Toddler's Strawberry Sundress

Good Morning Everyone,

And welcome to Caroline and Sue, my newest followers/enablers ... it's good to have you join me. I hope you will pop back occasionally and maybe even leave a comment if you have time ... I know you are all busy :) Indeed, I was absent yesterday ... almost all day! I popped out to visit my daughter who has twisted her ankle ... you should see her foot now, all the colours of the rainbow! All her plans to go biking with her two youngest most days during the holidays, scuppered :(

This is just a quick share today because I have a ton to do ... four birthdays coming up in August, starting with the 3rd. Anyway, here's the little sundress I made for my great-granddaughter, Rhian, from the strawberry patterned fabric that you might have spotted on my desk a few WOYWWs ago. 

These are simple to make ... two rectangles of fabric, hemmed and shirred at the top, hemmed at the bottom, and narrow straps added at the end. Now that all sounds easy-peasy, does it not? And it is if you wind enough shirring elastic before you begin ... because I had made another dress for my great-niece a few weeks earlier, I just popped the bobbin with the leftover elastic into the machine and went ahead with the shirring. I'm sure you are way ahead of me, it ran out in the middle of a row! Not a disaster exactly, just a time waster - I'll check next time :)  (The polka dotted fabric in the background? ... fat quarters for another patchwork cushion cover in the planning stages.)

What else slowed me down? Well, because the dress is for a little one, the side seams are of the French variety and take a bit longer to sew, but they are just kinder to delicate skins so I think they are essential. Also, I decided to try the invisible hemming method on this little dress. I practiced on scrap fabric and, believe me, it takes a bit of practice. But I managed it in the end and was dead chuffed with the result ... another skill learnt :)))) 

Okay, I said I was going to be quick so that's me done. 

Hope you are all well and enjoying this glorious, if unpredictable, summer ... I know, it's winter on the other side of the world so hope it's not too cold where you are. 

Take care and happy crafting,