Sweet Innocence and Thanksgiving Alterations

      So I was recently lucky enough to be selected to test a pattern for Annastasia of My Treasured Heirlooms. From the moment I saw the dress and all of the options, I knew I would not be making just one.  Bug is a twirling, ruffly, sparkly type of girlie girl so this dress is right up her alley.  The Sweet Innocence dress goes from sizes 2-10 and there is even a doll option that will fit a wide range of doll babies.  There are 3 different options for this dress, two peasant dresses that can serve as underdresses and even a corresponding pair of pants (with or without ruffles).  If you only buy one pattern, this one has everything and more.  You can purchase just the dress (Girls Pattern) or opt for the combo pack that includes the doll version (Girl and Doll Combo).

       So for my first dress, I had some fabric issues and changed my mind forty times but I finally decided to cut the second view with a peasant underdress. I am working with Bug to pick her own fabrics because she is getting more picky and I don't want to sew things that she will refuse to wear.  I started with the underdress. It is a peasant style dress that could easily stand by itself but I used it to give body to the outer dress.

And oh the twirl!

      There was so much ruffling going on... And then I started with the outer dress.  My daughter, like everyone else's daughter, loves Frozen so I have some of every Frozen print.  She really wanted a Frozen twirly dress.I chose the open back with a double ruffle to mat h the underdress.  After yards and yards of ruffles, I think she was pleased...

      After doing the assigned tester dress, Annastasia asked if anyone wanted to try to do something different with the pattern.  Since Thanksgiving was coming up and I promised my daughter a rocking Thanksgiving outfit, I jumped at the chance to try my luck.  I wanted to use the peasant bodice and create a shirt and match it with the ruffle pants.  So I estimated my daughter would need about 6 1/2" added to the bodice to be long enough to make a shirt. 

     I used the tier 1 measurements from the tiered peasant dress to cut a ruffle to go on the shirt. I shortened the ruffle height to match the pants ruffle. Then I cut out the ruffle pants.  I used the pants ruffle piece as well as a ruffle that was an inch shorter to create a double ruffle.  Since my fabric was so dark and holiday themed, I decided to add some gold ricrac along the ruffles to create a little "bling" for my fancy Ladybug. She loved her comfy Thanksgiving outfit!

      So run over to My Treasured Heirlooms and grab your own copy of the Sweet Innocence Dress on Etsy or Craftsy! And check out her store! She has some awesome crochet patterns.... which is a skill I have been meaning to learn.  Happy Thanksgiving from Bubba and Bug! And on to Christmas sewing!

(Bubba is wearing the Old Tyme Baseball Shirt from Dandelions N Dungarees)