In terms of Quickness:
I usually do the the bodice from the Bubble Dress or Music Box Dress with a gathered or pleated skirt. (I usually just hand stitch the lining in the bodice to avoid edge stitching.) Both styles can work with long sleeves underneath in cold weather and alone when it’s warmer.
In terms of favorites:
The Roller Skate is fun because with only three main pieces it allows for a fabric with a larger design/repeat than most kids stuff. Also if you add a little longer piece of elastic it can become more of a tunic as they get taller. (Plus living in Michigan and Oregon my nieces spent a good portion of the year in leggings/tights when hem length is less of an issue.) I don’t find it that fast because I like to a straight stitch finish the seams of both the lining and main fabric.
The Library Dress is probably my favorite in terms of the lines. I usually omit the facing and just line the bodice and for the bigger girls I do an invisible zipper.
The Playtime Dress is probably the most practical in terms of style (and who doesn’t love pockets!). As with the Library I find it’s only a tiny bit more work to just line the whole bodice, so I usually just do that. Since it has long sleeves and is a roomy fit I’m using this pattern to make all the nieces holiday PJs this weekend with some flannel I bought in Jackson Hole over the summer. I’ve had glow in the dark thread in my stash for almost a year that I’m going to use for some decorative top stitching.
