The white dress

I always loved white summer dresses; so fresh, crisp and breathy.  Unfortunately, it is easy to end up looking  like a runaway bride. Little girls, however, always look adorable.  I also believe white clothes are very practical for kids; there is nothing a little bit of Clorox can’t fix. A while ago I stopped at the garage sale to look for new toys to entertain the kids on a car ride and came across this.

The blouse was in excellent condition. The size, 2XL, gave enough fabric to play with. The fabric was simply divine. It also cost $1.00. Naturally, I had to have it. I knew it would make a perfect summer dress for Ania.

I love the eye let details in the fabric!

To make a pattern I simply traced a t-shirt leaving generous seam allowances, made it slightly A-line, and added extra length.  

I wanted to make sleeves, so I traced the edge of the where the sleeve would go and then made a sleeve following the curve. It was ok, but didn’t stay the way I wanted. So I gathered the ends and made thin strips of bias tape from the sleeve of the blouse to finish the sleeves of the dress.  The neck binding was also cut on bias from the sleeves. I am glad the blouse was big!

I kept the front buttons and added shirring in the back to add more shape to the dress.  I really like the end result, and so does Ania.  It is perfect for hot days of summer!