[AmyF]

I hope you guys can help me!

I’ve been asked to sew a baptism dress for an 8 year old little girl, that is a size 14/16 youth. She is overweight and already developing, so the mom likes the style of the garden party dress to hide her buds.

I made this dress in a size 10 for my daughter, so we tried the dress on her and it was tight. We couldn’t even button the back closure. Even sizing up to size 12 might be snug on her so I was wondering if I could extend the length on the waistband piece to give her more wiggle room? Could I also cut the front/back bodice away from the fold by about 1/2inch to add a little more fabric/ease? I would also need to extend the yoke by slashing and spreading under the armpit.

I’m afraid if I try to grade the pattern up to a size 14/16 that I will make a mistake. I only have a week to get this done. The parents have been frantically running around trying to find a dress to fit this poor little girl. I want to make her a dress she can feel beautiful in but I need a little direction on how to make it work! Thanks!

[Nicole]

@AmyF how very kind of you.

If she is only 8 I am wondering of she is only really after width? I have sewn for a obese child and her I found that was he case for her. I think what I would do is too split the front dress panel in half and add a few inches to the that.

I would add the same to the front bands and add quite a bit to the waist one and not sew that in place until it is fitted on her.

I think of it as a mini maternity style.

I have a tute here http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/the-garden-party-tutorial-part-one.html and if I can be of any help, send me an PM and I will give you my email.

I am sorry not to be more help, I am frantic setting up for my son’s 18th.

PS The Ice Cream dress is another excellent choice for an obese child.

Please let me know if I can be of any help. How very very kind of you.

xx Nicole

[Sarvi]

Nothing to add to Nicole’s excellent advice, but good luck, I’m sure both the kid and the parents will be delighted to have a special, pretty dress!

[AmyF]

Thank you Nicole! You are right – she needs width and a lot of it! I like your idea of slashing the front piece and adding fabric there. Can I do the same thing for the back bodice peice? Or do you think just adding in the front will loosen the dress enough?

[with love Heidi]

I would add to the back as well

[Nicole]

Not to go against @with-love-heidi, she sews for a plethora of lucky children, I would only add to the back if she is really overweight.
Chubby little girls tend to have big tummies, which this dress would disguise well, if you add to the back it may get ‘tenty’ and lose the original look.

[with love Heidi]

I’d go with Nicole’s recommendation. Although I sew for many children they have all been long and skinny so I haven’t had to do any experience sewing for overweight kids.

[needlewoman]

At the risk of being unhelpful, would ‘Mama’ come at the Ice Cream dress for her girl? The pattern is extremely roomy, and it’s likely that the size 12 would give your client plenty of room, and disguise the chest, and tummy. (I do sympathise; altho not terribly overweight at the onset of puberty, I was rather ‘bolster shaped’ for a couple of years with a very childish face, and A-line styles looked best of me). The pattern is a very pretty, and lends itself to all sorts of fabrics, and trims, and the line of the pattern de-emphasises tummies etc unlike the GP with the bands across the chest/waist. I’ve made it many times now in different sizes, and it’s always been a success. Please ask further questions if the idea appeals

[needlewoman]

Other than my suggestion, all the other advice from far more experienced sewists sounds spot on. The Garden Party is good pattern for widening the chest/waist/skirt without distorting the line of the original pattern.

[needlewoman]

Sorry, just realised that Nicole also suggested the Ice Cream dress. I really recommend that pattern, and I’d be happy to help out if you haven’t time/cash to buy pattern.

[Sarvi]

What a generous offer, @needlewoman! I love this great group we have here!

[AmyF]

Thanks so much for all the ideas and input! What a great community! Now in regretting spending so many years lurking and never contributing!

How do I not sew the waist band in place until the dress is fitted to her? I’ve made the dress three times and I topstitched it when the instructions told me too.

I might consider doing the ice cream dress if I can’t convince myself that I can alter the garden party dress. It’s a baptism dress so I’m leaning more towards the garden pert just because it’s a little more dressy/formal. But with the alterations and time constraints I might need to compromise. Thank you for the offer to help me purchase the pattern! I can’t believe how kind y’all are! I have the ice cream dress in my stash so I’m all set if that’s what I need to do!

Thanks again! What a wonderful group of women!

[Nicole]

Try doing this http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/garden-party-dress-part-two.html except for adding the waistband. Baste the side seams, fit and adjust yours gathers and then unpick the side seams and add the waist band.
Then you can make it as big as you need too.

xx N

[Sarvi]

If it turns out you do go the Ice Cream route, remember that a special fabric can make any dress feel dressier!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/49182185@N02/6142269375/in/photostream/

[Sherry]

Love these dresses, the material in the second photo is just stunning. Good luck with the sewing and fitting and please let us know the end results. Now I want to go and sew after all this inspiration.

Nicole, good luck with the party, hope the weather is perfect and all goes well. A very happy birthday to Hugo, gosh the years are flying by it’s hard to believe he will be 18.