I Sewed My First Dress!

My friend Lori (who I feel like I should mention is my only Mennonite roots friend in the city!) emailed the link to these adorable pillow case dresses a couple weeks back and asked if I wanted to make one for Hanny Pants. She had partnered with a woman in Oxbow who was making them for the fabulous organization Little Dresses for Africa that has volunteers make these dresses and send them as an offering of hope for poverty stricken girls in Africa. I love crafting for a difference and see a "Little Dresses for Africa" sewing party in the near future!

Anyways.. it's always more fun to do a project with someone so Lori and I set a date for me to bring over my stash of fabric and sew a dress for Hanny and of course learn a few new sewing tricks.

I am a "sew by the seat of my pants" kind of girl. I can work my machine, sew a reasonably straight seam and that's about it! Lori is a quilter extraordinaire! You should see her quilting room. Drool. The quilt she made for her bed - gasp!

I snagged this fabric at Hobby Lobby not knowing what I'd make with it but am now quite sure it was always destined to be worn by the Hannah one. See those straps? Lori taught me to make my own bias tape (and how to sew it on... giggle...if only she could have seen how I've tried to sew it on in the past.)

The pom pom trim is probably my favourite part. Hanny's too :)


You can't really see it in this pic but on the back is my "french seam". I didn't know it existed but Lori taught me how to sew one. Very handy as it leave no raw edges to fray in the wash.

Sigh... she is so cute. The dress is a little long and perfect for her to grow into. She'll wear it for a long time as all dresses become tunics and worn with jeans at some point :)

I'm pretty pumped to have made my first dress for my daughter. This one will go in the hope chest and passed on along with the nightgown my mom made her and the pajamas my grandma made her :)

Thanks Lori!

UPDATE: You can also find the pattern at Little Dresses for Africa!