The Orange Dress

 This is my practice grandchild, a.k.a. Sophea, my great-niece. She just received a sister Ella for Christmas and is responding as a typical two-year-old.  I hadn't finished the dress yet  and fortunately a family birthday party provided an opportunity for a fitting, where it was determined to keep the dress on the long side.

 I wanted a huge flower on the dress which involved a frantic e-mail to my friend, Pencil Girl, on where the giant orange rickrack that I bought in Puyallup might be. She was with me when I bought it and NOW I had a need for it. It never did come out of hiding which necessitated a visit here to buy some more. While there, I found this micro-pompom trim to finish the hem with.

 Here is my inspiration photo.   From nearly a year ago! This dress had pintucks running down the bodice and a floaty net underskirt.

 I found this pattern, New Look 6473 at Walmart and it looked close enough. Only it did not have a bodice and no where to sew the tulle to. It also had no instructions which I discovered about a month later when I started cutting out the pattern. I made view A - you can see where I drew my big flower. Thank God for the internet and Tamara Bostwick, who came to my rescue with her own review of the pattern. She wrote a bit about the order of construction and I figured out the rest myself.

I recalled why I sew garments and it is because ready made clothes never have pockets for girls or women. I designed this pocket utilizing that elastic thread on the bobbin. The pocket has a little give-n-take. I added the pleats to the bottom in a nod to the bodice pleats which gives it a little cupcake flair.
I mean, just the other day, Missy Sophea had a pocket-full of tiny gravel that went through the washing machine.     I'm just the aunty.

Here is a back view. Pretty plain except at the neckline.

I love this color.

Second post continues here. 

Third & final post.