Niece November #1 _ 128 Chery Williams Basic Square Yoke, lap 2 of endurance gift sewing

The birthday dress (niece turning 7) is finished in the nick of time.

I used, Chery Williams Basic Square Yoke #128, copyright 1994, updated from a mid 80's version, which I own in both the small and large versions.

There are 10 variations of the pattern on the instruction sheet, but I have used a different variation of my own devising.

This is a very simple dress, with a lined bodice, darted at the waist, and the neckline and armscye re-cut for a sleeveless version.

I have piped the neckline, back opening and armscyes, and added an embroidered (lazy daisies) and counterchange smocked pocket.


The ribbon sash is held with thread keepers at the side seams, and also at the centre back, where in my experience, little girls' sashes tend to sag.

Being unfashionably fond of matchy-matchy, I have also made a hair ornament from the same ribbon as the sash. She is free to wear this with a completely different outfit instead, but it makes me happy ;)

I have added a ruffle to the hem, over 6m long for proper twirl factor, after shortening the dress . All the ruffling has been done using my hand cranked Singer with ruffler attachment, something I wish I had purchased at the same time as the pattern. The ruffler made it very easy to make the essential twirl and sticky-out factor petticoat (cotton batiste), no pattern used, just 2 ruffled tiers, the first is 2 fabric widths, the second is 4 fabric widths, attached to rectangle with an elastic waistband.

I have used this dress pattern at least 50 times. Whilst thinking about the 2012 SWAP, which is about developing TNT patterns, I thought about the TNTs I already own, and decided this one would have to be the top of my list (although the Jalie sweetheart top might be challenging it shortly). Using this pattern makes me feel nostaglic for my past sewing.

Here is the third dress made from this pattern, and the first time I used it for a birthday dress.



and here is the first dress (yellow one) and about the 15th dress.

You can see why I am grateful for niece sewing, all that girly sewing becomes addictive after too much exposure. Be warned.