Sunday, December 13, 2009

a Nutcracker dress

Kate and I are going to see the Nutcracker over Christmas break, so of course she needed a sparkly dress to wear. I know her flower girl dress is going to be navy blue & sparkly, so I wanted to try out sewing something similar and a holiday dress seemed like a good excuse. I found some blue rayon/silk satin with a bit of sun fading on it in the outlet at Parons, and some blue beaded trim at Joyce Trimming on W 38th. The dress is lined in ambiance, and the lining actually has a bit of cranberry lace for the hem. The satin was really wonderful to sew. It didn't curl too much, and pin holes disappeared after ironing.

It was hard to photograph, so here are two pictures.

dress

Dress


It's hard to see, but there are sequins sewn into little 3D roses on the trim. I hand sewed this on just above the empire waist seam using some navy blue thread. There's not actually a dip in the trim or waist seam, it just was hanging a bit weird when I took this picture.

beads

This is the same BWOF dress pattern that I used for her birthday dress, but I cut the neckline higher so that I don't need to add some lace to bring it up. Here's her birthday dress:

kate

And finally, the PJ factory is whipping up dolly PJs and quilts as well! Here is molly, modeling a pair of christmas PJs for an american girl doll. I made a few little pairs of flannel PJs for the girls' baby dolls and then teensy doll quilts with the extras.

Pjs And Quilt

8 comments:

KID, MD said...

Very elegant! What a lucky girl!!

Patricia said...

What a beautiful little dress!
I am glad you put up the close up even though the waist looks wonky. It really shows the sheen on the satin nicely.

kbenco said...

I bet she feels like a princess going to the nutcracker. Gorgeous. As for the rest of your post !!! I have covered my eyes.
I will not sew dolly pyjamas, I will not sew dolly pyjamas, I will not sew dolly pyjamas (they are soooo cute, and the girls will love them)

Karin said...

Perfect dress!

I just took my five year old to the Royal Opera House this Saturday to see the NutCracker. She wore an Oliver + S Sunday Brunch jacket and skirt that I sewed her. It was nice, but not nearly dressy enough.

I felt sorry that I had not made her something much frothier. They are only little once, and I wasted a chance for her to feel like a princess by sewing something sensible and tailored. Silly mommy!

Antoinette said...

So beautiful! I am digging navy this year, more than ever. What a wonderful aunt to take her to a show and sew her a fancy new dress, too!!!

Uta said...

That dress is so beautiful! Perfect to go to the ballet. I think I need to turn up a nutcracker production around here; I'm getting serious ballet cravings now!

Gail said...

She'll look like a princess. Nutcracker was the first ballet I ever saw.

SEWN said...

how was the nutcracker? I'm sure she was the best dressed little girl there! Beautiful dress!