Simple Spring Dress

I've been waiting for it to warm up and turn springy outside so I'd have a good reason to make a sundress for Love Bug. Pillowcase dresses are really popular for toddler girls right now. I found a really easy pattern by Simplicity that was perfect! I love to sew, but what I really love is something that I can sew in less than an hour. Sometimes that's all the time I have!!

The pattern is two pieces plus ribbon and bias tape. Easy-peasy!! I have a friend whom I will be giving sewing lessons to in the very near future and thought she'd like it for her little girl as well. I made this one for Love Bug.

 Ignore our Raggamuffin look. This is post piggy tails. They don't last long in her hair.

It turned out so cute and was so easy, I decided to make another while she napped this afternoon. I timed myself this time around. (mostly because I told my husband it would only take me 30 minutes to make one and when it took me 1.5 hours he was teasing me about it. Never mind that my serger wasn't functioning correctly and it took me 45 minutes to get it set back to where it was suppose to be. There are lots of little hands that like to turn dials at my house)

Anyway. From pattern to hanger- 45 minutes. I am the kind of seamstress that likes a nicely pressed seam and clean serged edges. So adding in all the times I pressed the seams and ironed the fabric and serged three edges, still a quick project.

Here is the second dress:

I decided against using ribbon because I liked the idea of it matching the dress completely. I made my own straps out of the fabric I used for the bottom of the dress. Cut the length required for the ribbon (in my case 2 yards) by 2 inches wide. Press both sides in 1/4 inch, then fold it over so one side almost meets the other. Press. Then sew along the edge. Cut it in half for two straps. Fold each end over twice (about 1/4 inch each time) and stitch to keep in place. If you have problems working with such a thin edge of fabric, here is an easy solution. You can use it anytime the piece you are sewing won't catch well on the sewing machine to move.

Place a piece of lightweight card stock under the pressure foot of the machine. Place your strap on the card stock positioned where you need it under the foot. Put the foot down and start sewing, being careful to reverse before you go off the edge of the strap. Move it forward to the edge again, then stop. Cut the threads.

Fold the card stock back away from the fabric exposing the seam. Cut the card stock off as close to the seam as possible. Now working with the card stock up, pull the remaining  piece of card stock downward away from the seam carefully. Any fragments of paper left can be picked out with your fingernail. And there you have it!!

If you're interested in the pattern, it's THIS one.

I found it at Walmart.

Happy sewing!!