Easter Dresses

Without the Ladies:

With the Ladies:

The Details:

I ordered the Anna Maria Horner voile from Fabric.com.  I love ordering fabric from them, when I know exactly what I'm looking for.  You cannot beat their prices.

I used the Cottage Home FREE pattern called "The Party Dress".  I used the size 5, but added 1/2" inch of width to the bodice pieces, both front and back, and added about an 1" of length (also to the bodice).

I was able to order 1 1/2 yards of the voile, and used all of it.  I purchased 3/4 of a yard (per dress) of the dupioni silk at JoAnn's using a blessed 50% off coupon.  That stuff is expensive, there is no way around that.  Did I really just make them their first "dry-clean only" dresses?!

I loved the free pattern.  I was glad I had some previous dress making experience to rely upon.  I did make a few changes to the construction of the dress, which I knew how to do having made so many other dresses.  Before allowing myself to cut into the expensive fabrics, I required a rough draft version first.  I am not usually a "rough draft" kind of a girl, but it was the least I could do to preserve my resources.  I am so glad I took the few extra hours to do so!!  Totally worth it.  By the time I was making my third and final dress, I didn't even have to look at the instructions.

The rough draft will still get to be worn.  What a lovely bonus.  

The ladies loved all of their new dresses.  And I loved that they were done will ahead of Easter this year.  No last minute sewing this time around (okay, except for the purple sash!  I can't lie, that sash was finished ten minutes before she put the dress on)!

Now, the remainder of my week will be spent on quilt completion.  I hope you're getting excited :)