by diving into the dress - arms go in first and then the head. 

You can just see the lining peeking out from underneath here. How fun would it be to do this dress with a colorful lining that's longer then the main fabric so it is just peeking out from the bottom hem of the dress?
Sized for girls 2-10 years old it's something I could sew over and over and never get tired of; there are so many different versions in the pattern. Five different style options - A-line dress, A-line top, swing dress, swing top, and swing dress/top with a front placket. Each version can be sewn with or without a cap sleeve and has options for both a full or partial lining. I love a dress with a full lining; it looks so professional on the inside when all your seams are encased in the lining and it's actually easier to sew than unlined dress.


I'd only change two things about the pattern.  The length on the dress was a little short for what I like our girls to wear. I added length, maybe three inches, to make the dress knee length. It was an easy fix and since I didn't need to add too much length the recommended yardage was still more than enough. Also the armhole finishing for the versions with sleeves was a little tricky/awkward but I'm not sure if there's a better way to complete this step than what's in the directions. In the end, if you take your time on this step the whole things looks very clean and neat.

Overall a great pattern that I definitely see myself making more of in the future.

Comments

  1. UnknownJune 16, 2015 at 9:02 PM

    Absolutely wonderful, too bad you don't make sport jackets. Jared and I need matching ones with elbow pads ;)

    ReplyDelete

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