You can bet that it took me about 2.5 seconds to swipe up this pattern after the moment I laid my eyes on it.
It is Simplicity 8101 - the little girls' version of the wildly popular Dottie Angel Frock. And I. CAN'T. EVEN. I love it so much.
I used Cotton + Steel quilting cottons from the Bluebird line (Winter 2016) for the main body and pocket accent. The pocket itself is a scrap of some Kaufman Union Chambray.
I chose a size 3 based on Harper's measurements (21"-21"-22", 41" tall and 4.75 years old). The fit is great, but it does gape a little at the front neckline when she is playing or sitting and leaning forward. I pinched out about a 1" dart just to see how it would look that way, so I may experiment with a modification there to give her a more precise/less revealing fit. You can see the gaping in the photo below.
I also clean finished all the inside edges without making any modifications to the pattern. You can see how I did here:
Harper loves the front pocket, and I love all the options for personalization and little details. This dress provides many options for mixing and matching prints and trims - perfect for stash busting!
I even used some of the fabric selvage to create a pretty tag:
I've had the adult version of this pattern in my stash for quite a while, but I'm honestly not sure why. It's not my style at all, really...at least, not in this type of fabric. Perhaps in a more flowy rayon and in muted colors? I love the idea of it, but I just don't think it would be flattering on me or work with the rest of my wardrobe. We shall see.
For a little girl, however, I adore it! I really think it's the perfect dress, and I look forward to making many more. Ahem, I may have already made another!
