UFO #1: First Summer Dress

This is a dress I started last summer for my then 2-year old daughter. I managed to get to step 3 when I got thoroughly confused by the directions and put away the project once the weather got cold. I pulled it out after finishing the two bags and after 5 minutes, voila! -- the directions suddenly made sense and I was able to quickly finish it. I had made it a little big for her, and it remains big for her, especially around the neck, but I figure that just means she can wear it next year too!

I'm not real fond of the style, at least not on her. She has a bit of a buddha belly. With the front seam at chest height and the ties that pull the dress tight about belly height, it looks a bit funny on her. I think she will be better suited to a dress with a defined waist. I'll have to give that a try sometime. This isn't a knock against the pattern, I thought it was a good pattern, its just not the right style for my daughter at this time.

Pattern Review: Simplicity S5118
It was a great pattern for a first dress. As mentioned I got confused early on, but since this is my first dress pattern, I think EVER, that may be more my fault than the pattern. I sewed the front pieces and cut the back pieces and then sewed those two together. Then the directions moved to the sleeves. I was thinking of attaching the sleeves to the dress, but the directions were actually about making the hem for the end of the sleeves. I couldn't understand how the hem worked with attaching the sleeves to the dress (it didn't, it was unrelated) but I got stuck on that... not being able to forsee the next step, and that is where I got stuck. But once I understood the directions, I was able to quickly finish the dress, even working with the lace around the edges of the neck and sleeves and the elastic in the neck without a problem.

My daughter complains the dress is itchy, which is a good point. I didn't choose soft lace, which I should have. This year she can wear a tank under the dress, which will help fit her better anyway and maybe next year she'll be less sensitive to the lace. This may even work as a nice peasant top when she gets older. Although I cut it out, I didn't attach the 'flounce' on the bottom (why is it not just called a 'ruffle'?) I had already finished the end of the dress and was not real interested in the frill anyway, so I skipped it.

Final review: Did I like the pattern? Yes. Would I sew it again? Maybe. If not, it would be because the dress is not the right look for my daughter and not the fault of the pattern. I do think I will be putting together a pair of the little shorts so she can wear something under it and still run and play. Unfortunately, I don't have enough of the same fabric, so that may be a little while.