A little fashion show of summer dresses for little ones

Hello, everyone, 

Summer always makes me want to sew summer dresses for my granddaughter (age 4) because the ones from last summer no longer fit. This year is no exception. I try out a new pattern every now and then—sometimes I like it, sometimes I don’t. 

Here are the three dresses I’ve made over the last few days—before the real heat set in.

Model 1

Ice cream is always a hit! This is probably going to be her favorite dress, at least as far as the design goes. What makes this cotton jersey dress special are the in-seam pockets. I hardly ever sew a dress without them anymore—they’re really appreciated here. 

Model 2

Another cotton jersey dress. Here I combined fabric scraps. And of course, the dress has pockets. I really like the flutter sleeves. Since the fabric isn’t too thick, they drape nicely when you wear the dress.
 

Model 3

A little dress made of sage-colored muslin with glittery dots. It has tie closures at the top. I’m not entirely satisfied with the pattern, but now it’s sewn and I’ve used up the fabric. I sewed it with facings, but I still find the fabric edges a bit wavy. Since I have some other muslin fabric left, I’m going to try out a different pattern with it. I actually think the fabric itself is very pretty, but it has its quirks. I still need to practice working with it.

Best regards, Ina

Good morning, Ina,

Your little dresses turned out beautifully. It immediately reminds me of the time when I used to sew for my daughter. It’s so nice that little ones still love to wear dresses today. 

Personally, I like Dress 3 best. The waviness doesn’t bother me at all. I think it suits the fabric. Glitter—your granddaughter will surely love it. I also think the design is great, and maybe the knots will let it grow with her a bit. 

Warm regards, Petra 

Thank you, Petra, for your praise and your kind comment.

You’re probably right—this little dress will still grow with her for a while. Glitter is, of course, always a hit, and it’s airy enough for a summer dress, too. It was also the easiest of the three dresses to sew because it consists only of a front and back piece (plus the corresponding facings for the inside). I’ll probably sew it again (also out of muslin); maybe I’ll do a better job of it then.

Yes, I also think it’s nice that girls still like to wear dresses today—at least that hasn’t changed. 

Best regards, Ina

You’ve sewn some very pretty little dresses—and to be honest, I envy anyone who can sew like that—because I can’t ;-).

Thanks, rusalki01 (too bad I don’t know your first name), for your kind words. I only started sewing four years ago (at age 58)—so anything is still possible for you, too ;-) 

Best regards, Ina