Here they are! The finished products!

Lilly's dress

Lilly's reverse hat

Ava's Dress

Ava reverse hat

Lesson #1 ~ It’s harder than you think to photograph and blog every step of a project!

Lesson #2 ~ Take your time and do it right the first time, because undoing is time consuming!

Lesson #3 ~ If you have a ‘model’ use them. (such as a daughter the same size)

Lesson #4 ~ When measuring your child, measure not only their height, but shoulder width, waist, bust,etc. Because after you sew a dress you don’t want to re-sew an entire new one!

Lesson #5 ~ Button holes are frustrating and even more so when you undo them!

Lesson #6 ~ When attaching Pockets, ensure they are on the right side of the dress!

Lesson #7 ~ Take pictures for your blog before gift wrapping them, because then you notice you sewed those pockets on the wrong side before giving them to the person as a gift! (Luckily this is the step I just did!).

Lesson #8 ~ Practice does make perfect.

Lesson #9 ~ It’s easier to do everything right when you don’t have distractions (such as kids around).

Lesson # 10 ~ Just Sigh. Shrug it off and keep trying

Ps~ as soon as I unattach and reattach the pockets I will upload pictures.

I have been working diligently on the little dresses for the 4 girls. Well okay on Ava and Lilly’s. I discovered that apparently I don’t know how to read the back of the pattern for how much material is needed. I was able to cut out both Ava and Lilly’s dress and Ava’s hat, and still have HALF the fabric I bought left, out of the amount of fabric I thought I needed for Ava’s dress and hat! I guess I need lessons on how much fabric to buy (now I have lots and lots).

I have sewn the sides on the dresses and sewn the hat together (the two parts just not joined them). Here are a few pictures I’ve taken so far.

Laying out the pattern.

the two dresses pinned. They are pretty BIG for these girls...

No. I’m not very good at sewing. Actually if I actually do try it, I’m usually not to bad. However I sew things that people don’t wear. I don’t sew clothes. I sewed a skirt in high school and after that I didn’t want to try it again. A few (like 4) years ago I bought a bunch of material from a store that was closing out. Great deals. Great fabric. Still not sewn (is that spelled right?). Well I just purchased a bunch more fabric. To try and sew some little girl dresses, for my kids and my nieces. With matching sun hats too. So, would you like to join me on this crazy expedition? I will more than likely enlist my mom’s help (all the way from Thailand), however I plan to take pictures of all the steps as I go. So wish me luck. Tonight after the girls are in bed I will lay out the fabric, pattern and start cutting! YIKES!

ps~ don’t tell my Sister/brother in law as the dresses (if they work) will be gifts (they don’t have internet so won’t see this).