Be My Valentine.....oh, Pink Princess

What a fun adventure for Valentine's Day!  This is from Sewing Clothes Kids Love and is called the Manhattan Special Occasion Dress.  This dress has 21 pieces of cut velveteen and 21 pieces of lining/organza.  Ok, you can call me nuts now.  

I need to tell you the best things about this dress, so I'll list them:

1.  My daughter LOVES it.

2.  You could embellish it in endless combinations.  My embellishments are cheap trim from Hobby Lobby.  I hope they hold up!

3.  It hangs so beautifully and twirls very nicely.

4.  The construction of the bodice is a bit different, but a stroke of genius!

5.  It makes me so excited to make the Feliz dress out of the same book.

Items to note when you are overcome by the need to make a dress with 42 pieces:

1.  The hem would be best done as a rolled hem on your serger.  Turning under the hem is tough on such a full skirt.

2.  I wish it was longer, this dress hits my daughter just below the knee.  I love to get a few years of good out of my effort.

3.  I did not read all the directions first, so when it said to try on the bodice to make sure it fits over your daughter's head, I nearly panicked.  I was already very committed to this dress by this point and it was a close call.  I made a 7/8 for my 7 year old skinny daughter.  

4.  Either my daughter has been too rough lately or the last bodice seam that holds the sleeve to the front bodice is a BIG stress point.  The first day she wore it, she tore the right seam out.  The second day she wore it, she tore the left seam out.  I have made many items and most stress points are under the arm of sleeveless tops. (I think little girls try to force a bent arm through the hole.)

5.  Be creative with this dress, you can't go wrong!

A shot of the lining and ribbon detail.

The back ties up like a real princess.   She can't wait to wear this to a local Father/Daughter Dance for Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day!