What Fun!

I spent the day trying to replicate this little dress that was designed and made by Lezette Thomason at the Children's Corner school in Nashville. While other classes I have taken from Lezette focused on pattern drafting, today was spent learning some new techniques.

This dress began as the Lillian pattern, but Lezette added bias bands to the neck, armholes and down the front and back. I had thought making corduroy bias strips would be a nightmare, but with her step by step guidance it was almost easy! We used a Sewline glue stick on the bias tape after we finger pressed it, and then attached it to the front and back of the dress with the gluestick before we top stitched. Quick and easy...no pins.

The bias bands on the arms and neck were done much the same way, but Lezette minimizes wrinkles by cutting the bias strip about a 1/4 inch shorter than the measured armhole opening, then stretching the band to fit.

The sewing was fun and the chili lunch was delicious, but the best part was the new friends from Ohio, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee. We are all brought together by a shared love of sewing; mothers, grandmothers, aunts, an unbelievably young almost great grandmother, and a godmother. I know we were all trying to visualize our special little girls and the smiles on their faces wearing a snazzy new dress!