[knitsewmama]

Hi there,

I’m excited to make a School Photo Dress for my 5 year old. I haven’t received the pattern yet but am trying to make some fabric decisions. Wondering if anyone would mind sharing their opinion about the following:

1) What size print (small, medium large) do you recommend?

2) Is the lining fabric strictly for inside the dress, or does the inside pocket material count as lining? I love the look of complementary fabric inside the dress, but wasn’t sure if that counts as the lining fabric or not (when I shop for material/yardage).

I’m pretty new to sewing, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to share what fabric you ended up using!

Thanks so much,

Knitsewmama

[scgoble]

Personally, I like this dress in solid colors (or close to it). Here are some of my favorites:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12011496@N00/4753106822/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58300323@N06/5422012736/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/slud77/5264505275/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23712634@N04/5528736937/

[meleliza]

It always seems a fancy dress to me. I like it in suiting fabrics or silk. But if you’re a novice, these could be hard to work with. What about a lighter weight home dec? Or lightweight twill? Have you seen the Lisette fabrics at Joann? I’m thinking of that cheery yellow twill. Wouldn’t that be georgeous?

[Nicole]

Oh no,its not too fancy! I have made several ”play” versions and it is such an exciting dress to sew! http://www.flickr.com/photos/motherof5/sets/72157625264559742/

I have made it in silk and cotton and I have a wool version cut out.

[Tamara]

You could really have fun with this dress – make it as fancy or as casual as you like. I made one in corduroy and am planning one in denim. But I also think it would be great in prints or plains and it’s been proven to look really special in silk.

You can use small or medium prints with this but I personally wouldn’t go too large on the prints for a little girl – you still want to see her not just the dress.

This will help you to practice precise sewing because of where you have to stop when sewing the pockets and the seams related to the pockets. It is a fun dress to sew though.

Have lots of fun with it and please post a photo (or two) to show us when you’re done.

[knitsewmama]

Thanks so much for all the info./opinions above. I appreciate it! I’ll be sure to post a picture when I’m done!

[Jennifer1568]

I bought a plaid Pendleton wool for this dress. I was inspired by this dress: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12011496@N00/4753048012 . Has anyone lined the sleeves? Do you think that the wool will be too itchy to wear with unlined sleeves? To line the sleeves, should I just cut out the dress sleeves in lining fabric, set them into the lining and then attach the lining as instructed- like the Schools Days Jacket? Make the sleeve lining one inch shorter than the dress sleeve.

I just received this pattern and have been thinking about fabric selection. I think that this pattern doesn’t lend itself to bold, large prints because of the seams down the front and the back. The mismatched print is too apparent. I will match the plaid wool.

[Nicole]

If I was to line the sleeves I would cut and sew a second sleeve, from lining fabric,put wrong sides together,finish the cuff,set in the sleeve and then bind the arm hole seam.

[Jennifer1568]

Mother of 5, do you mean put the sleeve lining (which already has the long seam sewn so it is a long tube) into the sleeve (which is also already sewn) , with wrong sides together , attach the cuff, wrapping the cuff around the two layers of fabric, and then attach the lined sleeve at the armhole as if it is one piece of fabric. Then bind the armhole seam? If I do it this way I will have to use the contrasting fabric as cuffs because I think wool cuffs would be too itchy.

With your instructions, I don’t understand how to have right sides together and then finish the cuff without the cuff ending up inside the sleeve between the sleeve and the lining.

[Nicole]

Sorry not to be more help,hopefully someone else will come up with an answer for you.

[meleliza]

I don’t have the instructions in front of me, but could you sew a second dress in your lining fabric? Machine stitch them together at the neck, hand stitch them together at the back zip and at the sleeve cuff and finish the hems separately? Here’s a good article from threads: http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4971/a-shortcut-to-great-linings

[Jennifer1568]

Thanks, meleliza. I made the dress out of cotton yesterday and constructed the unlined sleeves. I would do the lining as described in thread magazine except I don’t need to line the cuff. The sleeves are completely put together, including the cuff, and then set into the armholes. I think I will constuct 2 sleeves (the lining and the dress sleeve), put them together, make a bias band for the cuff out of cotton and sew it around the 2 layers, the sleeve and the lining, and then set the sleeve into the armhole. I will finish the armhole seam with bias tape. This is very similar to what motherof5 instructed. Thanks to both of you! I loved sewing the School Photo pattern.

[Lightning McStitch]

I’ve just made this one in a velveteen (view B). I’d bought a fabric remnant on sale that was only about 70cm yet I got the size 5 out of it. yay! (with only a join in the collar at the front – hardly noticeable). I only had the larger pattern. Now I just have to wait four years for my daughter to fit into it!

I like the idea of lining the sleeves too.

I have some ribbed wool knit that I think would be lovely. Could this pattern work in a stretch fabric? Anyone tried it?

[Sarvi]

Checking in again with a lot of the same questions as above if anybody feels like taking a fresh crack at them.

I saw this last week (and the photo absolutely does not do it justice, in person it takes your breath away):

http://www.susyharper.co.uk/shop/4580170263/cpd-fleck/8894727

and was reminded of a semi-recent favorite from the pool:

I found a nice piece of something marked as Italian wool but I am nearly certain it has a good bit of silk in it. It is tweedy in appearance but really not itchy or furry. My kid rarely if ever complains about sitting on buttons, fabric being scratchy, etc. and wears unlined wool skirts (and now culottes!) with no issues, but those are not snug against the skin like a sleeve cuff can be.

Any tips or tricks in addition to the upthread comments that folks can think of? Any after the fact regrets about using wool?

[Nicole]

Definitely not tight on my girls. I have the blue silk tweed you sent Lidia set aside to make Trixie that very dress.