One More For The Easter Parade!

First of all, I decided that Jenna would need a slip under her dress.  The fabric was very sheer, and the style not conducive to lining.  So,  Here's what I came up with for her.  I used the same pattern that I used for the dress for sizing.  I just cut the neck line and arm openings lower.  I had one embroidered flower left over after finishing the dress, so I embellished the slip with it.  I simply cut out an oval shape around it and satin stitched it to the bodice.  If I'd been thinking I probably would have used stabilizer, but it did ok without it.  The trim on the slip is the same as on the dress.

I, of course, have to make hair bows to go with each dress.  The red is for Jenna.  The lavender with the yellow center is for Emory; remember the organza with the embroidered flowers and ribbon streamers to match the smocking?  The pink is to go with Riley's.  Hers is the yellow with the tea towel collar.  I don't know what I'll do for Kellen.  She doesn't like hair bows much.

Now for Jenna's dress.  I took all kinds of photos because I thought I was finished, but then all of a sudden it hit me that it needed something else.  So, I added the red ribbon trim around the bottom.

As I've said before, I never really know what I'll end up with till it's done.  I totally meant to use lace insertion to attach the scalloped piece to the dress, but when I got to that step, I decided the lace I had planned to use just didn't work with this fabric, so instead I found this scalloped trim in my stash.  Perfect, I thought.  Then, when the dress was almost  all done, I decided that it needed a sash.  Guess what else was in my stash?  This great scalloped eyelet trim.  I thought it made a perfect sash, and believe it or not, the piece I had was the right length and everything.

I ended up having enough of the embroidered flowers left to do the sleeves this way.  I wasn't sure if I would do cap sleeves, sleeveless, or regular puff sleeves from the fabric.  The pattern I was using was sleeveless, but I like sleeves and felt that this dress needed them.  Since I had 4 scallops left over I decided to make these cap sleeves.  I just made a  biased binding to finish the underarm area as well as to finish the sleeve seams.   This seemed to work pretty well.  

After looking at this photo of the back view I realize that I need to go back and add a snap at the neck line above the first button.  Oh yeah, I decided to finish the neck line with piping.  I love piping and the finished look it gives.

For some reason the dress had more fullness in the bodice than I expected.  That's one reason I decided it needed the sash.  However, it kind of doesn't look exactly like I wanted it to across the smocking.  Perhaps I needed to do the smocking tighter.  I don't know, but I think it looks ok with the sash. 

Here's the finished dress: front and back. 

 I love big bows on the back of little girls dresses and it drives me crazy if the sash isn't tied correctly.  Not that I'm a perfectionist by any means of the word, but it is so easy to tie a bow.  If anyone is having trouble making a pretty bow and would like for me to do a tutorial on this I will be glad to.

Thanks to those of you who gave me well wishes.  It helped, and I think I'm back to normal, well, my DH and DDs would argue that I've never been normal, but normal for me, anyway.   I am still going to be VERY careful about what I eat, but I have some energy back today.  Getting down to my last little dress is helping me feel better, too.  I have really been looking forward to making this one with the woven ribbon bodice.   

Thanks also to those of you who gave me encouragement about my mom.  She seems to have fared very well while I was out of town last week.  My brother and cousin checked on her throughout the week, and all went well.   I can almost always count on any problems occurring when I go somewhere, but not this time!!!  I thank God for that.  I do cherish the time I have with her.   I know that it sounds like I'm whining about the things I do for her, but my gosh! I just remember all she's always done for me, and I get over it!!!