I made these for a friend, who was giving them as a gift to one of her friends. I promised not to mention them on the off chance that the friend-at-the-end might hear about it. No ruining of surprises from me!
Her brief was: it had to have yellow gingham, a big bow, super full skirt, and a wide hem. The two girls dresses should be matching. The matching part gave me difficulty. The youngest is a newborn and the oldest is 2. One is flat on her back, while the other is every position but. One lays still, while the other runs and explores. I decided to make them as close as possible, but still suitable for the age of the wearer.
For the newborn I chose a dress pattern with shoulder ties so the back was smooth and flat. The bow was made of two parts sewn together- it laid flatter than a regular bow and wouldn't be uncomfortable. And of course I remembered the bloomers!
For the older girl, I got to splurge and make gingham covered buttons that ran all the way down the back. And figuring she would end up topsy-turvy at some point, I made sure to make a pair of pantaloons with a matching ruffled edge. They stay hidden until the skirt gets lifted just a touch.
Both are made of all cotton so completely washable. The bodices are fully lined and all the seams are sealed. This will really help them last through wearing and washing. Both bows are sewn down so they stay big and full and mom doesn't have to spend ages tying and retying them!
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