Project Run & Play Sew-Along Challenge: Streak, Stroke, Stripe Part 3

Chloe's Raindrops & Stripes

I had so much fun photographing sweet and sassy Chloe!

Left:  Chloe at her fourth birthday party in a vintage pillowcase sun dress over her bathing suit that I made for the event.  Right:  Chloe at almost eight years old.   

 
Chloe is my dear friend Kaye's youngest daughter and I have been sewing little gifts for her since before she was born. The first things I made were a few little hand embroidered and ruffled diaper sets for Kaye's baby shower.   I also had the pleasure of having her in my kindergarten class a few years ago.  She is sweet and spicy and so much fun!

Sewing for Chloe's style (and Mama's taste) has pushed me into this decade more than anything else!  They have helped my sewing style evolve from very traditional and heirloom into more 'trendy' and 'boutique'.  Sewing for Chloe these days requires more input from Chloe on patterns and fabrics.  For this dress, she was given the choice of four fabrics in three options of placement.

 The dress is a combination of two patterns:

Bodice Pattern:  Tadah!  Tea Party Dress with the racer back.

Skirt Pattern:  Violette Fields Threads "June"

Fabrics:  All selections from Hawthorne Threads "Parapluie" line.

Blue Shell Buttons & Striped Piping:  my stash.

I had to be on my toes when sewing this dress!  The bodice pattern is in centimeters and the skirt pattern used inches.  I made a change to the bodice lining by sewing the lining down by hand. I added piping to the pocket and pocket side panels in the skirt.

The biggest change I made to the skirt pattern was to cut it in one piece (rather than two) and create a bias bound continuous placket.  I usually prefer this to having a seam up the back, especially when using a border print. 

The bias bound placket provides a nearly invisible opening in the top of the back skirt.

 Right after Chloe changed into the dress where we held the photo shoot, I spied the mirror and asked her to stand in front of it so that I could get both sides of the dress at once.  That was all I needed to say!  She went into full model mode and I got so many adorable photos!  Unfortunately, the ones where she was cracking herself up were to blurry too use!

Chloe's verdict on the dress:  She loved the pockets and the front of the dress.  She wasn't as fond of the racer back as was her mother.  Both she and her mother would like me to deconstruct the dress when it gets too small/tight (which will be shortly as she grew since I took her measurements at the beginning of May!).  They would like me to turn the bottom of the dress into a skirt with a flat waistband in the front and elastic in the back.  I can and will do this.

Love the buttons!  They were the perfect color.

I loved the racer back and little shoulder caps.

Chloe made this so much fun!

I hope you liked this little bespoke dress! 

 Check all the wonderful "striped and streaked" creations at Project Run & Play HERE and HERE!