Summer Sewing Summary

Greetings! I hope you've had a lovely summer, mine has been spent sewing for the Sewing Pattern Review children's wear contest. Sadly I didn't get all my intended list done, just too many other distractions but I managed a few garments and had some fun and tribulations along the way.

Here is a summary of the summer sewing:

From 1986 Simplicity 7782 dungarees views 4, 5 and pinafore dress view 1:

I made a few aesthetic or practical changes to each of them:

Pinafore View 1 in red floral needlecord (from London's Goldhawk Road) and finished with wooden, floral painted buttons. It has flat-fell side seams, bias-tape finish instead of facing and a narrow rolled hem.

     

The dungrees view 4 are in white cotton with pink embroidery, pink serged seams and ruffle trim detail. I eliminated the straps altogether and used the stretchy ruffle trim which is a continuous piece starting under the arm, sandwiched between the yoke and facing. I also added a deep turn-up cuff - they're designed to be lengthened as my daughter gets taller (there is excess in the straps sewn down into the back yoke):

  

The dungarees view 5 in floral needlecord (again from Goldhawk Road), faced with dark cream cotton. Although I used the strap pieces, I eliminated the buttons and used snaps instead. I added piping made from green satin ribbon and again the seams are all flat-fell so I used a double row of top-stitching along the centre and side-seams in green thread:

  

From 1970s Style 2417

I made the dress View 1 but shortened to mini-dress/tunic length and overdress View 2 both graded up to 24m. Again I added my own embellishments and finishes.

View 1 is made in sugary pink and periwinkle floral fabric (Fabricland). I added pinktucks to the front (which are given extra definition by sewing over embroidery floss) and contrasting narrow rows of top-stitching to neckline, cuffs and hem.  The dress is narrow-hemmed instead of the 1.25" hem in the pattern. No buttons either but snaps (far more practical!).

View 2 is in hot-pink needlecord (ebay win) and the facing, ruffle and pocket details are in the same fabric as the dress above. This has button loops made from embroidery floss, self-covered buttons made using the floral fabric and a little bit of top-stitching in white at the shoulders only. Both dresses were made with a view to being worn together or as separates.

  

Some appreciation photos: