Thursday, January 2, 2014

Playtime Dress & Leggings

It's so cold outside, even too cold to bother blowing snow, so I decided it was a good excuse to stay indoors and sew.
I made the Oliver + S pattern named Playtime Dress and Leggings.

It calls for topstitching the facing to create the image of a collar, pockets outline and stitching to highlight hems.
Instead of plain topstitching, I decided to use the quilt stitch on my machine.  On the test sample it looked and worked just fine. However when it came to stitching on the dress, well, it didn't work just fine. And where is it most noticeable? Why, right on the front of the collar, of course. Gah!



The leggings worked up lightening fast with out stitching issues.


Using a strip of legging fabric, I made a detachable little rosette for the dress.


Also, I made a fascinator hairband.  Every little girl needs fancy hairpieces I think.


So here is my efforts for a cold day: dress, leggings, rosette and fascinator.  The dress is size 5 and it looks rather limp hanging on the size 2 dress form.

It's -27 oC outside when I took these photos and my fingers started to freeze.  It's impossible to click a shutter wearing gloves.


So I came indoors to get a photo of the back of the dress and defrost my hands in front of the fire.

The buttonholes didn't work out very well on the fabric; ponte de roma knit.  When I cut open the hole, most of the stitching came out too leaving a fluffy, frayed opening. I hand stitched the threads back in place, however I'm not very happy with the outcome of the buttonholes.


The dress and leggings are both size 5. 

The pattern was very easy to make with only the topstitching being somewhat time consuming.

10 comments:

  1. I am very impressed with that topstitching stitch Deb, I wonder if my machine does that one?

    The Twins have requested a knit version of this dress, yours does fall ever so nicely and I love the beautiful headband.

    PS I have the same problem with knit buttonholes, often I re do them, on the machine, once I have cut them.
    xx N

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  2. Adorable... all that and a fascinator too? Wow.

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  3. I understand your dissatisfaction with the details (I'm the same way with my sewing) but this is truly gorgeous. Nobody else will notice the flaws. It is just beautiful and the accessories are equally pretty. Well done!

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  4. Love the colours and the topstitching really does shine, even if it was badly behaved. That knit rosette is very clever too.

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  5. Very cute and comfy looking dress. And I LOVE the headband!

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  6. I can't believe you even attempted to take outside shots if it was that cold. You are braver than me!
    I want to try a knit version but am nervous about the buttonholes, I have been thinking about using snaps instead. My machine doesn't behave well.
    The leggings are fab and the dress looks so comfy!

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  7. Isn't that the way it always goes...perfect on the sample and then total misbehavior on the actual garment! It's a darling outfit. I love the fascinator headband you made to go with it.:)

    btw, I mailed the dress out on Thursday. So be expecting it sometime in the next week!

    C

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  8. This is really pretty...and I LOVE that headband!

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