Can you even believe it is time for Project Run and Play again?? And just like last year, I am making my life difficult because I am out of town, lol! Oh well thank goodness my sister has a sewing machine so I can get down to business here! Anyways, this weeks theme was “inspired by 80’s cartoons”, which is AWESOME because seriously, cartoons don’t get better than that era.. Actually.. I’ll admit…. The My Little Pony of Millie’s generation beats the one of my generation… But back to this sewing project. :) Probably not original, but Rainbow brite was my absolute favorite when I was a kid. I had the sheets (canopy bed top and everything!) and the curtains and my biggest aspiration in life was to BE Patty Green. So I decided to use that as my inspiration!
I actually had this design for a dress drawn out a couple months ago. Millie recently saw it and was like “Is this a dress for me?? I love it! Make it now!!” I recently realized that part of the reason it takes me so long to sew for myself is because Millie has no respect for selfish sewing. It has to be all her, all the time lol! Quinn, of course, always hates when I’m at my machine, but if I’m sewing for Millie, at least she will be helpful and try to occupy him!
I drafted this out all on my own, which I love doing for Millie’s dresses. SO satisfying! I made the gathers 1.5x the width of the top. I didn’t want the skirt to be SO gathered where you would loose that POP of the diamond on the sides. I got the fabric from my little trip to NYC last time, and I’m REALLY excited about that rainbow FOE (fold over elastic)! It is the first time I’ve ever used it and HOLY cow, how fun and easy!
I’ll be perfectly honest, those corners do NOT match up everywhere. Normally I’d be a little more anal about it but seriously, the kids were all over me when I was sewing that part. Quinn wanted to be on my lap, Millie was RIGHT on top of me “sewing” with safety pins and wonder clips. Also, the fabric is that SUPER soft but super slippy kind of knit, which is REALLY comfortable to wear, but pretty difficult to sew with. In the end, Millie REALLY loves this dress and will never notice my flaws, plus honestly, I think I’ve gotten more complements from strangers on this little dress in one day than any other one I’ve made. So YAY!
So I just need to talk about the *non existent* photo shoot that this was.. I was super excited, the stars aligned and Quinn was asleep as I showed Millie the finished dress. She was excited to model it for me because she was excited about the dress.. So I grab my camera, take her outside and snap a couple adorable pictures.. When I realize my camera doesn’t have a memory card in it :/ So I tear apart my house until I find one, snap a couple more pictures when the camera battery dies.. UGGGH! So I grab my phone to take pictures, last resort.. MEMORY FULL. At this point, Millie had lost all interest of being a model and just wanted to play with bubbles. Oh well. You get what you get in life, right??
OH and if anyone who follows my blog is wondering what the heck happened to Millie’s hair, she cut it HERSELF as I was putting Quinn to sleep about a month ago!! I nearly fainted, but she was SOO proud of herself and she loves it, haha! She came running up the stairs saying “Look, Mama, I cut my hair! Are you so proud of me?? Can I cut yours now too? I learned how!!” I’m still not over it!
actually i think her hair looks adorable – its the first thing i noticed
Thank you! It has grown on me for sure, she looks like a little French girl now lol
My thought at seeing the first picture: “She looks like she loves to model!” reading the story at the end about your camera made me laugh, however– you were able to get some good shots in the end!
I think the diamond shapes on the side look good! You can hardly tell in the pictures that they don’t line up- and you’re right, your little girl won’t even notice when she’s running around in it.
Great job!!
Yeah, at least the 8 pictures I DID get turned out pretty cute! haha
Thanks! Millie loves the dress so that is always the best turn out for me :)
I really like the design and colors you used. Kids hardly ever stop moving so no one else will look that closely at the matching up either. Nice job.
Thank you! I also notice that a lot of ready to wear clothes don’t match up where they should :) So that makes me feel better too, ha!
This turned out great! Best part is it is mommy made. Even those small “imperfections” are what make it so special.
Thank you! It is really sweet how proud she is to tell strangers that mommy sews her clothes :) I’m sure she is totally blind to all the mistakes!
I got some FOE and can’t wait to try it! But it’s not pretty rainbow bright FOE. Going shopping now…
I know I saw those rainbows and I was like YES!!!! I’m going to need more FOE in my life!
She did a good job on her hair! I thought you’d had it cut professionally. I love the colorblocking on the sides of the dress. It’s so fun! And the rainbow FOE! I have to get some of that…
Well, she DID get it finished by a professional, ME! :) She had cut both sides really short (and very even, I might add- I was impressed!) but she left the back long, hellooo hipster mullet! I fixed it up for her. Since I was a hairstylist in a past life, pre kids, I was happy to have it actually looking pretty darn cute after what could have been a TOTAL disaster if I had to take her to a “kid cut” place to fix it..
I did not see the flaws til you mentioned them! Cute dress, and looks so comfortable. Great jobs on the photos too. I normally have to take over 100 photos to get few good ones ;)
Gee maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it, LOL! Thanks! I usually DO take 100s of photos and pick out some of the decent ones, thank goodness there were actually some cute ones in this little batch!
adorable! I just love the sides of this dress! I totally see your inspiration yet this dress is very wearable and cute! I’m currently hosting a sewing series called Sew Many Books. There is a sew a long {with prizes!} and not many entries ;o) If you have sewed anything inspired by a book in 2014 I’d love for you to come over and link it up. It doesn’t have to be a new project. Head over to Nap-Time Creations and look up Sew Many Books…
Ugh to the cutting the hair! I dread that moment so much haha. But I love this dress! I can totally relate to the camera woes too…
Thank you! I’ve actually come to love her short hair, it only took me a month, LOL! Now I feel like we have to cut it again!