I've been wanting to make a little girls dress for the longest time, so I jumped at the chance to test Nikki's new Tulip Dress pattern. Of course there are no little girls in my family, so I decided to make it in a size 5 to give to a friends little girl.
Unfortunately, I don't have any cute dress modelling shots (Frances is far too big, and I don't think I could possibly convince Moo Moo to try it on for a photo).
There are lots of variations to choose from in the pattern. I was originally going to make the sleeveless version, but with a gentle nudge from Tinniegirl, I decided that I should challenge myself and make the version with sleeves instead (I've never 'set in' a proper sleeve before now).
The pattern includes instructions for buttonholes, but I was so happy with the way that the dress turned out that I didn't want to risk ruining it right at the end by attempting buttonholes on my machine (it has a conniption every time I try). I chose to use snaps instead. EDIT: The pattern also suggests to use snaps as an alternative!
As always, the detailed instructions are brilliant. I have hardly any experience in using clothing patterns, but I followed everything step by step, from the pattern layout on the fabric, to the little tips along the way. It really made the construction easy (even for me).
If you get in really quick, there's a chance to win a copy of the pattern once it is released (very very soon) and some fabric from Nikki's stash. You can find all the details right here!