This weekend we had special dress-wearing events for both Passover and Easter. With a birthday in late March and a dress to go along with it, I don’t usually sew something new for Lila to wear for the spring holidays. But I had to make an exception this year after her birthday dress, only a few short days into rotation, was tragically disfigured at the local bounce house joint. Avert your eyes if you wish, this ain’t pretty: I’d never seen a dress rip like this, but Rachel told me she had a voile Rollerskate dress do the same thing. I don’t know if it’s just the lightweight fabric, or maybe a combination of the fabric and the snipped seam allowances in the curve of the armhole creating weak spots? I can’t decide if the dress is salvageable (probably not, right?), so instead of trying to fix it I’ve mostly just been staring at it in disbelief. OH WELL. It’s sad, but in the big scheme of things, a ripped dress is not such a big deal. And at least she got to wear it for her birthday. And for a day and a half after that. So anyway, the point is, the birthday dress was clearly unavailable for this weekend’s festivities. Luckily I like an excuse to sew a new dress, and I happened to have some beautiful Japanese lawn on my hands. So I made her an Oliver + S Garden Party Dress. I made my first Garden Party dress last year around this same time – for some reason it didn’t get a whole lot of wear, but I really like this pattern and I felt like it was worth trying again. This time I used all one fabric instead of a contrast for the waistband and yoke pieces. It changes the look of the pattern a little, but I think I like it. This is a size 5, lengthened to 6. I finished the bias inside the armholes by hand – I tried it by machine when I made the dress last year, and I wasn’t happy with how it looked. It came out much cleaner this way. The fabric is a Sevenberry cotton lawn and came from a new sponsor, Jones & Vandermeer. Have you heard of this shop? I stumbled upon them two years ago when I was on a mad hunt for a specific Nani Iro double gauze print (this one) – they were the only place that had it, and I snatched it up right away (along with a few more yards of double gauze that are still sitting on my shelf – it’s so hard for me to cut into that stuff!). Since then I’ve visited their site often. They offer “100% curious goods” from around the world – it all began with yarn, but the shop now includes lots of unique and gorgeous fabrics, as well as other wonderful things for sewers and crafters. Their collection of fabrics is so beautifully curated – Liberty lawns, lots of Japanese prints from Yuwa, Nani Iro, and Echino (to name just a few), plenty of double gauze, and these super cool French lawns I haven’t seen anywhere else. There’s also a great selection of sewing patterns, tools and notions, and buttons (mother of pearl cloud buttons from France? I die.). And then there’s premade Liberty bias tapes, plus lovely ribbons, twill tapes, and other trims. You get the idea – there’s a little bit of everything, and all of it is thoughtfully hand-picked. Sorry to go crazy with all the links, there’s just so much good stuff. I’ve been a fan of the shop for some time, so when they inquired about sponsorship I knew it would be a good fit – it’s the type of shop I’m happy to share with everyone. And now for the giveaway – Jones & Vandermeer is offering up a $35 gift certificate to spend on anything in the shop! To enter, just leave a comment on this post by Friday, April 10th – any old comment will get your name in the game, but if you need a prompt, you can always tell me what you’d choose if you win. I suspect you’ll have fun browsing there, I always do!
a garden party dress + a curious sponsor + a giveaway ((now closed!))
April 6, 2015 by gail
Wow! What a fantastic shop! I think I’d have to choose about 20 things because how could you ever pick one thing???
Such a cute girls dress
The new dress looks so perfect for summer. I was so sad when I saw that the other dress ripped.:(
What a lucky girl to have such beautiful handmade dresses.
I love your blog! This dress is lovely. Thanks for the opportunity to enter this drawing
I would cut the skirt off that ripped dress and add a different bodice. I hate when things don’t get the wear they’re due!!
How sad about the ripped dress. I’m not sure how successful mending it would be, but I might be inclined to try it with a complimentary patch. It could look like a bit of washi tape to add some interest maybe. If there were three narrow strips it might look intentional. I dunno. If you can’t mend it do you think it might be easy to turn it into a skirt? Good luck!
I love seeing all the beautiful clothing that you make for your children. You inspire me! Jones and Vandermeer is a lovely shop. I must go back later today and actually order something!
I love the new dress, but I say give it a go on mending the torn one. I would check a sewing book or check online for mending tuts. A grandson tore his football jersey and I mended it for him and he wore it all the time. I think the repair was a sign of playing hard! And jeans repair is a frequent for my gk’s, But try a fusible like wonder under with some zigzag for reinforcement. It can be done and if she loves the dress she will wear it.
The dress is beautiful (as is the photography as always)! I believe you could fix the other dress – perhaps a strategically placed pocket to cover the bulk of the tear, and then if you have fabric or even a contrast, re-do the armhole facing, turning the facing to the outside to make it a feature and cover the balance of the tear. Good luck!
I love love love your Garden Party Dress!! I’m going to have to sew that one soon.
Poor dress 😦 There must be a way to fix it! Thanks for the links to Jones & Vandermeer. What a cool site!
I’m so sorry about the tear! The new garden party dress is lovely. I like it in all one color too. I’m excited to try this curious shop. Thanks for the tip!
I’m making the Garden party for the 3 year birthday and I’m geeked about your new sponsor! You had me at Liberty and French lawn…
I love the new dress! The shop is great, such a beautiful selection.
I would be devastated by the rip. I do love the garden party dress. I was deciding between that and the library dress for my little miss (I went with the library dress this time), but I can’t wait to try the other one!
Beautiful new dress!
I’ve been wanting to try voile or double gauze, but haven’t bought any yet
Goodness that tear! Breaks my heart. Hard to fix. Fray stop & hand sewing? Pocket could work…brooch? 😦
That fabric/yarn store?! Amazing. They got camel & mink yarn. Say what? If I won, it would take me possibly a few days to spent the prize. Maybe a week…or two. Cheers!
absolutely lovely blue dress!
I really like this simple version of the dress. I hadn’t been to keen on the pattern but now I might give it a go!
Love your version of Garden Party! Your new sponsor looks intriguing. Liberty? Be still my heart. P.S. Try iron-on interfacing (lightweight) behind the tear, lining up the threads carefully. Won’t last forever, but will give her a few more wearings.
Such a pretty dress! I just love your posts and all of your fabric choices and the patterns you use. ‘Looks like I would be very happy with most anything from your new sponsor’s shop. Thank you for giving us the opportunity of the incentive.
I haven’t heard of that shop. I’m headed there after I finish my comment. What a sweet dress. I miss making dresses for my almost 11 year old daughter. She prefers to wear jeans now, so it doesn’t make sense to make her dresses any more.
If probably get some of that gorgeous French lawn. Lila looks so adorable!
One thing for sure, if I should win , I will spend more than the $36.00 prize! I would treat myself to a piece of Libery and the buttons, OMG. Who can resist those pearl ducks! Thanks for the tip and the give away.
Darling dress. I love the garden party dresses. I have fun sewing for my girls this year, too.
Precious dress! I’ve been wanting to get some Liberty fabric, I just can’t seem to bite the bullet and part with the money!
Another beautiful dress you’ve made! I’m adding Jones&Vandermeer to my shopping list. Always glad to be recommended to a fabric AND yarn shop.
Mmmm. Lovely, beautiful fabric. I covet. 🙂
That rip was tragic, but this dress was meant to be! I love it! I love that you didn’t use contrasting fabric at all. It is perfect. And that Lila is a real beauty!
That is a great dress that you made! I might have to check out that pattern…..! Thank you for the chance to win some pretty things from such a fun online shop. I think I’d choose some Liberty lawn (to make a shirt for me!) if I win!
Thanks for the chance to win fabric! also, I love your no-contrast Garden Party Dress! I was never drawn to that pattern before, but I love the way the single fabric highlights the gathers in the bodice.
First of all, I have made the Garden Party dress twice, once for each of my granddaughters. The first one was of a lighter cotton with a beautiful hand that I cannot find again locally and the second one of a heavier quality cotton. The lighter one was definitely a better choice for a baby dress. I’m eager to check out Jones & Vandemeer! I made a dress for my daughter when she was little of Liberty lawn, I’m thinking that is what I need again.
What about a piece of ribbon going across where the dress ripped? I love the anchor double gauze in the shop.
What a great shop! Wanty Wanty
What a cool site! Thanks for the link!
I think I would splurge on all ribbons with the gift certificate. What a beautiful shop! That rip is sad. I would definitely try to patch it with something, and maybe a ribbon applique on top to cover the patch.
What a fun store to have as sponsor. I have never purchased anything from them, but I have admired their wares several times!!
I choose some knits and double gauze.
The Jones and Vandermeer shop is lovely – great fabric selection, although I might be inclined to splurge on buttons! What a shame about the dress – perhaps it could be reincarnated as a skirt?
Adorable dress!
Sad about the dress! I think you could do some repairing and then maybe add a flower to detract from it or a triangle appliqué. Something–it’s just so much work to chalk it up as a loss!
I absolutely love this dress! And she looks pretty pleased about it as well. So sorry about the birthday dress, though. I have a little lady who is pretty hard on clothes herself.
Poor birthday dress! Reading your post brought back vivid memories of the time my 4 year-old self rode a big wheel (after being told in no uncertain terms not to do so) while wearing a lovely dress my mother had hand-smocked. I rode right over the bottom of it and tore a huge horizontal rip across the front about 8″ up from the hem. The smocking was fine, but the dress was utterly irreparable. My mom handled it like a champ, but 30+ years later I still feel guilty about it! 🙂
I’m so sorry about the birthday dress! It was so cute. The new one is more my style though. Just got through drooling over some prints in at Jones and Vandermeer. Thanks for introducing them!
I would get fabric for me! I love to sew for my daughter, but I sorely need to update my sewn garments.
Love, love this garden party dress!! It’s on my “to sew” list now. 🙂
Another pretty dress!! Funnily enough came across Jones and Vandermeer a few weeks ago through the Auction for Eleni. Such cool stuff – I am sure I spent at least an hour browsing !!! How fun it would be to actually shop 🙂
just started with your blog, I sew for my grandchildren, so would order some lawn for summer dresses and shirts.
So sad about Lila’s birthday dress, but yay for this new one! I love this shop and I think I would splurge on some Liberty bias tape. Thanks!
What a great shop! I am seeing some great button possibilities for the cardigan I am knitting! And such a selection of lightweight fabrics for summer!
The dress is beautiful! Love it! And thanks for sharing this wonderful fabric shop tip. I would buy every yard they have from the Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus Collection… 😉 Happy Easter to you, Jana
http://www.meandmyveritas.wordpress.com
I’ve been following your blog for some time now….I think around the time Lila’s ice cream birthday dress went viral on Pinterest. It just got a sewing machine this past Christmas and sewed my first ice cream dress for my 2-year old daughter already. Anyway, thank you for inspiring me to sew!! A shame about her dress ripping this year; rest assured that I’ll dote on it for quite some time via your blog. Also, I would love a chance at some fabric from the shop!
This is the first dress from this pattern that I’ve truly loved. Wonderful fabric choice. Great giveaway too 😀
Love that website! So lovingly curated!
Oh, I’ve browsed there but never bought! Lots of window shopping, though…
Ooh what a great giveaway ! Off to browse through their shop now.
Oh wow, I LOVE it all in one fabric! It’s still delicate and feminine, but it seems more everyday and practical (less fancy). Beautiful sewing and impeccable taste in fabrics as always, Gail. You have such an excellent eye.
I’d choose fabrics! I like the interesting selections!
The dress is amazing!!
I honestly gasped out loud when I saw how that dress tore. So sad! It’s good that you can take it in stride, though. It has been hard for me to learn to let go of handmade items, but it feels so much better than clinging to them. The new dress is really lovely. This is the second time I have been on the fence about an O&S pattern, then fall in love with it when I see your version. (The other was the ice cream dress.)
I’d get liberty fabrics if I win …
Lila is so cute with the messy bun …
Could you sew a stripe or some sort of design on top of the torn spot?
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Oh! I’m so sorry about the birthday dress! It looked so lovely! If I were to win I would order some double gauze because I’ve never used it but I am eager to try it out.
Marjolein
Sweet shop! I hope the birthday dress can be mended as well – that fabric is so lovely.
I was just thinking this morning about how I didn’t have access to a good haberdashery – thanks for the intro to J&V
Such asweet giveaway! Those liberty bias bands are gorgeous 🙂
Such beautiful dresses! Thank you for the chance to win!
So sorry about the birthday dress. The incident did inspire a perfectly lovely replacement, though! I just sewed my daughter a birthday dress for her first birthday. I hope I can keep up the tradition like you have! Thanks for the inspiration, as always, and also for the chance to win.
Yet another beautiful dress! You have such an art for picking the perfect fabric! I think I like this even better than the contrast version. Just curious about how much fabric you buy as a default if it’s just something you love and don’t have a specific project in mind yet?
Would love to buy a gift for a friend. Thanks for the giveaway! (p.s. Beautiful dress.)
I would love me some fauna fabric. Such a lovely store! 🙂
What a cute dress! And what a great giveaway! Jones and Vandermeer has a lovely selection. I’d definitely get some Liberty fabric!
Some double gauze would be my choice!!! Too bad about the birthday dress, is there enough to create a skirt? ronda
Beautiful dress! And dangerously awesome shop. Thanks for the lead.
I can’t believe the dress ripped like that! I’ve never seen anything like it. The replacement is lovely though. I haven’t made the Garden Party yet. I really like your version.
So sorry about the birthday dress! This one is gorgeous too, though. Thank you for the giveaway.
So sorry about the birthday dress! I relate to just staring in horror.
As for the shop – I can’t resist a double gauze.
Oh, my, it would be fun to shop there! Thanks for the links – eye candy galore!
Another beautiful dress, Gail – your work is so inspiring! Have you thought of turning the torn dress into a sundress? I would love to have some Japanese fabric to sew. Thank you for the opportunity to enter the draw.
Beautiful dress
Beautiful dress! Love the fabric!
I sew for my granddaughters. I would love to try some of the Japanese fabrics.
I love following your blog and would love to win! I think I would get some double gauze fabric!
I agree that turning it into a skirt would be a nice fix – I loved the fullness of the skirt on the dress.
your projects are so beautiful ~ and your littles are, too! you need more gorgeous babies to fit with the gorgeous sewing!
Sounds amazing. I’d make my whole wardrobe in double gauze if I could afford it!
Love your blog and love your creativity! I would definitely choose fabric to make the Garden Party dress for my grand daughter!
Love the sleeveless Garden Party!
Oh! Poor dear birthday dress! Can the bottom be fashioned into a skirt? I do love this new dress, though.
She’s adorable, and you always choose the best colors for her.
Another lovely dress! Thanks for introducing a new sewing resource, can’t wait to check it out.
Love this dress! As always it’s immaculate!
A very pretty dress for a young gorgeous girl 🙂
What a beautiful dress for a beautiful girl.
What a shame about the rip! At least it was worn and loved if only briefly…. The navy spotted lawn on the dress in this post is just divine….
I’ll go browse when i can get onto the big computer, but I just wanted to say how beautiful that Garden Party dress is. I love it all in the one fabric, so very elegant. That’s a real tragedy that the birthday dress died in the name of good fun, but she must have looked pretty while bouncing!
First of all, BOO on the birthday dress tragedy, especially so soon after you made it!!! Ugh, so frustrating!! But I do love the new dress and I think if I ever try this pattern I’d do all one fabric too…..just seems cleaner looking somehow. The new shop looks AMAZING!!! I can’t wait to browse a little more!!
Amanda
amandaj(at)cinci(dot)rr(dot)com
Sorry about the torn dress, our lawn rollerskate dress tore in the same way. It must be due to the thin fabric. The new dress is great!
This dress is beautiful on Lila. My granddaughter was six in March too, they grow up so fast. I can barely keep up with all of the sewing I want to do for her while she grows. I looked at the Jones & Vandermeer website and I love the Moda Indigo Geo Ikat faded denim. I think it would look nice as a skirt for myself.
Wonderful shop! I’d repair the rip, maybe with a couple triangles of solid fabric ( one on the ripped side and one on the non- ripped side) to make them look intentional. At least she could wear the darling dress for playtime!
What a lovely store. I hadn’t heard of them before.
Oh the options…
Oh geez — a mysterious and horrifying rip like this happened to my daughter’s brand new Hopscotch Skirt on the 4th of July last year. I had to take it apart, replace the ripped front panel and Frankenstein it all back together. My sympathies!
The new Garden Party dress is so lovely. I love the simplicity of the single fabric — it really shows the design of the dress so well.
too bad about the birthday dress! Hope you can find a way to salvage it. Jones and Vandermeer had some neon fabric awhile ago that I kept drooling over but never bought. thanks for the chance at the giveaway!
Thanks for the great giveaway! I’m so sorry about the birthday dress, but the new dress is beautiful!
I should have averted my eyes… the poor dress! the poor dressmaker! My immediate thought was that ‘of course’ you could save it somehow, but for the life of me, I’d don’t know how I’d do that.
Eeek! The rip! Oh, that breaks my heart (and I have nothing invested in the sweet thing – I can’t imagine how you feel!).
Thanks for the introduction to Jones and Vandermeer. So many fabulous lovelies.
So sad the dress ripped, but the new one is adorable!
Thanks for the chance to win. I enjoy reading your blog.
The Garden Party dress pattern is on the top of my pile. I keep thinking about fabric choices. It is so helpful to see the dresses you have made. They are beautiful and classy. Thanks for showing us the Jones and Vandermeer site.
Love the dress, Gail. I feel like I will be buying that gorgeous fabric, or add to my O+S pattern stash. Or both!!
OMG!! I am in SO much trouble – too many things to choose from!!
I love that this shows only 2 scissors’ difficulty. Would love to give it a go myself – I think I prefer the all-one-color version, but love them both.
I love the beautiful dresses you make your daughter! You introduced me to Oliver and S patterns- thank you so much!!
Gypsy Garden by Knit Collage is beautiful!
What a great dress, so sad about the birthday dress, I think I’d cry! Here’s to hoping I win!! Thanks for the giveaway.
Another beautiful dress… Would love to win.
What a tragedy! It’s the worst when something you’ve worked so hard on comes to an untimely end. Love the new dress though! Thanks for the giveaway. I love Jones & Vandermeer; I’m currently eying some double cloth from there.
This has happened to a dress I made for my daughter. It was a small enough rip that I could sew a patch on it. Oh well! Win some, lose some!
What gorgeous goods!!
Lovely dress. My little girl would love one just like it!
Oh gosh. What a lovely dress! And I almost gasped when I saw that tear. It’s happened to me before on the seat of a newly made pants, and it was unsalvagable.
Thank you for this lovely giveaway. I would choose knits because I hear them calling, and N desperately needs some tee shirts.
So sorry to hear about your sewing mishap. But the replacement dress is beautiful!
Lila is so beautiful. Glad that you’re back sewing and that you have a new sponsor. Keep inspiring us! (Now I just have to go decide between sewing a roller skate dress as originally intended and a Garden Party dress?)
Beautiful dress, and so sorry about the tear. The shop is great, I can’t wait to browse again!
camel yarn!
I love the garden party dress! I have the pattern, but have not made one yet. I guess that light-weight such as lawn works very well with this pattern.
So sorry for the ripped dress! Do you have any scraps left from making it? Perhaps using some knit fusible interfacing on one of the scraps and then attaching it from behind? It’s too bad the tear is in such a visible place!
The blue dress is beautiful. Perhaps you can turn the other dress into a skirt? Lovely fabric choices for both. Thanks for the chance on the giveaway:)
What a cool new sponsor! And very sad news about the birthday dress….but a very nice replacement!
I’d love to get some of the pretty fabrics, especially the one called, “The Harbor”.
I’m heartbroken about that tear! However she got a gorgeous replacement.
That is absolutely darling! I could spend an hour browsing the shop 🙂
I am in love with the stuff you make!!! Thanks for the chance to win, their shop carries amazing things!!
Lovely shop – some irresistible voile and double gauze on there. I really like this all-one-fabric version of the garden party dress – i’m sorely tempted to pick up that pattern now!
Love the sweet Easter dress!! And I’m not sure if I could pick just one thing from the shop…everything looks so beautiful!
Always wanted to do a Liberty blouse for myself…..;)
So sorry about the birthday dress, definitely try to mend it! But I love the new dress and how it looks in all one fabric! Nice shop too, yarn and fabric, my two favorite things 🙂
oh no not the seersucker dress! i hope you find a way to mend it – maybe a band/ribbon across the whole front? it’s kind of an awkward spot. anyway, this dress is SO gorgeous and i’m sure the lawn is amazing in person too. thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
Your dress is lovely. The yarns and fabrics at the shop are wonderful!
Oh gosh, I have a 28 month old granddaughter and I’d LOVE to make her a dress and a summer jumper with some wonderfully soft lawn or similar fabric. Maybe even a sweet summer nightgown.
Thank you for the chance to win.
I’d probably choose a Nani Iro print. But then again, so many great fabrics to choose from… Thank you for the giveaway.
Wow, what beautiful fabrics!! That birthday dress you made was so gorgeous, it must break your heart to see it like that! Something similar happened to a beautiful scarf I knitted, it used a complicated stitch and when I was moving it must have rubbed up against something and cut about halfway through. It was painful….I had to remove it from my sight and not think about it.
I love browsing their site- so many beautiful items! Your poor dress! Maybe salvage some of that beautiful fabric for a skirt?
Beautiful fabrics in a variety of weights. I’d probably try out some of the double gauze with a shopping spree. It would be quite the treat!
Beautiful dress, I wish I could sew so well… I am more of a knitter, so I would be tempted trying some of the special yarns.
Love the fabric and the dress. Sorry to have received email on April 11th!
Love the material you used in your second garden party dress – so sweet! Thanks for the giveaway
Lila looks beautiful in her new O & S dress – and so grown up with her braids! Sorry about the tear in her bday dress – but you are demonstrating a great attitude about it:) Off to go check out your newest sponser!