My First Commercial Pattern

After all of the pillows, table runners, drawstring bags and aprons, I really wanted to get into making dresses for my daughter. The first pattern I have attempted is New Look 6578.


It was a really great choice for a beginner. Especially if you opt not to do the fancy appliques. Technically my sewing classes will cover "how to follow a commercial pattern" next month, but with just what I had learned about seam allowances and seam finishing in class, plus what I had learned about making button holes from the folks who sold my machine to me, I was able to complete this dress. Actually, I have now made four of these dresses and all of them after the very first one came out this well. But two of them are in the wash, having already been worn, and the latest one is waiting for me to go out in search for coordinating buttons.


I also had to look up an on-line tutorial for using bias tape (which is what gives the dress the nice red hem). I thought that this tutorial was the best:

http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken/tutorialsrecipes/index.html

Not only was it helpful, but the lady who does it is so very funny. It's how to use bias tape with no swearing. ('Cause if you are sewing a dress for your toddler, you definitely want to keep from swearing.)