Miss P thought the dress was adorable, and any chance she has to match her dolls is a winner for both of us - taking pics with the dolls makes for a very easy photoshoot without fail.
Her only request for the dress was that it be purple to match the streak in Luciana's hair. She's the new Girl of the Year doll from American Girl, and Miss P bought her with her own savings two weeks ago. Last summer I started offering my kids $1 for each photoshoot that they did, providing they cooperated and kept the shoot short and sweet. Usually we can grab 40-50 pics in about 10 minutes, and they know I need to get photos from a few different angles. The longer it takes, the more frustrated everyone is - including me! The "payment" has been a great motivator and allows them to save up for something they really want. Miss P added a little birthday and holiday money and was able to buy herself this doll, and she's been so proud of herself. I used to give her a little Shopkins or other small treat and this has been a great transition as she's gotten a little older but isn't quite ready for an allowance yet.
I've sewn a number of patterns from Stitch Upon A Time (SUAT) - their underwear patterns are fantastic! - but haven't sewn a dress of theirs in awhile. The Wendybird was a great sew, and fit just as the finished measurements chart promised. I sewed up a straight size 8 for Miss P, and the fit was spot on. Her chest measured a little closer to the size 6 but I knew there was hardly any ease and was ok with having a little extra in exchange for being able to wear it a little longer. This kiddo of mine has been growing like a weed lately, and isn't showing any signs of slowing down!
I used a custom printed brushed poly from So Cheeky Fabrics that I'd gotten in a scrap pack recently, and used a Laguna Jersey from Robert Kaufman in Amethyst for the solid. It doesn't get much more purple than this! The drape of the fabrics were perfect for this style dress and the skirt had a nice amount of twirl without being too heavy.
There are a number of different sleeve lengths and styles included in the pattern, and the gathered accent portion of the skirt can be pleated instead. I cut the short sleeve at the bubble lining line and hemmed it as a cap sleeve for both dresses, and it looked super cute on both my girl and her doll. The dolly dress was an easy sew and came together nicely. It uses a larger seam allowance than I'm used to for doll patterns, but the final fit was perfect. We'll definitely be using these patterns again; they'd make a great birthday gift for Miss P's similarly doll-obsessed friends!
Jan 24th: Larissa from Connected By a Thread
Jan 25th: Rebekah from Pattern Revolution
Jan 26th: Rachel Nelson from Once upon a Sewing Machine
Jan 27th: Jennifer from Stitch Upon a Time
Jan 28th: Tasha from Sewn at Seams
Jan 29th: Heather from All Things Katy
Jan 30th: Rachel from Handcrafted by Red
You can pick up your copy of the Wendybird Dress for 25% off now through Jan 31st, it is already marked down on the site! Be sure to share your version in the SUAT Facebook group! Comment below with your favorite Stitch Upon a time pattern and one lucky winner from each blog will be announced when the tour wraps up on Jan 31st!
