The Eleena Blog Tour

I feel so incredibly lucky to have been one of the testers for Olga Becker's latest pattern, the Eleena dress. This dress patten comes in sizes 2 through 12 and comes with many options, which you can mix and match as you like! You can make this dress sleeveless, with flutter sleeves, short sleeved or long sleeved. I have made all versions, except sleeveless.

Today, I'm exited to share with you my latest Eleena dress with short sleeves.

Project Run and Play March Challenge -The Knot dress

This year, Project Run and Play is doing a monthly sew-along challenge and this month, the sew along pattern they chose is The Knot Dress. This pattern was designed by Jessica from Me Sew Crazy and is offered as a free download here.

Jessica is on one of the talented ladies behind the super cool magazine STYLO. I've always liked the general aesthetic of that magazine and I enjoy the projects and other fun stuff they include in their magazine. If you haven't checked out the magazine yet, make sure you do it here :)

Anyway, this is what my final version of the dress looks like. I just love it and now I want one for myself ;D

If you would like to know how I made it, keep reading.

At first, I was planning on sewing the pattern just how it is, but I remembered my daughter doesn't like to wear dresses that have big knots or bows on the shoulders or on the back. For that reason, I decided to modify the bodice of the pattern quiet a bit, so that it would a dress she would love to wear. 

My daughter usually wears size 5, but since the fit of this specific pattern is more relaxed, I downsized to size 4 and based my design on that. 

Modifications:
The first thing I did was to lower the neckline just a little bit, so that it would have more of a scoop shape. I also narrowed the bodice, where the shoulder ties would go and cut it at the shoulder. I also added a separate strap on each side. The straps are attached at the shoulder seam and I added enclosed ruffles from the mid arm cycle to the middle of the white shoulder strap. I wanted the two straps to cross at the back, so I made them long enough to cross at the back.

On the back bodice pattern, I cut it straight across (like a rectangle) right before the arm cycle line starts. I also added a 1" elastic at the top back bodice to give it a more fitted look. On the back bodice, I also made two button wholes 2" from the side seams, so the straps would cross on the back, go in the button wholes and tie in a bow at the middle.

For the skirt, I just cut 2 skirt pieces twice as wide as the bodice, gathered it and sewed it to the bodice. The skirt turned out to be full and more of a maxi length, which is the style my daughter loves!

My daughter really loved how the dress turned out and has not taken it off since then. 

I hope you enjoyed my blog post. Thank you for visiting and come back soon, as I have I few other projects I will be sharing within the next couple of weeks. 

-Maria <3

KCW- Day 3 1920's Inspired Dress

Today I decided to sew something a little bit different. I have always been a fan of 1920's fashion and I wanted to sew something like this for my little girl.

I'm so exited about this dress, because I actually created the pattern for this dress. I used one of my daughter's shirts as reference and created the pattern. 

This dress is made of cream colored silk fabric, which is very light weight and soft. The bodice is fully lined. I added a front bib on the bodice, which is outlined with vintage ric-rac. The two black buttons on the front of the bib are also vintage (bought all this at thrift stores). 

The also features a drop waist, cap sleeves and a 2-tier ruffled skirt.

Front