I really missed the boat on summer Kids Clothes Week. We were camping in the Redwoods at the beginning of the week (who plans a camping trip during KCW?? Not me, I assure you) and then Lila went to the beach with her grandparents for a few days, leaving me without a model for the one thing I made. But let’s just pretend I’m not a day late and a dollar short and focus on this lion-clad Roller Skate dress.
The print is from Sarah Watts’ August collection for Cotton + Steel. How great are those lions? Plenty great, I say.
For my past two Roller Skates I’ve added the optional neck facing – I really like how it looks, but it would’ve decapitated those poor lions, so I skipped it this time. It’s kind of a big scale print, so I tried to center the heads on the bodice in the front and back – this dress has a seam down the center back, so I lined things up horizontally, knowing I couldn’t match both the side seams and the back seam. Not perfect, but not too distracting, I hope.
I really wanted to bring in one more color with the coral and navy combo, so I used a yellow button on the back and lined the dress with some soft Kaufman cotton lawn, also in yellow.
Because you know, those yellow Salt Waters…
This is a size 4 with an inch of length added to the bottom, which I creatively forced into my one yard of fabric. The 4 is still really wide on top, which eases my panic for the time being about sizing out of at least one of my patterns.
Okay, that’s it. Hopefully I’ll make up for my lack-luster summer KCW performance when the fall edition rolls around. Fall sewing is my favorite anyway…
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Looks so sweet, lucky Rachel
I love it! I have been considering making this pattern next and I think you just made me decide! It looks fantastic with that fabric.
Coral and navy have been favorites around here of late, so I adore this fabric color way! Love that you lined it with yellow to match the little yellow button – such a great detail:) Glad you can enjoy the pattern for awhile longer before having to size up!
oh love this dress! I just bought some of the lions the other day and I can’t wait to make something with them! I’m thinking maybe a skirt for myself 😉
Gail! This is amazing! I love it! That print is fantastic and I love it without the neck facing with this particular print. It’s perfect!
What a sweet dress! I love those lions. I missed KCW due to vacation as well. Next time!
Those lions & that lawn- I am smitten. This dress is perfection. You’re awesome, Gail! 🙂
I saw this print in your IG feed and couldn’t wait to see what you were going to make with it! Love this so so much. Lila looks like a cool cat in her new dress. 🙂
love them lions! this dress is so cute on her and i like the knotted tie. good job on the second photoshoot, too, she clearly wasn’t feelin’ the first attempt. ;P
it’s just darling!! oh, my goodness!! the fabric is so great and the pattern fabulous for a little girl!! (or a bigger one??)~!
This is perfectly adorable and perfectly wonderful!
What a cool dress!!
Yay!! I love the lions. They are a pretty large scale, but all the better to see the detail in. Cotton and steeeeeeeel!
I’ve been eye-balling this fabric for a while now and now I MUST HAVE IT. You did a beautiful job on this dress. Can’t wait to sew one for my girls. LOVE!
My six-year-old really wants to start making dresses with me – except I don’t know the first thing about using the sewing machine my mom gave me. Can you suggest a really, really, really simple pattern for a little girl who doesn’t like fussy things or tags?
The Sweet Little Dress by Leila & Ben is one of the first dresses I made – super simple and not at all fussy – it’s a great pattern!