[cybele727]

Hi.

This is the first OS pattern I bought, and I haven’t made it yet! Well, I finally found the fabric that sings to me! You all know how that is… you walk by it, you wrench your neck and start to drool, and it whispers…. I am the fabric you have been searching for… (or something like that!)

Anyways, I am excited. But the fabric was expensive (a double border Japanese cotton linen blend– hello Easter dress) and I splurged. I may not be doing much sewing for a while after this purchase… ate a big hole in the fabric allowance. Oh but how it sang to me….

So because of the investment in this fabric, I want to do this right. My WeeGee is a petite 3 y/o. She measures 18 M-2t in most ways except… I find if I make a 2T, it is too short. Not because she is tall, but b/c her torso is really long so all things hit her high in the legs since they start so much lower.

But if I make a 3T or 4T to accommodate her shape, she will swim in the shoulders/neck, and when she grows to fit the neck/shoulders, it will be too short on her legs.

Any suggestions?

Do the 2T and lengthen, (but becareful b/c the lengthening will change the width of the bottom, and therefore the facing)?

Or… do the larger size, let it be a bit swimmy in the shoulders/neck, and when she grows into it, use it as a tunic?

What say you?

[Sarvi]

Nicole generally goes for lengthening a smaller size, I think? Seems a shame not to get a really nice fit from a special fabric you love!

[mkhs]

I’ve only made the blouse, but would recommend a smaller size, lengthened, if your daughter has thin shoulders. Because of the buttons, you don’t have to worry about it not fitting over her head. Try lengthening it at a couple of places (chest and knees?} if you don’t want to mess with the hemline.

[cybele727]

Hmmm … how to lengthen an A-Line through the “waist” area without changing the width hem… gotta think on that one. Google here I come.

[cybele727]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGuwgztksHk Found this. Using the second method. I was worrying about how to make the side seams smooth but this shows me that. 🙂

[cybele727]

Ha, and Google found this for me….

http://oliverands.com/blog/2010/02/lengthening-and-shortening-a-pattern.html

D’oh.

[juliamom2009]

I just measured my 3 year old daughter and she is 40″ tall, and has a 20″ waist and chest. I made her the size 2T with 3T length last season, and it fits her perfectly through the shoulders still. Unfortunately, it’s now a couple of inches too short….

Personally, and it may not be correct, on an a-line dress, I just lengthen by extending the side seams to the next size or two up.

[cybele727]

Julia’s mom. Did you cut the 3t hem facing?

[juliamom2009]

No, I didn’t cut the 3T hem facing – if I recall correctly, I put the hem facing pattern piece over the actual bottom of the lengthened dress, and cut out the hem facing based on the new contour for the bottom of the lengthened dress.

[sarahb]

I would certainly go with the 2T and lengthen. 🙂 The neckline of this dress is a bit wide, so too large a dress won’t fit properly.

[cybele727]

Thanks. I am going to lengthen and by the slash method to preserve the contour at the hem. Because it is double border fabric, lay out may be tricky, so I don’t want to widen the dress.

[Nicole]

Please make a trial run in another fabric.

When I wanted to make Tildy’s silk version I made a cotton version first to check the size.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/motherof5/6162734014/in/set-72157627704619988/

I made the 12-18mnth width and lengthened at the hem.

She is nearly 4 (sob) and still wearing it.

If you daughter is petite and your fabric was expensive make a trial run.

A little girl can never have too many pretty dresses or blouses.

[cybele727]

I so excited that I don’t want to do that. I have lengthened and pinned to the fabric.

But I do have another fabric I can use. A new little lisette. I bought it for this pattern. Sigh. Putting the smart before the fun. I will make it with the cheaper fabric.

Thanks for cooler heads prevailing!

🙂

[cybele727]

So funny. 5 years ago I made this post. Today I measured my daughter and she’s 51″ tall. Has a 23 inch chest. 4T chest and a 7 in length, but I’d prefer the 8 so it lasts. She’s so narrow!

And I thought, didn’t I have this similar problem before and I wonder what the forum has to say. Voila!