Mod Mondays - The Shoulder Tie Dress: Variation 1

Welcome to Week 1 of the Mod Monday series!  This series will feature simple modifications that can be made to my easy and free Shoulder Tie Dress pattern.  See the sidebar to the right for the links to the tutorial series.

For this first modification, the change made to the pattern is as simple as adding one buttonhole.  Really, that's all there is.

I changed the location of the bow to the center back by simply adding a buttonhole to the center back before sewing the casing down.  Thread the tie through the buttonhole into the back casing, through the front and then back through the back casing and back out the buttonhole. I used an extra long piece of ribbon to add a bit of romantic drama to this particular dress.   Super easy, super cute!

Everything else about this mod follows the tutorial instructions just as they are written.

I had been told that some of the favorite things of the little miss who modeled the dress are pink, flowers and dresses.  She was incredibly cute when she saw the dress for the first time.  She hugged it to her chest, jumped up and down and ran to try it on. I think it was a hit with her and she looks lovely wearing it. She is so very photogenic that it was really difficult to choose which photos to use, so I will leave you with just a couple more of my favorites.

I hope you will join me next week for Variation 2!

Until next time, happy sewing!

Bloomers...

Hello,  Just popping in quickly to post a response to a question that I have had regarding the shoulder tie dress sew along.

Someone requested a pattern for bloomers.  Normally I would draw one up for you, but I am under a time crunch right now, so I found a link to a free pattern on Craftsy.

It's from Sewing Mama RaeAnna.  She always has cute, cute, cute stuff. :)

I don't know how much you all are familiar with Craftsy, but it is a really amazing site with all kinds of creative inspiration!  Do a little looking around over there and I guarantee you will find something fun!

Have a blessed Sunday!

Announcing Tiered Pillowcase Dress Sew Along

About a year or so ago I came up with an idea for a very simple little sundress.  I have enjoyed making them so I thought I'd share the pattern with you.  The more I thought about sharing the pattern, the more I thought about how much fun it would be to do a sew along.

So, beginning on March 3 and then for the following 5 weeks, I will walk you through the process of completing one of these dresses step by step.  I promise that it will be fun and easy!  At the end I will host a linky party where you can show off your creation.

In the coming months I also plan to share some simple ways to alter the pattern so that you can create your own unique dress design.

Soooo.... who's in???

A little something for me...

All this looking at sundresses for little girls has made me want one for myself. LOL  Mine will be a bit different, though. I rarely sew for myself anymore.  In fact, I couldn't even tell you the last time I made myself anything.  It has been years.


I purchased some lovely orange poppy fabric at Joann's recently.

I am debating between these two patterns. If you were 5'3" and overweight, which would you choose?

I got a good giggle out of the Burda pattern at the bottom of the envelope where it says "All patterns with seam und hem allowances".  Yes they are a German company.

I still want to make the mannequin and play with some draping, but I want something I throw together fairly quickly to wear this summer for now.

So I Went to a Wedding Yesterday...

I went to a wedding yesterday.  A friend of ours and his lovely bride had a beautiful, yet simple wedding in their new home yesterday.  It was a lovely gathering of family and friends.  But the seamstress in me could not be contained. There was a little girl there who was wearing a fabulous little sundress.  It was such a simple design, but yet it was just pretty no matter what she was doing.  It had just the right amount of fullness and fluff to hang nice and be very feminine and yet casual at the same time.  I studied this dress the whole afternoon as the little one was running about and playing in the yard after the ceremony.  I simply HAD to figure out how to make one.  I'm kinda crazy that way. And, besides that, I have ALWAYS been a sucker for little girls in sundresses.  They are my favorite. :)

It was similar to this at the top, but it was much, much fuller and ruffled at the bottom.

So I came home and put my brain to work. In my horribly messy sewing room.

Approximately an hour later I came up with this.  It took a little calculating and going to the internet for formulas for figuring radius and circumferences and such.  I can never remember those. :)  

The design is based on a half circle pattern.  I realized that making it straight would not have allowed me the fullness that I was looking for.  I am hoping I got it right. It didn't look like it was a full circle.  

The plan is to make it out of these fabrics.  Aren't they awesome?!  I love the colors. 

 I also have some cherry themed fabrics that would be really cute in this design, too.  

This is definitely high priority on my project list.  :)