Princess Dress

I don't even know how long I have been holding onto the fabric for this dress, but I know I bought the trim at least a year ago. Finally, I just bit the bullet and used a Simplicity pattern and made it plain pink instead of trying to make it Perfect with an Overlay and a tricked out Bodice and.... And you know, I actually like how it turned out better than what I was thinking in my mind.

I modified the pattern by eliminating the zipper and by combining the back pieces into one piece. The most important bodice change though was probably using a cotton/lycra knit for the back so that the dress can just pull over the head. I stole the idea from my friend's kid's princess dress and am now totally enamored with the simplicity of modding costumes to make them simpler. Who knew?

Bodice and skirt are two different pink satins, with a sparkle organza overlay on the skirt. I think the skirt fabrics are Joann and the bodice might be from Vogue. I finished the seams on the serger so the satin wouldn't ravel. Skirt poofs are plain tulle, but I doubled it for volume. Trim is also from Joann, a gold wire lace on the skirt fronts and at the neckline and a rainbow foil gold braid thingy at the hemline and neckline. I have some sew on jewels I have been meaning to add, but maybe it doesn't need it.

Pattern: Simplicity 2817

Fabric: pink satin, pink tulle, pink organza, and pink cotton/lycra knit

Happy Campers Quilt Finished!

The batting is cotton/poly low loft. None of the fabrics were preshrunk because I was using the charm pack. It all wrinkled up nicely. I quilted it in a grid pattern and bound it entirely by machine using a decorative stitch.

Happy Campers Quilt

Happy Camper Napping Quilt

This is going to be a gift for my step-father.

Materials:

1 charm pack (42 5" squares) in Happy Campers by American Jane for Moda

2 1/8 yd yellow Kona (to be purchased)*
1/3 yd each blue, green, red, brown and cream Kona (to be purchased)*

(*I may substitute if I can find other reasonably priced fabric that coordinates.)

I am aiming for a finished size of 49 1/2" by 72".

Here's the color breakdown of the charm squares that came in the pack: 3 navy, 8 red, 7 brown, 6 blue, 6 green, 7 yellow, 5 cream

Pictures of the plan:

And the cutting diagrams:

Yellow includes sashing, quilt back and binding

1/3 yard cuts include some internal sashing

And finally, the diagram for the quilt back (just to make sure I cut the fabric correctly):

I am hoping to purchase the solids this weekend, and to begin sewing the charms together maybe even tomorrow.