Sunday 24 July 2022

Another Birthday dress, and a Sirdar Birthday cardigan. The perils of knitting taking longer than sewing.

 Conveniently, two of my friends have little girls who are 3 months apart in age. Naturally, when I was invited to the younger baby's first birthday party, my thoughts were drawn to the pattern I had recently used for  Miss M . I love reusing a pattern that I have already traced out, it makes me feel smugly efficient.


 However, I was not feeling smugly efficient when I took this photo mere seconds before leaving for the party. I may have sewn the buttons on whilst a passenger in the car. The reason for this was that my thoughts had not instantly flown to this pattern, because the intended present for Miss S was a sweet little cardigan, which mysteriously had not been finished by the day of the party. I blame this timing failure on having to rip back the sleeve due to its strange and disproportionate length. Of course, that was also because I thought I could knit 2 sleeves in 3 evenings after work. I was wrong. But I can mostly sew a little girl's simple pinafore dress in 4 or so hours if everything falls into place.


This dress is also a modification of the pattern (for a romper) Lollipop (Australian Smocking and Embroidery 72). It is clearly much more simple than the dress-for-the- birthday-party that I made for Miss M, but as it was only part of Miss S's gift, and intended for everyday wear, I felt that it was equally appropriate. I made Miss S a winter dress, as her birthday is at the beginning of Autumn, and besides, I had a little remnant of cordoroy that jumped out at me when I opened the door to my fabric closet in a slightly panicky manner. You can see that I made some attempt at fancy touches, it is a birthday gift after all. The front pocket , neckline and armscyes are trimmed with pale pink mini piping and the bodice is lined in the same pink cotton twill. I do like my remnant stash. Unfortunately using up these little pieces of fabric does not encourage me to clean out my fabric scraps, which is the other name for my remnant stash.

I am very lucky, and the mother of Miss S kindly visited me with Miss S wearing her little dress about 3 months after I'd made it. Doesn't she look sweet?


 



However, you may notice that she also looks tall, which is particularly evident as she dashes out the door whilst having her photo taken. As I had still not finished the cargidan, and I had firm intentions that the two garments be worn as an outfit, I had to do something about the length of the dress.

 


I finished the cardigan, and visited the family with my gift in tow with an ulterior motive. I  also came with a pink bias bound ruffle which I sewed to the pinafore whilst giving my friend a mini sewing machine foot lesson. She has started sewing for her little one on her grandmother's sewing machine, and I think she is hooked.


The cardigan is made from Baby Bamboo, and the pattern is cardigan C  from the pattern book  346, Baby Bamboo Too

I am quite pleased with the cardigan now that it is finally on the baby.


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